25… – The Celeste Elizabeth

This is not what I envisioned for my life.

I never imagined that at 25 I’d be working full-time, doing other jobs on the side, single, and still waking up with breakouts (news flash to 15 yr old Beth: They said you’d grow out of the acne. Brace yourself. They lied.).

For as long as I can remember 25 was THE AGE. Maybe it’s because I believed 25 was when I would finally have it all together. Or that at 25 I would have fully arrived at where I was going. Or that 25 was when I would finally have the things I wanted most….a husband and children. I imagined that at 25 I would be a stay-at-home mom, cooking dinner every night, hand sewing all of my children’s clothing…lol…but really, all while keeping a well-ordered and clean home.

There’s nothing wrong with those things, but the reality is, being a wife and mom was all I could dream up because I believed they were the only things I would be good at.

Whelp, 25 has pretty much come and gone and I don’t have it all together, I haven’t arrived anywhere, and I don’t have a husband and children.

And I’ve never felt more fulfilled.

Over the last few years I found the courage to believe that maybe, just maybe, God has created me for more. That there’s something He wants to do through me and that this life He has planned for me is beautiful and full of freedom and grace.

And so I believed, and I grieved the loss of what I thought would be true, and I took risks, and I decided to dream bigger dreams, and I told fear it didn’t get to win.

And I’ve discovered that I’m passionate. I’m creative. I’m driven. I love watching people step into their potential. I’m nurturing. I’m adventurous. I’m a communicator. I’m capable. I’m brave. I’m a dreamer. I’m a writer. I’m visionary. I’m gracious. I’m bold. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I learned that my life didn’t peak at 25. In most ways, my life is just beginning. Because gosh, how boring if I had arrived at 25?! I have so.much.life.to.live. And it’s thrilling!

I never envisioned this would be my life at 25, but it’s far greater than what I envisioned. I could have been an incredible wife and mom at 25, but it would have only been a small portion of what God had in store for me. My desire to be a wife and mom came from a desire to do what I was created to do. And I’m doing that. I’ve simply been created to listen to my Heavenly Father and follow Jesus open-handed. He has told me that I am worthy, cherished and valued and following His lead has brought me more life and wonder than my grandest of dreams.

I still desire be a wife and mom. I’m hopeful I will be one day, and it will be awesome, but when that day comes, I will find comfort in knowing that it’s just ONE of the MANY things that God has created me to be.

So bring it on 26. And 27, 28, 29, 30…