When I think about my twenties, I think about staying up late, going to school, working multiple jobs, fitting in friends on nights and weekend, rushing from commitment to commitment, packing my schedule, and longing to make the most of every minute. The twenties are a beautifully free and chaotically busy season. So often I wondered how I could squeeze a few more hours out of the day.
But as I come ever closer to the end of this season, here are a few things that I have stumbled upon that really do enhance this season in ways you would never imagine. Yesterday, I discussed the only way to truly thrive in your twenties. Once you make a decision to follow Christ, here are some more practical ways to enjoy all that your twenties have to offer.
Get up earlier! I know, this seems crazy. And despite all the temptation to stay up late as proof of your young hipness, seriously just go to bed and get up earlier. A few quiet moments really do just change the tone of your morning. You get stuff done. You take a few minutes to breath. Get a mug of coffee instead of a paper to-go cup. Spend sometime with the Lord. It really gets your head together.
Get plugged in. I mean for real. Not just in a "I know that person's name at church" kind of way. Join a small group. Invite people to lunch. Ask real questions. Just because this season seems transitional does not mean it is not worth it to get involved. You never know how God will use friends in your life, even just for a short time. And you never know when God might call you to stay longer than you think. To rob yourself and others of true community in any season is a tragedy.
Serve. Get involved. Despite work, class, and friends you have way more flexible time than you realize. Way more than you will have in any other period of your life. You have gifts and abilities and availability that many other people do not. Join a service team. Volunteer to do child care. Yes, the moms can do child care and may seem way more qualified. But how blessed would they feel to have some time with actual adults. It would bless their heart to have others step in. Be a greeter. It literally takes nothing but a smile and a hand shake. Help out. This will help the get connected point in ways you never thought. Doing something along side someone is the best way to really get to know them. And to really feel a purpose and connection.
Be Open. One of the biggest blessings of my twenties was my church family. Being in your twenties is confusing and really difficult at times. I developed many really meaningful friends that prayed with me and spoke truth to me during the hard times. And many of those people were not necessarily in the same stage of life that I was. Many of my friends have children not much younger than me. Or have babies. I spent a lot of time with families who invited me over for dinner and talked about life. So many of my friends thought it was weird that I had older friends, but it was so life giving to me. In your twenties sometimes things seem like they are never going to settle down. You are never going to get married. Or you are never going to get out of debt. Or you will never figure out what to do with your life. Spending time with people who have been there and done that, and can still testify to God's goodness and faithfulness was medicine to my soul. Seeing the way that God had delivered in others life helped me to trust in His faithfulness in my own. Seeing that problems don't just go away when you have a house or a family also gave me a better perspective on life. It wasn't always going to be easy. The difficulties might never go away. But there is always a way through them. God will still walk with you no matter what comes up. I urge those of you in a particularly difficult season in life to reach out to someone who has been there. They can relate to you more than you know.
These thoughts may not seem earth shattering, but they really did help to define my twenties. I am better for them. We sell ourselves short so often when we are young.
In Timothy, Paul urges him to not allow people to look down on him because he was young. God has a purpose for every stage of life. There are things we will learn through sanctification, and good works we can perform through His grace. He also urges us to always be in community with those around us, even those in different stages of life. So let us walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Let us invest well, even as we are young.