Connecting the Dots

With one thing after the other, life is full of decisions. Some decisions are minuscule, some, though, are monumentally large. Yet, no matter the size, situation, or circumstances, we all must decide what our next step is in this crazy thing we call life. Growing up, I was very blessed. My parents were loving and encouraging; my brother, although sometimes mean to his younger sister, always looked after me; my life was good, wholesome, and a blessing. I use the past tense, but all of these things are still true and I know with all my heart that I am infinitely blessed.
Even with this knowledge and understanding, I still face the decisions that will distinguish me from others and undoubtedly lay the ground work for my future. I know everyone goes through this time in their lives and that it always seems to happen at inconvenient times and usually during college. The good ole "It's just part of growing up" speech has been on replay in my mind for the past few months. It seems that everywhere I turn I am being questioned about my next move and my goals. As human beings, we love talking about ourselves. I'm not an exception, but these conversations are unnerving because I have no definite answer to give. I'm still deciding what I want to major in, what my dream job is, where I want to go on study abroad this summer, and, even as small as, what I'm doing next week. The list goes on and differs for all of us. We all have distinct sub-points under the major themes of life, but, somehow, we all cross off these points eventually.
My belief is that we come across major decisions in life when we are faltering from the path that the Lord has set for us. It's his way of saying "are you sure you know what you're doing and that you're doing the right thing?" He wants us to turn to him and ask what we should do, and only then will we know what we're supposed to do and what our true destination in life is. I think that Steve Jobs, the creator of Apple, explained it best when he gave the commencement speech at Stanford University. He said, "You cannot connect the dots looking forward in life, but, if you believe that they'll connect down the road, you'll be able to follow your heart even when you drift off the well worn path." Putting faith in the future is hard and scary, but the Lord is watching us every moment of our lives, without question. If you don't find what you are looking for, "keep looking, and don't settle."