Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? I sure don't . . .

• // I know. You feel like a failure because you may have decided on a major and thought it was your life calling. Some of you, like me, prayed fervently about your future and believed you settled into God's exact mission for your life. Then, everything changed. You felt uncertain about your degree, your current employment, and your trajectory. I wish I could write this to you as the person that dropped out of nursing school and became a successful entrepreneur that followed their dreams. However, I am not. I left nursing school when I realized it was not the fit for me, and I still feel a little lost about what is next for my life.

• // Let me tell you, you have not failed, and you have come no where close to failing. I spent months just hoping to believe this. Sure, you may experience some negative repercussions for your decision to change the plan of your future, but if you hate what you do; eventually, you will change careers regardless of how hard you fought to stay in the field, or - you will be miserable your entire professional life. I am not discrediting that finding a job is important, employment is necessary, but I need to address a much bigger heart problem.

• // I know this: I love speaking, I love influencing, and I love connecting with people. Some of my friends have jokingly said that I just want to be famous, which in some moments may be true. But, I do not necessarily care about fame, I desire being a person that can be impactful in one's life because I care enough to listen and support them, while also using my own experience's to help. I have no idea how this translates to a career besides possibly counseling, but the point of this is that a lot of you, see the world how I do. You want to do something meaningful with your life, that makes you feel even more alive. You just cannot spot that "thing." I get it. Sometimes, this searching is frustrating. Do not worry, your "thing" will come.

• // This year set me off with a quote that was so much more important for my life than I had ever intended. In January, I left for a retreat immediately before starting nursing school, thinking the entire weekend that I picked the wrong field. At this point, I had not told anyone that I was reconsidering nursing. However, in one of the evening sessions at this retreat, the speaker loudly and sternly uttered the phrase, "You are not your major, Your identity is not your major, and if you do not graduate with your selected degree, it does not change who you are." This resonated in my bones. I spent so long telling myself that I had to be a nurse because I had already been accepted into the program. For many, this is you. You may have been accepted into your program and dread what you do, or you have worked in your field for years and see a calling to go back to school and begin a new profession. Might I say that whether you have changed your career or your college track, your identity remains the same.

• // I have spent a lot of time recently talking to students and professionals changing course. Almost every time, I have seen individuals spiraling trying to figure out what is next, as have I. Just a few weeks ago, I sat at the pool with a sweet friend of mine saying "I just do not know what is next for my life, I do not know who I want to be or what I want to do." To which she answered, "I think it's okay to not know." What I have learned from all of this is to act justly, seek mercy, and walk humbly with the Lord.

• // In the last few weeks, Jesus has really reminded me that He cares a lot less about my decided career, and a lot more about my decided heart. Truthfully, who you are, matters so much more than the field you pick. Your job does not envelop who you were made to be; it can only reflect the gifts that God has given you. I have had to do some serious, obligatory soul searching, past the change from healthcare. My attitude and my character are so much more vital to my success than any degree could ever be. You see, I do not want my wealth to be in my bank account or in my educational accolades, but rather a store of treasure in heaven for the life that I lived. My hope is that I can show compassion and mercy to all people, grace, and love, to be remembered for how I made one person feel. If I have loved well, I have done everything that I ever needed to do, because the greatest of these is love. 

• // A ministry leader of mine once said, finding God's will is not like shooting an arrow onto a bullseye. Often, God's will is the entire target, and you only need to hit the board. To find your calling, be a little less concerned with doing exactly every single thing Jesus wants you to do, and be more concerned with loving Him deeply and loving His people endlessly. In this place, I think that is where Christ shows you what you were meant to do on this earth. Do not always expect a clean answer either. Sometimes, your steps forward look like they are trekking into a maze; focus on the area of the ground that Jesus is lighting right now. 

• // Be patient with yourself, and try a few things that seem interesting to you. If this year has taught me anything, it is that you really do have to try some things before you can ever know what you think about it. Allow yourself the opportunity to dislike some things, but give yourself the freedom to love some things that you may have never expected to find yourself doing; you can experiment.

• // Take away this: who you are matters far beyond the galaxies in comparison to the occupational direction you select. Choose love, always.