This Beautiful Breath {Guest Post}

Hey everyone! Today I have the honor of having Rue Arrow sharing thoughts and wisdom. Please be sure to check out her amazing blog, drop a comment and follow. 🙂

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We’ve all been there. Caught up in future thoughts, plans, dreams, and aspirations…hoping, praying, imaging. There are things in life that we look forward to and that is wonderful. I truly hope you have something in “tomorrow” that makes you smile to think about.

But don’t live there, friend.

As little kids we used to imagine—dream about—being teenagers. Remember that? Remember watching the “big kids” and admiring the way they seemed so cool and smart and everything-you-wanted-to-be-one-day?

Well now you are that teenager. And oftentimes, I’m guessing, you find yourself looking to the next adventure of life. The one where you go off into the big, wide world and start a life of your own…maybe even a family of your own.

And it’s okay. It’s okay to dream and to imagine and to plan.

But don’t miss out on today.

Every breath is beautiful. Don’t miss this one.

“What Do You Want to Do with Your Life?”

Have you heard that question? I certainly have. It comes with more suggestions and more ideas and more questions and—you get the picture.

Some teens know what they want—and what God wants for them—without much hesitation. Others have a really hard time figuring out what the future looks like. And ya know what? That’s okay.

You don’t have to have the whole future planned by today. It’s okay if you graduate high school and you’re still confused. It’s okay if it takes a little searching before you figure everything out.

Just take a deep breath.

It’s okay.

You’ll figure it out.

Keep praying, keep exploring. Look at it as an adventure. You may have a whole new chapter ahead of you, but you still have to go page by page, sentence by sentence, word by word. Just take it one step at a time.

Don’t worry so much about all the details of tomorrow—instead, focus on making today something you can look back on and smile at.

What Happens if I’m Still Not in A Serious Relationship Soon?

It’s natural to want to be in a serious romantic relationship the older you get. Overall, there’s nothing wrong with those emotions and that desire. But here’s something to keep in mind: you’re still young.

Really young.

I know, I know. I sound like your grandparent or some little old lady at church who is gently tapping you on the head with that strange twinkle in her eye. But it’s true. (And, for the record, don’t ya think the people that would know that best are the ones that have been around the longest and seen the most?)

You’re still maturing. Still growing. Still learning. And, no, I’m not saying you shouldn’t have high expectations for yourself. I truly believe you are capable of big things with God’s help. But I also believe that there is a reason for every breath you take…and it’s not worth it to spend that breath doing a mental survey of every girl or guy in the room who might fit the bill.

I know. You want a relationship. That’s okay. But hang in there. You still have a lot of life ahead of you. You’re gonna meet new people, try new things, make new memories. If God has someone out there for you, they’re worth the wait. For now, just allow yourself a moment to breathe. You aren’t defined by your romantic life in the slightest.

Today is a lovely blessing. The sun is shining, the birds are singing somewhere out there, and the wind still blows. Don’t miss this moment…who knows? It just might be a wonderful one.

But What If…?

What if life gets too hard? What if no college accepts me? What if I can’t find a job? What if I never know what I want in life? What if I never get into a serious relationship? What if…?

Well, friend, let me ask you this…

What if the clouds were square? What if your pet chicken were to turn green? What if the government went and made a law that you had to sing all your words, and no one ever spoke plainly ever again?

Kinda pointless questions, huh?

Here’s the simple truth: it’s just as pointless to worry about tomorrow.

In Matthew 6:27 Jesus asks, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Life is short, friends. Today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow. You can only live in one…and yet we try to live in the other.

Today is a gift. If you live to be eighty, by the time you’re twenty you’ll have already lived one fourth of your life. Live it well. Tomorrow will never come, friends. As little orphan Annie said, “it’s always a day away.” So, stop chasing it. Acknowledge it, fine. Accept it, yes. Smile at the thought of it, by all means!

But don’t chase it.

Each and every breath is a gift. I hope you value it.

Yes, there will be air to breathe tomorrow, moments to smile at, things to look forward to, and dreams to work towards…

But don’t miss this beautiful breath.

Rue Arrow is a teenage girl, living as a missionary in West Africa, with a deep passion for Jesus. She loves music, laughter, sunflowers, rainy days, new experiences, and adventures. As a young writer she desires to encourage and challenge the believers around her and point weary hearts to their loving Creator. When she’s not writing she is usually reading, playing an instrument, or goofing off with her siblings. Find out more about her and her passions at ruearrow.com.