If I could sit down with my 19-year-old self over a cup of coffee, this is what I would say:
First, give your life completely to Jesus.
Not partially. Not occasionally. Completely. The greatest decision you will ever make is not where you live, who you marry, or what career you pursue. The greatest decision is who sits on the throne of your life.
Jesus said: ‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.’ (Matthew 6:33 NLT)
Make Jesus not only your Saviour but your Lord.
Second, learn to trust God sooner.
You will spend far too much time worrying about things that never happen. One day you’ll discover that anxiety is like paying interest on a debt you don’t owe. God is faithful. He has never failed anyone who has trusted him, and he’s not about to start with you.
‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)
Third, stay close to the Bible.
Don’t just own one. Open it. Read it. Mark it. Memorise it. Let it shape your thinking. The Bible is not simply a book you read; it’s a book that reads you.
‘Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.’ (Psalm 119:105 NLT)
Fourth, pray more than you think you need to.
Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of his willingness. Prayer is not twisting God’s hand. It is holding God’s hand. Some of the greatest things God will do in your life will happen because you took time to talk with him.
‘Never stop praying.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT)
And remember: ‘The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.’ (James 5:16 NLT)
Fifth, don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
At 19, you think every decision will determine the rest of your life. It won’t. You’ll make some mistakes. Everyone does. Failure is not falling down; failure is refusing to get up again.
God is remarkably good at using crooked paths to draw straight lines.
‘Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.’ (Psalm 37:24 NLT)
Sixth, choose your friends carefully.
Walk with wise people and you’ll become wiser. Walk with fools and you’ll collect bruises.
‘Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.’ (Proverbs 13:20 NLT)
Seventh, don’t compare yourself with others.
Comparison is the thief of joy and the enemy of gratitude. There will always be someone richer, smarter, taller, thinner, more gifted, or with better hair. In my case, that wasn’t difficult!
God didn’t create you to be someone else. He created you to be you.
‘For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.’ (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)
Eighth, keep your sense of humour.
Life is too serious to take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh, especially at yourself. I’ve discovered that humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s laughing at yourself when everyone else is already doing it.
‘A cheerful heart is good medicine.’ (Proverbs 17:22 NLT)
Ninth, remember that people matter more than possessions.
At the end of your life nobody will ask how big your house was, but they will ask how big your heart was. People are God’s greatest treasure. Invest in them.
Jesus said: ‘Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.’ (John 13:35 NLT)
Tenth, tell people about Jesus.
You’ll never regret speaking about Christ, but you’ll often regret staying silent.
The gospel is simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.
Jesus said: ‘Go and make disciples of all the nations.’ (Matthew 28:19 NLT)
And Paul reminds us: ‘How can they hear about him unless someone tells them?’ (Romans 10:14 NLT)
And finally, remember this:
Life will move much faster than you imagine. The days may seem long but the years are astonishingly short. One day you’ll blink and wonder where the decades went.
So love deeply.
Laugh often.
Forgive quickly.
Work hard.
Serve faithfully.
Stay humble.
Keep growing.
And keep your eyes on Jesus.
‘Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus.’ (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)
Because when all is said and done, he is the one person who will never leave you, never forsake you, never disappoint you and never stop loving you.
‘I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:20 NLT)
If I could leave my 19-year-old self with just one sentence, it would be this:
‘Walk closely with Jesus, and you’ll discover that the safest place, the happiest place and the most exciting place in all the world is right in the centre of his will.’
And if my 19-year-old self asked, ‘Will everything work out exactly as I planned?’ I would smile and say, ‘No. Better! Because God’s plans are always bigger than yours.’
‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”’ (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)
And after all these years I would add one final thought: Jesus has been better than I ever expected, kinder than I deserved, and more faithful than I could have imagined.
So trust him.
Follow him.
Serve him.
Love him.
You will never regret it.
Grace and Peace,
J.John
