Have you ever caught yourself thinking thoughts like, "As soon as I finish school, I'll be able to serve God", or maybe, "When I get married, my husband and I will do something great for the Lord", or, "I'm just waiting on God to show me what He wants me to do"? I sure have! Sometimes I think that we as girls have a tendency to kind of live in the future. It's easy to do! Especially when it comes to the area of serving God. The funny thing is, we usually don't even realize that we're doing it.

Something that I have been learning lately is that I am living my life - right now. I can't tell myself that someday I will be in a place where I can serve God with all of my heart. My life is now, and I am living it this very minute. I might be planning to do something totally sacrificial with my life - like serve the Lord as a missionary, but still I can't rest in the fact that I am going to serve the Lord. My life now is what counts.

While we may not be able to control our circumstances, or surroundings, we are accountable to God for what we are doing with the life He has entrusted us with. As girls, most often one of our primary roles is to be follower. Sounds a little funny in our modern-day culture, I know! But it's really not a bad thing. Right now your role probably includes following a Dad, Mom, or other authority, and later, maybe (and hopefully, right? ;) ) a husband.

This usually means that we don't choose where we live, what church we attend, etc. yet we alone are still responsible to take what we have been given, and serve God to the best of our ability - where we are now.

And good news - as for waiting on God to show us His will, He already has! Maybe He does have a bigger plan for me that He will show me later, but until I am following Him in the areas He has already shown me, why should He trust me with more?

God's Word is full of direction for us. For starters, He has commanded each of us to:

-Esteem others better than ourselves (Eeegh, stop and really think about that one for a minute!) 

-Bless our enemies 

-Study His Word
-Honor our parents
-Be content with what we have - another tough one for us! ;)
-Spend time in prayer
-Share the gospel.

On and on we could go. Some seem big, and some smaller, but each command is important.

So, let's commit to live our lives today, and to serve God with all of our hearts, right now. We don't have the promise of even one more day. Remember that one day will be our last, and we probably won't have warning. I know it sounds a little weird, but it should motivate us to serve God in the present! Your life really is now.

"I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
-John 9:4