Advice for a Twenty-Something

Editor’s Note:This month on Mondays, we’ve been posting content from our brand-new 31-day challenge, Grounded in Wisdom: Sage Advice from Older Women. If you enjoy it, why not sign up for the challenge yourself or share it with a friend. Let’s get grounded in wisdom together! —Laura Elliott 

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children. —Titus 2:3–4

Though many years have gone by, I still remember my twenties well. I felt so afraid of making mistakes, and boy, did I make my share of them!

Yet here I am decades later with life experiences and beliefs I didn’t have thirty years ago. Pour yourself a cup of tea and sit down with me while I share some sweet lessons the Lord has taught me over the years.

1. Your life ahead is yours . . . but it really isn’t.

As a young lady, I had many starry-eyed ideas of what life would be like. There is nothing wrong with setting goals and making plans for the future. Just remember that as a believer, your life is “hidden in Christ” and you are His possession. Psalm 100:3 says:

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

2. Celebrate the God who made you by avoiding comparison.

I’d love to see the tendency to compare ourselves to one another banished in the sisterhood of Christ. We are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and the psalmist praises God by saying, 

Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (139:14).

When you stop envying others’ gifts and talents, but see them as a bridge to connect, you’ll better understand why God made us all uniquely.

3. Prepare your heart for suffering.

We need “good theology” so when hardship sends us reeling, our faith remains firm in Christ.

My faith was tested in my thirties when my son’s autism was shown to be severe. After years of praying for total healing, I realized, through the Word, God is sovereign and able to use any situation for His glory. 

My son is twenty-five now and doing well. He still has autism and health problems. Yet his life has value! God is using his autism, even now, before the Day when he is healed and gets a new body.

4. Base your value on Christ, not your circumstances.

First Peter 2:9 says that you, as a believer, are a special possession of Christ Jesus! This truth will anchor you when:

  • You’re single and waiting on God’s answer for marriage
  • You lose your job and are shell-shocked in disbelief
  • You’re aching for a child to love
  • Your children grow up and suddenly the house is quiet

Your value isn’t “who you are” but “whose you are.” Your identity in Christ will never shift or change.

5. Enjoy your young years.

Embrace your femininity and beauty, but don’t obsess over your body. Find lasting beauty in acting out love and grace to those God has placed in your life. Show them your faith by your humble Christian service each day (1 Peter 3:3–4). 

6. Find a godly mentor.

If you aren’t already under the wing of another Christian lady, I encourage you to pray about finding a Christian mentor to disciple and lead you as you grow in Christ. It made all the difference for me.
 

Reflect and Respond:

  • Which piece of advice stands out to you the most? How might God be growing you in this time?
  • Consider the gifts of other women in your life. You know that woman who’s good at all things creative? Ask her to come over and help you decorate that living room wall that has you stumped. That friend who somehow puts on the best birthday parties for her kids? Hit her up for party advice and watch your friendship grow. 
  • Pray for the Lord to give you wisdom for the season of life you’re in right now. 

Digging Deeper

The Expect Something Beautiful with Laura Booz podcast is full of captivating stories that relate God’s Word to everyday life. Let these life lessons from Laura’s experience inspire you to grow closer to Jesus. 

About the Author

Sheila Gosney

Sheila Gosney

Sheila Gosney lives in Missouri and is blessed with a husband, three sons, one daughter-in-law, two grandsons, and an incredible circle of family and friends. Sheila serves in her local church several ways; she enjoys teaching kids, mentoring younger women, … read more …


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