Today is my birthday!! In the spirits of stepping into each new chapter of my life with intentions, I decided to write an open letter to myself. A letter I can refer to now and again when things get tough as they usually do because well, life!
Below is the one I wrote to myself. It doesn’t have to be as long or short, it just has to be you.
Dear Twenty-Something Me,
You are just beginning. You have so much of life ahead of you; so much to look forward to, so much to learn and experience, so many of God’s promises yet to be fulfilled. So don’t take life so seriously. Allow yourself to laugh a little more, dance a little more, to take a few more risks. Don’t be so eager to grow up that you miss out on the season you are currently in. It is not necessary to have a long-term plan. Plans change, but God remains constant. Just commit everything to Him and enjoy the present; take it all in. Embrace what is happening now. Don’t wish away this current season for what may never come. The future will come in time, you can be sure of that, but you will never get to relive the present. Don’t dream away the weeks, months, years. Resist placing timelines and expectations on God’s promises or, indeed, your own desires. Simply enjoy it now. And don’t focus so much on marriage and relationships. Believe me, it is not the be-all and end-all.
There are so many other experiences in life to be enjoyed and savoured too. Live life; stop fixating on what you don’t have, and start appreciating what you do have.
Fight those thoughts; the ones that plague you in those quiet moments and tell you that you are not good enough or funny enough or pretty enough. Stop spending so much energy and time comparing yourself to others: Just be you. In a world full of wanna be-replicas, God created only one of you. Don’t deprive the world of you.
Remember, nine times out of ten, people are not really thinking what you believe they are thinking about you. Don’t let the lies of the enemy steal your courage or conviction. Step out in faith and allow God’s voice to speak truth into your heart.
Don’t place so much value on what the world values: money, possessions, fashion, a career. Be careful not to allow the voices of the world to drown out the voice of the One who matters. Instead, invest in relationships, community, new experiences, and, above all, chasing after God. When you are sold out to Him, He will make a way where there appears to be no way. Live for His approval, not that of men.
Stop living life as if everything depends on you because it doesn’t. Everything depends on God. So don’t worry so much, don’t carry so many burdens, don’t adopt so much fear and responsibility. And pray more. Talking to God about that worry – that problem to solve – is far more effective than carefully deliberating over every possible eventuality. Be quicker to hand it over to Him who is infinitely more equipped to be God than you are.
I know you love God and want to give Him your best, but don’t try so hard to fill the blanks of what He might be saying or doing in your life. He’ll give you the information you need when you need it. You have no reason to strive. Instead of stressing about what those ‘meanwhile’ moments look like, just enjoy them and rest in God’s ways and timing. Don’t take on the burden yourself. God’s will is not a problem to solve; it is a gift to receive at the appointed time.
You are capable of more things than you know and never give up on your dreams because you are closer than you think. You can never go astray committing your ways to the hands of the Almighty. This next year, be prepared to discover new things about yourself.
You are finally doing what you love and that is something you will never regret. Keep moving forward.
Keep using that fire in you to push you forward. But more importantly, to lift young girls who look like you every day. I am rooting for you!
Continue spreading your message of love and kindness wherever you are and go because people will notice it and do the same. You will never regret making someone smile or brightening up someone’s life. There is no cost to being kind, there is no cost to sharing LOVE & LIGHT and most of all there is no cost to celebrate your life! Sometimes we wait for others to give us affirmation. To pat us on the back and tell us that we are doing a good job. This makes our worthiness and satisfaction in ourselves directly tied to someone else’s approval. It also makes us forget to take care of ourselves. This year, this life is about me. I trust that the way I treat myself will benefit everyone around me.
You need to do this too.
Stop seeking approval. Stop trying to make sure that everyone is OK. Trust that everyone is better when you take care of yourself first. Don’t wait for your birthday, start today
God holds you securely in His hands so live in the freedom His Son bought for you on the cross. You are going to do great, so stop worrying. Prioritize peace and rest over frantic serving; you can’t earn more of God’s love, just sit at His feet and receive it.
Love, the One You Will Grow To Be
Finally ,
Thank you for getting things done. Even when things aren’t perfect, you keep going. You keep pushing to get things done. To keep improving as you go along. To never give up. THIS is what life is all about!
Thank you for supporting other women. Your own personal experiences of overcoming challenges has led you to a life of supporting others who are going through their own challenges. You’ve realized that seeing others, especially women, succeed leads to your happiness. In supporting others, you’ve supported yourself.
Most of all, thank you for writing this letter to yourself. You deserve it. You should give yourself a pat on the back and a hug. I believe in you. YOU got this! I love and support you and I am excited to see what the future has in store.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, I'M PROUD OF YOU ALWAYS 😍😍😍
BIBLE VERSE FOR THE WEEK
“Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all.” — James 1:17
The Good News: God is the source of all good, and He is to thank for all of the blessings you have in life.
QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“I’ve commanded you to be brave and strong, haven’t I? Don’t be alarmed or terrified, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
The Good News: God is standing by your side, even in the toughest moments of your life. Do not be afraid, stand strong, and have faith.
DROP A WISH FOR ME IN THE COMMENT SECTION 💓💓💓💓..