Dear 16 year old self,

You are one fine chick. Seriously, you are. I know you think you’re not skinny enough, pretty enough and you currently do not possess any human skills that make you stand out other than being a superb babysitter, diaper changer, and friday night toddler entertainer but you, my girl, are fierce. Those baby skills you’ve racked up will seriously come in handy later down the road, too.

Your heart has woken up to so many new things recently.  Newly found independence as you drove out of that driveway without your parents in the car with you for the first time. You’re beginning to really think about college as you’ve finished out half of your high school career, both the longest and shortest two years of your life. You’re trying to figure out how to juggle so many people pressures and find the balance of being true the girl growing on the inside and the pressures that want to reshape her on the outside. And you’re trying to decide if the boy who has somehow captivated your heart is a real love thing or a fake “i’m a teenager and have no idea what love is” thing. Weird, huh? You’ll start travelling a-n-d fall in love with it. The world awaits you…literally. You’ll see and experience social injustice in your homeland and globally and it’ll reshape your vision.

You’re going to fall in love with singing and music, crazy huh?

You’re going to experience both life and death – and both will change you for the better. Heaven is not that far away anymore.

Your heart is going to get stretched and challenged as you let go of something you love(d) and learn to trust His plan is better for you. This is going to be the first of MANY trust roads you’ll walk. Eventually, you’ll learn to appreciate them cause with each walk your heart roots will grow deeper and wider.

You’ll love learning about all things, but lose your sense of knowing it all.

You’ll hear Jesus speak. Not through others, but to you directly. His words will become etched into your heart and for the next decade will keep you steadfast on the road you’ve been planted on.

Compromise will knock at your door countless times, sometimes it will entice, but mostly it will never seem to stand a chance or measure up to satisfaction you’ve learned to walk in. Count that as a major blessing.

You’ll stand in more weddings and attend more baby and wedding showers than you have fingers and toes. You’ll thank Jesus that he has filled your life with endless reasons to celebrate friends and new life though and he’ll give you courage you didn’t know you had.

You’ll find your long lost sisters. Some people are born into families with sisters and other people discover them along their life journey. Yours will be rich in sisterhood. Older, twins, and younger  sisters will surround you, forever. Few things will satisfy your heart like the sisters you’re joined with.

You’ll let go of control. It’s going to be the best decision you’ve ever made.

You’ll walk through a few years that seem like no one seems to notice the dreams inside of you. Jesus is really just giving you some time to grow up. Don’t rush the seasons of baking because they help you grow stronger and healthier for the mountains ahead. Don’t despise your days of growing up. Slow and steady wins the race.

Jesus will become more real, more tangible, and more empowering than you could imagine. You’ll get a glimpse at his unconditional love for you. It’s a no turning back moment for you. Get Ready.

Your journey ahead is going to be full of wonder, adventure, unanswered questions, wrongs choices and some really REALLY great choices too –  but mostly it’s going to more than you could have dreamed up if you tried. You’ll blink and a decade will have passed you by. Some years moving slow and others way too quickly for your liking.

Enjoy your days, treasure your relationships, and be faithful with what’s in your reach today! If you do, you’ll turn back a decade later with a humbled and full heart from getting to experience the life he’s drafted for you. It’s going to be a great one.

Sincerely,

Your 27 year old self