Enjoy This Moment

I love college. Everything about college actually. I’m the girl who gets excited about school supplies and planning classes. It’s the funnest, craziest, most growing season of my life thus far.

And I only have one month left until summer. One month until I’m finished with my sophomore year.

Halfway done.

It’s crazy to me. Literally in one month I’ll be finishing my exams, packing up my room at the lovely ADPi house, and heading home. And for the last few weeks, I’ve been buried deep in tests, papers, reading, and so much more. All I can think about is how much work and responsibility I have and how stressed I am. My teeth have literally been clenched tight. In fact, my best friend Beth just asked if I was stressed because apparently the last hour I’ve been sitting across from her, I’ve heaved a great sigh ever few minutes.

And honestly, that is not at all how I want to spend my last month of sophomore year. That’s not how I want to spend a single day of my life.

You see, it’s so easy for me to get overwhelmed with my current situation and just shut down. Instead of pressing on to get my work done at a reasonable time, the amount of assignments I have just overwhelm me and I end up stress eating, spending hours on facebook, pinterest, instagram, etc., and ultimately give up and go to bed, sleeping longer than I probably ever should. And I think a lot of us do this. Ask just about any college kid, and they would tell you about how procrastination rules their life. They’d probably tell you they’re so busy or overwhelmed, but they just can’t bring themselves to do anything until the day (or night) before it’s due. We’ve created a culture of procrastination and anxiety, and, honestly, I’m tired of it.

If I’m just gritting my teeth and trudging through the end of the semester, what am I going to remember as I drive away from the place I’ve called home for the last year? What memories am I going to smile over as I spend my summer apart from a lot of people I love? Is it worth it to just simply make it through? Shouldn’t it be more worth it to remember these sacred moments? Shouldn’t it be more worth it to enjoy this life? This season? This day? This very second?

John 10:10 is one of my favorite verses of all time. In it Jesus says,“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Note that Jesus never said, “I’ve come so that they can simply survive, always hoping that this next season will be the one that brings contentment. I’ve come so that they can be overwhelmed, filled with anxiety, and desperate for something else.” Nope, Jesus can to bring rich, true, and FULL LIFE! He has more for you right this very instant, and you don’t even have to work for it! Real life people! That’s exciting!!

So why am I telling you this? Who cares that I’m stressed? We’re all stressed.

I know. That’s why I’m bringing this up.

My hope is that you’ve reached your limit and you’re tired of this way of life, too. I hope you’re tired of simply “just making it” and that you’re ready to step into rich and full life that can only be found in Jesus. I’m not saying that it’s always going to be easy. I’m not saying that every day is going to be filled with sunshine and happiness, but what I am saying is that when we choose to walk with Jesus, we get to do more than simply survive, we get to thrive!

I don’t know about you, but I want to savor these moments. I want to actually enjoy the end of this semester and every day after that. In discipleship last week, tears started pouring down my face as I sat with three of my dearest friends explaining how I felt that life was slipping through my hands like grains of sand. I felt like life was slipping by and I was simply missing it. You guys, I really don’t want to miss it. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and realize that I didn’t do the things I really loved, didn’t meet with people who would have impacted my life. And I especially don’t want to get to the end and see that I missed moments in which Jesus could have been glorified. I don’t want my life to be a life of missed opportunities.

And so, for this next month, I’m choosing to really live. Like a little child at Disney World, my eyes are wide open to the little moments of glory that surround me. And yours should be too. If it’s sunny outside wherever you are, get up from your computer and take a walk around your neighborhood. Meet a friend for coffee. Cook dinner for someone you love. Spend some time with Jesus. We’re not guaranteed anything, even the next breath, so why am I always holding mine, waiting for the next season that I’m sure is going to bring all the satisfaction and contentment my heart is longing for? Because the next season is never going to be different if I can’t enjoy my now. I’m never going to be satisfied of filled with joy until I take my gaze of my temporary problems and stress and stare at Jesus.

So, here’s my proposal. Let’s be people who savor the life we were given, that find joy in the ordinary, in the messy, in the great moments, and even in the stressful or busy moments. I’m tired of waiting for summer, next year, next month. I’m ready to enjoy now! Savor this exact moment!

So who’s with me?

There’s more for us.

Let’s savor our lives.

Enjoying every last drop.