For the Class of 2013 your time has come. From kindergarten or preschool, through this year you have spent the majority of your life in a classroom. Many of you may even have the feeling that you are ready to leave the nest. You are ready to stretch your wings and fly.

You probably have the feeling that you have arrived. The time has come for you to move forward with your lives and make decisions that will affect your future now and in the years to come. You are ready to find your place in the world.

Many events have occurred since your birth, bringing to mind how much the world has changed from what earlier generations have experienced. From cell phones to Facebook, you have experienced many changes both good and bad. The information age continues to expand at an increasingly fast rate and the world you will be moving into seems to move faster each day.

You have worked hard to reach this point in your life. Many hours of studying, doing homework, working on projects, and taking tests has culminated in the last few days of your senior year. You have made friends that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. You have had teachers and mentors that have invested their time and talents into the person you have become. Many prayers have been said for you throughout your life and many more will continue to be lifted up for you.

However, as the tassel has moved you have stepped forward into a new part of your life. Your status has changed from being high school students to young adults ready to take on the world. Many of you will enter college to further your education, some will enter the work force and others may join the armed forces, in defense of our country.

You will have many choices to make as you move into this part of your life. You have unlimited opportunities in your life, many dreams to fulfill and many adventures ahead of you. Go forward with these words:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

May God continue to bless you and keep you safe in all your new adventures, both near and far. Always know that you are much loved by your parents, extended family and your friends.

Randy Garrison is the president and publisher of the Hartselle Enquirer.