Transition from youth group to adulthood

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Finding your identity: It is tricky and also good to be in a place finding your identity, not just in yourself but in Christ.  And I am establishing/searching for who I am but in Christ. Basically establishing faith, not because it is what mom and dad said or not because of what the family unit said, but because this is me.

Finding I don’t necessarily see things the same way as my parents do – figuring out what that looks like. A lesson I have learned recently is the balance between truth and grace and how they can work together.

Establishing what is Christianity and what is culture: A lot of times we believe things growing up because it is part of what you learn from your circle, from family, etc. but then you’re trying to figure out what truth is. It is a difficult transition because your beliefs are challenged. Sometimes you agree to disagree and sometimes there are things we believe just aren’t right. Hearing why others believe what they do, helps to balance out and helps to understand.

Sometimes people think, “How can they be a Christian and do this?” (Basically how can you be a Christian and act and think differently than me.) That would not have come to my attention as a high schooler or middle schooler. 

Agree to disagree: How do you determine what to agree to disagree with? There are parallels to grace and truth. It is not our responsibility if our friends make a bad choice or we disagree with what they choose. It is between them and God. But we need to have grace for them, for their choices, and things we disagree with them about.

Transitioning to adulthood: What has been the hardest transition into adulthood? Finding who you are. There is a choice to find who you are or who you are in Christ. Who are you in Christ or what do I want?  It is hard to try to have a plan for your future. Probably what you have planned is not going to pan out like you think it is. God has plans for you. Important for high school students to know that it is okay to not know what you want to do. It is okay to change your mind and not have your whole like figured out when you are 18 or 19.

Advice to seniors: What advice would you give to seniors? What they tell you in middle or high school to be in the Word – be consistently in the Word. Don’t necessarily get an answer just by opening up the bible. But having a foundation over time has helped. 

Joy has an ability to write cards to people and give them to you at the exact right moment about something going on in your life that she would have no idea about. People are still trying to convince me about that gift. I am learning what that means. I will actually sit down and know that I need to write to someone but not what I am writing about. I trust that the Lord has been working in me. Is it a gift or a burden? Both. Sometimes it is a burden because I am human and will be wrong. Sometimes I feel people don’t want to hear it or be annoyed by me. There are a lot of things I don’t understand, and that is one of them.

I am thankful to have people that have given me a foundation and have poured into me and encouraged me, so I know what encouragement looks like.

What advice would you give to teenagers? Message us @convergewc