on may 19, 2019 i announced that i would be taking a gap year after graduation and going on the world race. and WOW what a year it’s been!!
as i’ve been processing everything that’s happened and what the Lord has brought me through, i put together a list of a few things i learned about God and life and people and me!
you are SO SO WORTHY. not because of anything you’ve done, but because of who God calls you. you’re not a caterpillar, you’re a butterfly. believe it.
God has a SPECIFIC PERFECT PLAN made just for you! there’s nothing you can do to screw it up!
God loves you. period.
God is constantly speaking over us. learning to listen to his voice takes some patience but is oh so rewarding! conversations with the Lord are awesome.
worship isn’t just an action, it’s a heart posture. it’s putting aside worries and whatever is going on in life and laying it down at the foot of the cross and LEAVING it there and thanking God for it all — the good, the bad, the ugly. we praise in all circumstances.
intercession is powerful! pray on behalf of others!
listening prayer is dope. you can ask God to speak over someone and basically be the messenger between God and that person.
take pictures dude. even of the moments that seem pretty mundane. those are the moments that you’re going to want to look back on and appreciate the most.
don’t limit yourself! don’t say “oh i’m not good w kids so i can’t do that ministry.” God can use you in ANYTHING. he WANTS to use you! let him!
being vulnerable isn’t a weakness. actually, it’s a huge strength to let people into your life.
don’t be afraid build relationships. even if they’re with people you know you won’t be around with for long. it’s still worth it. love them. cherish them. appreciate them.
ask questions! God’s not scared of them. he’s so so much bigger than them. thanks Jesus!
take voice memos. of those teachings. of those worship sessions. of those feedback sessions. of those random hilarious dinner conversations.
wonder isn’t immature. the Lord welcomes and praises childlike faith. he’s made an incredible wonderful world and wants us to be able to look at it and give him praise, even if we don’t understand exactly how everything works. i mean, if we were able to understand everything about God, he wouldn’t be that big would he? so point out the stars, admire the view, look at creation in awe!
use your journal. write our prayers. draw some fun doodles. tape in some pressed flowers. take notes on teachings.
keep up with the people who support you! they care so so much about you and it’ll mean the world to them!
the Bible goes wayyyy deeper than you think. take the time to study scripture verse by verse. yes, it takes a while, but you’ll get way more out of it than you’d expect.
it’s okay if you’re not “esta bien” all the time. it’s okay to be upset. emotions are OKAY. just take them to the Lord, don’t let them drive the car.
some of the best things are those that are unplanned. so go with the flow my dude! go on an adventure! thank God for every second!
don’t be afraid to ask for help!
let God ask you questions. let him inspect your heart.
fully! surrender! and once you think you’ve given it all to the Lord, ask him to bring up if anything is still hiding in that gross closet in your heart. keep letting him refine you.
be happy for your friends. they’re doing amazing things, too. love them a lot.
save little things from little moments. pick that flower, save that receipt, keep that wrapper. tape it in that journal. you’ll appreciate it later, i promise.
don’t be worried about what you post on social media. it’s really not worth it.
you don’t have to be shy. if God is telling you something to do or say, JUST DO IT!! do it bro. it’s literally the Lord speaking to you. he trusts you with his words.
let your friends encourage you!!! take the compliment! take the constructive feedback! take it! they love you and are encouraging you to look more like Jesus!
take the time to seek out relationships with people. especially the people you think you’d never get along with. they’ll surprise you. get to know them! they’re pretty cool!
don’t feel like you need to look or act a certain way. don’t be afraid of what people think you you. we’ve all got our own weird quirkiness. it comes out one way or another, so just embrace it! love it! go be a goober and dance to that song. try to play soccer and not know what you’re doing. laugh so hard you pee your pants. just be you! be authentic!
love! on! others! take the time to understand what ways THEY feel loved!
you don’t have to wait on other people to make the first move in friendship. friend dates are fun!
make playlists. have dance parties. sing in the shower. music is so so good and has a way of capturing precious memories.
take random videos:)
be fearless. “you weren’t given a spirit of fear but of love and sound mind.” yup. fear is just doubt crawling into your mind. it’s sin! and as a child of the king you have the authority to cast fear out in Jesus’ name! thanks God! you don’t need to worry.
make art! watercolor parties with your friends where you listen to music and talk >>>> don’t take them for granted.
go thrifting! heck yeah! we’re balling on a budget!
someone else’s salvation is not your responsibility. all you can do is sow the seed and pray for God to work in their heart. God’s got it. you don’t need to put that pressure on yourself.
go in with no expectations. God’s going to let it happen the way he wants it to happen. and he knows what’s best! so trust that!
what a year it’s been. i just want to thank everyone who’s supported me in any way, shape, or form! y’all rock and i wouldn’t be here without you! and of course a big shoutout to Jesus bc he’s the best and i love him a lot:)
i know that looking at this list, it all seems pretty simple and self-explanatory. but i’ve learned that actually DOING and believing these things has made a huge difference!!
this has been a year of discovery for me. digging deeper than ever into Lord’s character and who i am. trying new things. and of course that came with some confusing and uncomfy moments, but man oh man i can’t believe everything i’ve been able to learn and experience. and the Lord’s not done with me yet! there’s more! how awesome!
i guess i just want to encourage all of you to take advantage of everything you’ve got. God’s given it to you as a gift, he wants you to take it and use it and glorify him for it! Jesus just loves you so much.
with love, maddie chase
also please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or anything! i’d love to talk with you!
