All of you know from the info in my profile that I'm originially from TN/NC. I was actually born and raised in North Carolina and when I was 18, moved to TN to attend college. My dad is a Southern Baptist associate/music pastor and we were at the same church from the time I was born until I was 17. We lived in the small town of Eden that has a current population of about 25,000. Eden has long been a textile town known for its mills even within the past 50 years. It has always been relatively small and is actually a combination of three smaller towns, formerly Leaksville, Spray & Draper. The people of Eden are a lot like most any other small, Southern town where everyone knows everyone else and most of the people have been there their entire lives. There isn't much variance from the norm and people are content with their simple way of life. During my childhood, I was very much in love with this small town and loved my friends and our closeness. We only had a few to join us and then move away so I was able to progress through school with generally the same group of friends from elementary to high school.
My circle of friends in high school could be labeled as the 'nerds'. It wasn't that we were always studying or were members of the chess club, we were just the kids that tested as AG (Academically Gifted) at young ages. As a result of this, there was a group of about 20 of us or so that were in all the same classes from about 5th to 12th grade. Since we were in all the same classes, socializing together came naturally. We were involved in a lot of the same extracurricular activities and spent lots of time together on weekends. For the most part, we were good kids. There were the occasional rebels but we generally weren't the ones raising chaos all the time with parties, drinking and the like. While we may not have been those kids, we knew who they were. And they did their share of chaos-raising. Though there were several different groups of friends, we all got along for the most part. There were never any real problems or conflicts that arose between groups and we co-existed quite well.
In the past few weeks, since I've finally gotten internet service at my house, I've been 'afforded' the time of being able to look through some of my high school classmates' online profiles through various networking websites. It is interesting to me to see how we all have changed and what we have accomplished in the past 6 1/2 years since high school. Many of us have completed college, gone on to grad school, gotten married, had children, moved away from that small hometown. But I am truly amazed at the number of my classmates who not only are still hanging around the area (which, in and of itself, isn't a bad thing) but are still doing the same things they did in high school. Though I am not the type, I have no problem with the idea of a person spending their entire life in or around one town. What I do have a problem with is people spending their entire lives in repetition-spending weekends drinking and clubbing with the same people. While there are some new faces thrown in the mix, in general, I see the same faces in all the pictures. Although we're only 6 1/2 years removed from high school and this may not be a lifetime cycle, I don't see a strong possibility of change. It saddens me to think that the people that I had the opportunity to influence are in such depressed states of "living" and that I did nothing to share God's love with them while I had the chance. (I know, I know-hindsight is always 20/20.) My heart is broken for the people that I know personally yet never took the time to share my genuine concern for the eternal destination of their souls. Many of them grew up knowing about God and the salvation offered through Jesus but chose other lifestyles rather than choosing the Lord.
I realize that as a high schooler I did not have the perspective on life that I have since I moved away from that 'security blanket' town. But my soul is burdened because I did not take advantage of the opportunities I was given during those 4 years. Everyone knew I was a Christian (since my dad was a music pastor) and I never committed any horrific wrongdoings but I also never stepped up for my faith. Sure, there was the occasional "I don't watch that kind of movie" or "I don't use language like that" but I was never forthright in my reasonings for my stance on issues. And so now, I am amazed at the number of people who are still in and around that small town entertaining themselves in the same ways they have for so long. Do people have dreams? Do my peers have aspirations for their lives? Maybe we are still too young to have moved away and moved on. But I wonder, do these former classmates know there is more to life than the way they live?
In my life, I've never had to consider such options. I have always been a dreamer-planning out my future in vastly different ways at different times. In many ways, I have always felt destined for greatness-from my calling into missions when I was 11 or 12 to my lifetime passion for music to my recently developed love for ministry to youth and women. All I know is that God has great things to accomplish through me and He can't do that if I'm comfortable and content. I do need to be content with Him but not with my situation or current life. I've been taught by my previously mentioned amazing parents and other key influences in my life, that I should continuously be striving for more and better things; I should always be pursuing a better me through Christ. I should constantly be stepping out of my comfort zone to follow where God leads me. And I want to share the passion and power of God in my life with those around me. Many Christians become content and comfortable, losing sight of the sacrificial Christian lifestyle. Sacrifice doesn't always mean letting go of things you love; it also means taking on things you don't love. And for me, I want to know Christ through sacrifice. I want to be His mouthpiece and vessel wherever I go. And while I wish I had made this realization years ago, I am glad I'm making it now so I can be active for Him from this moment on.
In closing, to those of you who are part of my past, I apologize for not sharing my faith with you and I pray that other Godly influences are sent into your lives; to those of you in my present, I pray God's light shines through me on you; to those of you in my future, get ready-I'm a changed woman!
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