I am currently in a season where life looks different. Really different. My schedule, my routine, my coming, my going—all of it—different.
If I am honest, I am not quite sure how to handle it, how to manage it and even how to live in it. I find myself looking for a how-to guide everywhere I turn, but nothing. No guide, and seemingly no direction. Oftentimes, I can feel stuck, waiting and wondering, “Have I missed it completely?”
But through it all, I keep going. I keep moving, doing what I am supposed to do (or what I think I am supposed to do), putting one foot in front of the other and going on. Most days it’s as if I’m stumbling in the dark, desperately trying to find a light, a match, a candle, a flashlight—I don’t care what, I am just in desperate need of clarity, of normal.
And maybe that’s the word I’m looking for: normal.
What is this season supposed to look like and feel like? Is there a “normal” routine, and am I on pace for where I am supposed to be, want to be, long to be? And wait—where is that again?
As I’ve done my best to fully enter this new season of life, I’ve learned a few things along the way. In my hopes to encourage you to not make the same mistakes I’ve made, I highlighted a few what not to do’s below.
Enjoy, my friends!
What not to do if you find yourself in a place where life looks different:
1. Don’t dwell too long on the past or future.
Daydreaming about the past or the future is a recipe for disaster. The present is where God has you, and He has people and opportunities in front of you today. Yes, it might look different, and that’s OK. Embrace where you are, whom you’re with, and if you need to let go of what was or what might have been in order to live in the now of today, do it. You’ll find it’s always worth it.
2. Don’t think nothing is going on in your life.
When my dad plants his corn in the spring, weeks go by when you can’t see any crop coming out of the ground. Yet we know that in a few short months, the corn will be taller than we are, and when August hits, he’ll be busier than ever.
I am sure there are times when you feel as though there’s nothing growing in your life. But in fact, in this season, He’s growing something powerful in you. Right now it’s below ground, taking root and forming a foundation that will stand the storms. Even if you don’t entirely know what He’s growing, you can trust His intent is to build upon your life, and there’s always more that meets the eye. Just give it time to grow.
3. Don’t get stuck in the waiting.
It can be easy to feel stuck, unproductive and clueless about life, but let me warn you—don’t get stuck in the rut of waiting, because it’s only a season. It will pass, and there will new adventures and opportunities ahead. Use this time to prepare for what’s ahead. Read books, connect with the people God highlights for you and be purposeful to prepare for what’s next. Let preparation be your fuel rather than getting stuck in the waiting.
Above all, stay focused on the good that remembering the grass isn’t greener on the other side and fully diving into the present will only enhance your ability to love life even more.
Yes, life looks different, but maybe, just maybe, this different is meant for your good. {eoa}
Mikaela Kate is passionate to see you reach your full God-given potential! Her heart is to inspire the next generation to discover who they are and what they are made to do. There is a unique voice locked within you, and Mikaela Kate is authorized to release it. A speaker, writer and coach, Mikaela Kate has invested seven years developing college-age men and women into leaders. Conducting Bible studies and leading women’s groups and young adult teams, she encourages others to go further and higher—taking their gifts, passions and skills to the next level. A graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in marketing, she discovered her love for strategic thinking, big-picture ideas and meeting people where they are. These skills and passions later equipped her to plant a church with five other staff members (Veritas Church, Iowa City, Iowa). From there, she moved to Sheffield, England and worked as the Young Adults Leader at St. Thomas Philadelphia. While in England, her passion for America grew, and her desire to see her native land transformed for Jesus ignited. She sees people living out their God-given purpose as a key to the transformation of this nation. Mikaela currently lives in South Carolina and is an active member of The Father’s House Church. You can reach her by email at [email protected] or on her website at www.mikaelakate.com.
Janet Perez Eckles 
Shawn Akers 
Abby Trivett 
