Feeling Lost? Wondering How to Adult? We Were Too!

Finding Direction and Community as a Young Adult

Overview

Turning 18 can feel like a deadline for “having life together,” yet many of us still feel lost. This vlog-style project follows Leslie, Allie, and Jacob as they ask hard questions about adulthood, purpose, and friendship. Conversations with Pastor Will and small-groups leader Jeff Gally reveal that loving people, honoring God, and living in authentic community are key signposts for a life moving in the right direction.

Themes

1. The invisible pressure to “arrive”

• Graduation and legal adulthood create an expectation that you should already know career, friendships, and routines.
• Small embarrassments (a trash bag sitting by the door, not having a tight friend group) expose how unfinished adulthood really feels.

2. Big questions that keep young adults up at night

• “How do you become a real, high-functioning adult?”
• “What if my life is nowhere near where I thought it would be?”
• “How do you know if your life is moving in the right direction?”

3. Pastor Will’s two-part indicator

“If you can look up and see that there are people around you that you’re loving and serving, and that you’re also honoring God—no matter where you are—that’s an indicator you’re headed in the right direction.”

• Direction is less about milestones and more about relationships and devotion.
• Any setting—school, job, apartment—can become the “right place” when those two markers are present.

4. Why community is non-negotiable (Jeff Gally)

• God designed people to live in meaningful relationships.
• Consistency and curiosity build depth: spend time together regularly and ask about each other’s stories.
• Barrier: unrealistic timelines—strong friendships require patience.
• Mindset shift: pursue people “for them,” not for what they can do for you.

5. Jeff’s purpose diagram

• Experiences that have shaped me
• Passions or sense of calling
• Gifts and abilities
  The intersection of all three points toward personal purpose.

• Discovering that purpose is intertwined with friendships; others help you name experiences, passions, and gifts.

6. Practical postures for deeper relationships

• Presence over preference: show up even when the activity or setting isn’t ideal.
• Curiosity over comfort: value learning another person’s story above staying in your comfort zone.
• Vulnerability: share both positive and painful experiences to foster real connection.

Key Truths

• Life direction is measured by loving others and honoring God rather than external milestones.
• Authentic community forms through consistency, curiosity, and selflessness.
• Purpose emerges where your experiences, passions, and gifts overlap.
• Strong friendships take time; dropping unrealistic timelines removes disappointment.
• Being present and curious are active choices that open doors to purpose and connection.

Response

• Evaluate today: Am I actively loving and serving anyone around me?
• Schedule consistent time with people, even if plans feel small or imperfect.
• Ask a friend about their story this week; listen longer than you speak.
• Map your own diagram: list shaping experiences, current passions, and identifiable gifts; note any overlap.
• Choose one environment (work, class, church, gym) to practice “presence over preference.”

Closing

The first hours of this journey already revealed that no one reaches adulthood fully prepared. Direction is less about flawless plans and more about relationships and surrender to God. By stepping into community, staying curious, and evaluating life through the twin lenses of loving people and honoring God, we can move forward—even while the details remain unfinished.