If snow can have a purpose, we can too!

How beautiful is it that every single snowflake that falls from the sky is unique? A million billion snowflakes fall from the sky, and yet every single one has its own unique pattern. You can look up and read the explanation of the science of it all, which is actually quite interesting, but that's not what I'm here to write about today.

Humans are a lot like snowflakes, but not because they are cold and fall from the sky. Every single one of us was created unique, special in our own way. That is almost crazier to think about than the uniqueness of every snowflake- that no two humans are alike. We may have similar interests, but essentially are unique. I know everyone likes to use the quote, "you are unique... just like everyone else," which is almost beautiful in the truth of it. That everyone around me is as unique as I am.

The one thing in which I wish humans were similar to snowflakes is their purpose, or knowledge of their purpose. Snowflakes have a simple purpose. They start off as water collected from the oceans and lakes, float around in a cloud, and then eventually freeze and fall to Earth where they accumulate and eventually melt, starting the process over again. Imagine how easy life would be if we knew exactly what our purpose was, just like a snowflake.

Now that I am in my second semester of my second year of college, I really feel the pressure to choose or decide what I am going to spend the rest of my life doing. Especially since I have decided to graduate a year early, giving myself less time to make the decision. Questions are constantly floating around my head, and from those close to me, all a variation of asking "what do you want to do?" But I don't think it is as simple as that. Sure, I want to do a lot of things. See the northern lights. Hike the Appalachian Trail again. Skydive. Spend time with family and friends. Write a bestselling novel. Do some good in the broken world we have been given to inhabit. But where do these wants get me in terms of a career, in terms of a stable income so that I can go on those adventures and support myself and my family?

At the beginning of this year, 19 days ago, I decided to commit to reading the bible in a year. I think I have tried something similar before, but always stopped or made excuses after a couple days. But this year, I am following a plan that lays out what I need to read every day to achieve that goal. And so far, so good. I don't know if the presence of a plan makes it easier to stay committed, or if I have adopted a different mindset over the last year to really commit to growing closer to God. I think it might be a combination of both. Everyone loves a good plan. We set goals, but I think sometimes the flaw is that we never set a plan to get those goals accomplished, or we make a plan, but never have an end goal.

In terms of life plans, I am a firm believer that God has a plan, and that everything happens for a reason. Now, I'm not saying we are meant to just wait around and hope that one day God will reveal His plan for our lives, that's not how He works. I want to follow whatever plan is set for me, but as much as I want all the answers right this second, I have to choose a path that I believe will get me closest to God and His plan for me. I have to believe that one way or another I do have a purpose in this world, whether I can see it clearly at this moment or not. A lot of the time I think fear holds me back. I am afraid of graduating with the wrong degree, afraid of choosing the wrong job, afraid people are going to hate my blog and no one will ever read anything I write. But all of this time I spend afraid, could be spent living my life and finding the path, the purpose I was put on this Earth for. I am not going to find any career if I continue to sit in my room and be afraid of every decision I have to make. It's time to choose faith. Faith over the fear that everything I am doing is wrong. Faith that my friends and family will support me no matter what. Faith in God and the plan that He is slowly revealing to me. Faith that it doesn't matter what career I choose, I will find my purpose one day, whether it be today or 50 years from now.

Maybe I need to start by defining my goals. Getting a job after graduation. Writing a novel by a certain date. Whatever the goal, I need to make it measurable and attainable and have a clear timeline. But also have faith in the goal, and faith in the things God is doing for me and within me. Sometimes we have to take that leap of faith and fall a little, trusting that we will be caught. Channer our inner snowflake, embrace our uniqueness and leap.

I hope you can choose faith.

-Rachel

P.S. On a lighter note, I linked one of my favorite songs about snow! I felt it was fitting considering the weather and the topic of this blog post.