Taking Decisions Seriously:

Recently, I started a new book called “To Selena, with Love.”  I started to read the book about the late latin pop singer, Selena.  Since I am a Spanish teacher, I was definitely interested in reading this book.  I also thought I could use it in my classes for a cultural activity since she was such a renowned and beloved Latina pop singer.   I am already loving it!  I have read the first 150 pages in the first three days.  This book is by Chris Perez who was her husband, and he writes out their love story and the impact that Selena made on Latin music.  I had known some information in regards to Selena, but I am already learning so much more, and am having a better understanding as to why she was so beloved.  

There was a quote that he wrote within the first chapter that really struck me though, and it was, “But I guess that’s always true in life, isn’t it?  You never know which decisions you make are going to be the big ones–even when they’re seemingly small as deciding to play a musical instrument or who to sit next to on a plane.”  When I read this, I immediately thought back to my life.  There have been some decisions that I have made, that really have changed my life, and I realized that it is important to take decisions seriously, even talking to the Lord about those decisions.  We do not always know which decisions will mean the most to us at the end of our lives, but it is important that we then take every one of them seriously, and know they are a gift from the Lord.   

I have often talked about how one summer I decided to work at the Bridge of Storm Lake in Storm Lake, IA.  It was a pretty simple decision, and at the time it made complete sense.  I needed a summer job, I knew that it was a Christian nonprofit, it would provide me with an opportunity to grow in leadership and work with kids, and there was an education award attached to completing the summer.  However, this job has changed my life.  I am now going to be returning back for my sixth summer, where it will be my second summer as the summer coordinator or the person in charge of the summer team.  This job has taught me how to be a leader and therefore a better teacher.  I know that I am more loving and patient as a teacher because of the work that I have had with the kids at the Bridge.  Plus, I have also learned more about how missions can take place in the United States, not just in the international world.  

There have been other decisions that I have made that have definitely changed my life like which college I should go to.  UNI or the University of Northern Iowa was a great part of my life, and I made great friends.  At the time, it was the hardest and the biggest decision I had to make, but I now know the Lord was with me and saw me through to make the wise decision that I did.  I joined the Navigators, a student ministry on campus, where I learned how to better lead Bible Studies and grow in my relationship with the Lord.  This is obviously very important when leaving home for the first time.   I also was asked to help start a group called IJM or International Justice Mission chapter on campus.  This was then another moment that completely changed my life.  IJM has forever created in me a passion to raise awareness against human trafficking and modern day slavery.  Again, a very simple decision, and when I originally made it I was more interested in starting and leading a college chapter as something to write down on my resume.  However, even though I didn’t see it as a life changing decision, the Lord was with me and used that experience to change me as a person for the rest of my life.  

For those wondering how the Lord can really be involved in the decision making process, I have one more story.  When I was trying to decide where I wanted to work for my teaching job, I had two main offers.  I had one school that was small, and I would be teaching Spanish I-IV, and then I had another school that was bigger, but I would only be teaching Spanish I.  I was torn because the school that was bigger was in a town that I fell in love with instantly.  Everyone thought that after talking about that particular interview with the bigger school that I would go there.  However, after a lot of hours of prayer, it became very clear to me which school I should go to.   It was the smaller school where I would be teaching Spanish I-IV.  I realized that while I was student teaching in Storm Lake, I was at a smaller school, and I found that I loved working at a small school where I really know the kids, even the kids that I don’t have.  I also would have the opportunity to really grow my own Spanish program.  I am so happy that I have made that decision, and I love, love the school that I teach at today.   The big life lesson that I learned from this was that prayer is essential in the decision making process.  I would have had no idea still which school to teach if the Lord hadn’t been there to help me decide.  

 However, I think that it is important to remember that we don’t need to be worried that we have to make the one direct choice that God has.  God will help deliver us even if we don’t love the choice that we made the Lord will see us through.  If we are still unsure after the decision is made, the Lord will also see us through.  It is important to remember to trust God even in the midst of the hard decisions.  Psalm 13:5 says, “But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.”  The Lord has promised to deliver us and help us get to the next place we need to be.  While it is again important to talk to the Lord about the decisions and the choices in your lives, the Lord will see you though and deliver you through whatever choice you make.  Even if he needs to help you to get out of the situation, he will.    

The reason that I am writing this blog post is to remind you to think through your decisions.  You never know what the Lord could be blessing you with next.  The Lord wants again to make your life the best that it can be.  This reminds me that when making decisions, even decisions about where to work, who to hang out with, and what to do on the weekend, the Lord can and should be involved in the decision making process.  He has set aside some pretty great opportunities ahead of us, that are available as long as we can look to him for them.