At the end of 5th grade, when it came time to sign everyone’s yearbooks, I signed my name  “the great actress, Jessica Patton”. I was a super humble 10 year old. It was during that school year I had discovered my love for acting. I had long been a fan of ANY stage and audience, but I had never considered acting. Yet, by the end of 5th grade, I really believed that one day I would get an Oscar. Honestly, I’m glad God’s plans are better than my own…really glad.

We often change our minds as children with what we plan to be when we grow up. Hope’s preschool class this week had all the kids’ “when I grow up” answers written on the classroom board. There were three ballerinas, a doctor, a firefighter, a slew of other normal jobs and my personal favorite, a volcano man. I’m not really sure what a “volcano man” is, but it’s definitely adventurous! I really don’t think much changes as we get older. No, we don’t want to be volcano men or ballerinas anymore, but our desire to be something remains, as well as figuring out what we want to be.

I talked to a friend this week who is wanting to return to school, she said, “I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up”. I think that’s a good mindset for a couple of reasons. 1) When we’re set on our own path, we tend to push God’s by the wayside and 2) we’re more open to what God has for us. If we trust God, He will use our gifts and talents for His glory and in the job He wants for us. I love what Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

Yesterday, as I taught Kids Church and read a Bible story from the Jesus Storybook Bible, I looked up to see the kids all wrapped up in the story I was telling. The story wasn’t super exciting, but I was reading with inflection and different voices for each person. I was reading it theatrically. I was *gasp* acting. I might not be the Oscar-worthy actress my 10 year old mind imagined, but I was still using the talent and the desires God has given me. AND I was using that gift to help point kids to the Gospel.

Maybe our plans of “when we grow up” don’t always pan out the way we imagined, but God’s plan is always better. Keep wondering what you’re going to be when you grow up, keep seeking what the Lord has for your grown up dreams.

Thanks for letting me share,