My Purpose

But for this very purpose have I let you live, that I might show you My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth. Exodus 9:16

I really can’t think of a better way to explain all of the “purposes” of my life than to make a list and explain. I feel like there is no one person on this earth that is limited to one purpose. Of course, for most religions, like my faith in Christ, there is a one main purpose. That is to be a disciple of your beliefs to others around you, but that provides another bigger list with the purposes associated with your faith.

Purpose # 1: Like I said before, I believe that my main purpose is to share the Word of the Lord. My Savior created me to share His love to ones who don’t believe. I am here to always honor his name in EVERYTHING that I do! Also, it is to trust in Him. I may fall and I may be down, but He is always there, knowing and understanding every single part of me. He knows me better than I ever will know myself and my love for Him is indescribable! I’m brought to tears just trying to write my love for Him down!

Purpose # 2: Though my number one is my entire life and eternal purpose, I know that I have earthly purposes as well. The biggest one for me now is my love for my friends and family. After going through some rough times, (death of a friend, break-up, etc.) I've truly begun to start realizing how much friends and family mean to me. When being tested in my life, I've learned what kind of people I want to surround myself with. My family, even though we all have our moments, is my rock. They are ALWAYS there for me when I need to cry or when I need to blow off some steam. Having such a supportive family is something I could never imagine functioning without! When I start giving up my parents are always there to give me the encouragement and motivation to keep up. Looking back on 18 years, I wish I would have listened to their advice more! (Something I will never ever admit to them!) Along with family, I've been blessed with some of the most amazing friends. The friends I've made at Aurora are ones that I want to keep forever; I want to always be the friend to them that they are to me now.

Purpose # 3: This one is something that I have started to realize while in high school; it’s leadership. Being a leader, whether silent or up-front, is never an easy thing to do. You have to be strong, bold, diligent, and trustworthy. Your values like integrity, honesty, and straight-forwardness have to illuminate in the things that you say and do. There is no margin for error, one big mistake and your reputation is out the window. You can say something 1000 times but if your actions don’t meet up, those words were a waste of breath. Leadership, to me, is a number of different things: It’s speaking your mind when you know something is not right, being an example for younger kids looking up to you, and jumping in to every available opportunity that might benefit your future. Leadership is not innate; it’s something you have to practice every day. You live it, breathe it, and speak it. It comes in countless forms and cannot be limited to any one person.

Purpose # 4: Last but not least, my purpose is to have fun in everything I do. I like to make light out of every situation I am in and to make it enjoyable for others. I don’t understand the people who can’t find good in anyone or anything. My feeling is that there is a choice to make; you can either do it with a smile on your face or not at all. I know I haven’t been perfect at showing positivity in everything I have done, but my purpose is to fix that! Also, fun doesn't have to be going out and getting high and wasted every weekend; fun is laughing and being with friends! The most fun times for me are when I know that I’m doing the right thing, I feel like I never have anything to worry about. I want others to understand that there are legal ways to have fun!

Where I am! (Part 2 :D)

                       You're probably wondering why I am writing another post on where I am. It could be one of the following two things: I have a burning passion to write 750 word essays on where I am, or my last post was the same exact thing that I wrote for an elective essay in my Composition class.... Yup! It’s the second one! Apparently you aren't supposed to do that. :/

            When proceeding to dive into a deeper explanation on the place that I live and how it has made me who I am, I won’t lie that I was thinking it would be hard for me to describe all those details in different ways. I tend to be a little redundant in my first few drafts of any writing that I do but here it goes:

            Aurora flipping Nebraska; I love it here! I can’t imagine how any other place in the world could be a better spot to raise a family. The town itself is classy, clean, and kept-up while the people who inhabit it are kind, respectable, and good-hearted humans. Most of the people here want the next generation to succeed and the leaders of the community provide numerous activities and opportunities for us students to discover who we are and what we are good at. Off the top of my head I think of the teachers at Aurora Public Schools, the small business owners who employ young adults in the community, and the parents who support the life-changing decisions that are made throughout these crucial high school years! Just about anywhere I go, and anything I do in the community I can find someone who is looking out for my best interests.

            One of the greatest, yet saddest memories that I will always associate with the town will be when I think about when my friend Jacob died. It was an miserably sad experience, but looking back I can reflect on how the whole town seemed to come together for a while! Not everyone knew him, but I would assume that at least 90% of the people knew of him! The support for his family provided by the community is something you could never get in a city.

            I have never felt like I am in danger here. Though the law enforcement here may seem a little overprotective to some, they do a phenomenal job of keeping out the bad and protecting the good. Of course, every once in a while there is a drug bust and maybe a robbery in town, but those events are few and far between. My parents truly chose one of the safest towns in Nebraska!

            When working at the local 40 room motel, located right off the highway that passes through town, I’ve met many people, different in many ways. One thing that I found almost all of them have in common is their surprise for this town. It’s generally not a place that an out-of-stater would want to spend a family summer vacation, but the activities and involvement among the community take those people by surprise. They didn’t expect a little motel with dirt cheap rates to have such simply nice rooms. This is definitely comparable to the town itself. From the outside it may seem like there isn’t a whole lot going on here, but the community involvement and activities available are almost unlimited! This is due to the good-hearted people who volunteer to provide entertainment at special events, and people who work the three dollar movie theater every weekend, expecting nothing in return!

            I love my school! I feel like I can completely fit in and be the way I naturally am when walking through these halls. The teachers and administrators want me, and the rest of the students, to develop into successful adults. They never hesitate to explain a little more, whether it be after class or during a lecture, to someone who doesn’t understand. They really go the extra mile. Some could say that they are only doing it for their glory and because they have to, but the teachers in Aurora aren’t like that. They care, and in return, most of us students notice it and decide to return the full effort.

            Aurora may not be the flashiest town out there, but it’s one that is so special to me. If I don’t return here when I start my family, I know that I will want to live in a classy town just like this one. It would be hard for an outsider to ever understand what it is like here, unless they have been here. It’s not snobby, but instead filled with God-fearing and hospitable people. The next time you pass through Aurora don’t regret not stopping by one of the museums and maybe grabbing a bite to eat at one of the restaurants, it will be worth it!