Expect Success

My highschool yearbook

My 20 year high school reunion took place last month. Pause with me for a moment and allow that number sink in.  Two decades.  TWENTY years since I graduated high school!  Now, for some of you reading this, you may think twenty years? Try thirty, forty, or even fifty! And there may be some of you who just have tossed your graduation cap in the air a few months ago.  This milestone, well, for me, it required some time to really take it in and think about.

I did not attend the reunion.  The people that meant the most to me in 1994 were not going to be attending.  I felt that since I still kept in touch with them through Facebook, plunking down a chunk of cash for the reunion to be around a bunch of people I hardly knew 20 years ago wasn’t worth it. Of course that didn’t stop me from checking out the reunion pictures from the “official reunion” Facebook page.  Oh come on, you know you would too!

As I looked at the group picture of everyone in attendance at the reunion, I hardly recognized anyone.  The names sounded familiar but the faces… not so much.  So naturally it was time to dig out the old yearbook! Thankfully it was tucked away in my old bedroom.  When I pulled it out, all those high school memories came flooding back. I scanned the title on the front, “Expect Success”. “Hmm... Really? That’s quite a statement.” I thought.  Twenty years ago, I didn’t expect success.  I just wanted to get out of high school.  I was ready to take my diploma and run out the door.

You guys, I will be the first to admit, 1994 was not the height of fashion either.  The hair.  The BIG hair. And pegged jeans.  My word. But I digress… Anyhow, I flipped through the first few pages.  I read all the little notes and comments from friends. (Remember "K.I.T."? Keep in touch! Do teenagers even write that kind of stuff anymore? I’m pretty sure they don’t.)  Most the references and little jokes totally escaped me here in 2014.  I had no idea what some of these people were writing about or who they even were! Oh, but there were some precious notes from best friends way back then.  They made me smile and remember some of the fun, fun times we had.

After reading all the notes and comments, I headed to the index to find all the places my picture was.  Let me tell you, my pictures were very few and very far between. My quotes in the yearbook were even sparser.  I began to regret not participating more, not joining clubs or activities. The quotes I did have all pointed to one thing – graduation.  I simply could not wait to exit high school.  The end of my senior year could not come fast enough for me.

For the next few days after reading my yearbook, it haunted me.  I kept going over in my mind all the things I should have done or could have done.  I thought about all the things I missed out on.  I thought about how I had always felt like an outsider.  I remembered the teasing, harassing, and bullying.  I know I am not the only one who took a far staircase to avoid someone in the hall who could ruin your whole day with a few choice words.

Then, once I was really starting to feel bad about “1994 Marcy”, I recalled all the awful choices, mistakes, and dumb stuff I did. I think we can all agree that sometimes teenagers are not the wisest people in the world.  In 1994, I just wanted my life to hurry up and start.  I wasn’t motivated at all and so tired of school that I had no desire to go to college.  I made bad decisions about my future, my time, my friends, and I made especially bad choices about guys.

After about 3 days of high school reminiscing, I actually really disliked “1994 Marcy”.  And then a funny thing happened.  Pastor Mark Simpson visited West Ridge and gave a sermon about regret.  He went through a list of life’s “6 biggest regrets”.  I believe I checked all 6 off. Each one he went through, I would think to myself, “Yep, did that one.  Oh yes, that applies to me.  Oh, there’s another one!”

It’s been my experience though, that God will always find a way to speak to your heart, especially when you are hurting.  Sometimes He speaks right to you, or through His Word, or through another person.  That Sunday morning, God chose to speak to me through the message Mark was delivering. 

After Mark got done talking about the regrets that we may have in our past, he talked about how the only true antidote for regret is repentance.  God reminded me that all those mistakes and bad choices were washed away.  My burden lifted and eyes opened.  All that dislike for “1994 Marcy” melted away. 

When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, my sins were forgiven.  My slate wiped clean.  I repented of my old ways and turned away from them.  Once that happened, my friend, my life was radically different.

Because Jesus is my Savior, I do expect success. 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NIV)

“He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” Proverbs 2:7 (NIV)

Ladies, we are always here for you! If you are struggling with something today, be it past regrets or anything at all, please email women@westridge.cc with questions or prayers.  We love you!