Decision-Making 101

I made a pretty big decision a couple of weeks ago that I would like to share. After much prayer, thought, and discussion, I decided against going to college for now. 

I applied for admission to three different colleges (I was accepted to two of those colleges) to major in English, which I would have started this semester. My plan was to earn a BA in English and then look for employment as a professional writer. I thought that sounded like a job I would like because, I like to write and I can write whatever I'm asked to. I saw a degree as something that can prove my abilities as a writer. 

My decision was based on a couple things. First, I'm happy with writing my blog and I don't think I would be happy writing for someone else. I learned recently (as I wrote about when I returned to this blog) that writers write about things they are passionate about. For example: if I were to find a job as a writer of vacuum cleaner instruction manuals, then I would be bored out of my skull because it's not my passion to write about vacuum cleaners. Working a job that makes you absolutely miserable is no way to live.

The other part to this is that I would be writing for someone else. I don't want to write for a boss, I wouldn't have the freedom to write whatever I want. Ultimately, I write for two souls: God and myself. I write this blog to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with others, who I pray will believe it, but I don't write this blog to get paid or to find other people's favor. I am glad people read my blog, don't get me wrong, it's just not my ultimate purpose. 

Second, I don't need a college degree to be a writer, I already am a writer. A writer is: "one that writes," according to Merriam-Webster. You don't have to have a Bachelor's of Arts in English degree to write a book or a blog, heck you don't need any degree. You just have to write. Telling yourself that you're a writer is the first step to being a writer. Also, I'm doing the best thing I can do to improve my writing by writing. 

I'm not ruling out college forever, but I am ruling it out for now. I was getting caught up in what everybody was doing, which was going to college. My life, as a disabled person, is already vastly different in some areas than the average person, so it's not unfathomable that college is different for me. I'm not complaining in anyway by saying this because differences are okay, in fact sometimes differences are good. By going to college I thought I would be doing something with my life, but I did not realize that I was already doing something with my life.

I shared this decision because it shows that if you trust God He will lead in the right direction. It took a few months for me to figure this college decision, so I'm not bragging. I give the credit to God for poking and prodding at me until I saw what He was trying to show me. I prayed that He would lead me in the right direction and he did. What better proof is there than that?

Here's a few verses I was inspired by:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

"Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose." Psalm 25:12