If you've got a chance, take it.

Freedom, free will, possibility, sacrifice.

Each day the average person makes 35,000 choices.

Our lives are made of a collection of our choices.

They balance certainty against risk.

They balance short term gratification against long term benefit.

As infants our parents make every choice for us. What we will wear. When we eat. Who we meet. Every year, each new milestone we are introduced to more choices. Do I crawl towards daddy or mommy? Do I throw this toy at my brother or the wall? Do I listen to this kind of music or that? Do I go to the party or go have a family night. Do I go to this college or that? Do I buy this cool jeep or get something more realistic? Do I take the easier route and or take the uncomfortable risk?

I am where I am today by the choices I have made or others have made for me.

Before I left for Bible college my youth pastor told me. In your next 3 years, anytime you are given a choice, make the one that makes you the most uncomfortable. You will grow the most that way. It won't always feel great but it will produce something in you that will last.

Choices are balancing certainty against risk. Balancing short term gratification with long term benefit.

My first big decision was 3 days into orientation week. Prior to that everything was decided for me. My housemates, my lunch schedule, who was in my classes. I chose the pastoral stream and from there we had 6 options. Not just 2. But 6. What if I made the wrong choice? Would it ruin my entire college experience? The answer is no. God lets us choose for a reason. Events, Young Adults, Youth, Social Justice. What do I choose?

What am I passionate about? Out of all of these decisions what was the most uncomfortable? It was easy. Young adults. This would be an age group I have never worked with and even seemed like a challenge.

When making a decision most people factor in two things.

1. What is my comfort to risk

2. Utility of a given payoff depending on preference / need

It is hard to think of all of the variables. It can get complicated. Our brains are wired to reduce complexity by using mental shortcuts called heuristics. To simplify it's a tendency to ignore stats and focus on stereotypes.

My second big decision in my college journey was who do I do my 3rd year internship with? Who is a leader I admire? A leader who has done the journey well? Can navigate hard situations? Who can teach me more about my passions and pull out my greatest strengths? I wrestled with this decision for a bit. A long bit. One day it came to me. My principal. He checks every box of what I was hoping to get out of this internship year, and better yet he's slightly intimidating. Definitely the most uncomfortable decision. I took a risk. I emailed him and he agreed to being my 3rd year lead.

I haven't always been one to make the hard choice. But a few things I have learned:

1. The hard uncomfortable way always pays off even if the process feels like open heart surgery.

2. Shoot your shot. Be willing to mess up. God WANTS you to decide.

3. Hold strong to your convictions, and what God spoke originally

4. Never make a decision when you are hungry, mad, lonely, or lacking sleep. These are all fleeting emotions. Never let your feelings drive any decisions. Especially big ones.

Am I indecisive? Yes.

Do I way out the pros and cons for too long? Yes

Do I naturally crave uncomfortability? No

Do I want to walk in God's good, pleasing, and perfect will. Absolutely.

In my short 21 years I have learned that some of my biggest dreams and aspirations could be on the other side of one more sharp curve.

"Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:14

If you have got a chance, take it. Take it while the chance is still there.

A dream. Chase it.

If the road gets narrow keep walking. Slow and steady.

Run your race. Stay in your lane.

Don't look to the left or right because it will only slow you down.

Allow choices to not scare you but actually excite you.