My oldest daughter is about to graduate. When she was tiny, it seemed I had all the time in the world—to teach her how to walk, talk, read and ride a bike. But when I wasn’t looking someone hyperwound the hands on our clocks. Time is ticking at breathtaking speeds, and I feel there is so much I want her to know before she leaves home. Yes, I want to make sure she can cook a meal from scratch and maneuver through security at the airport, but just like potty training, she’ll eventually figure those things out. There are four ideas, however, I want her to fully grasp—things I want to sear into her being, so she’ll never forget. 1. You are beautiful. I tell you all the time, but you shake your head. You are beautiful. Far more than you know. Inside and out. When I look at you I am amazed by how your eyes shine when you’re passionate about something. I see the arch of your eyebrows and how your dimple appears when you laugh and marvel at how masterfully God assembled all of your parts, in just the right proportions, to fit together so beautifully. I want you to truly grasp your beauty. I don’t ever want you to look in the mirror and see anything but a girl who was perfectly crafted by the Master Craftsman. Psalm 139:14 reads; I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. That word “remarkably” translates from the Greek, “to inspire awe”. That’s what you do—inspire awe. 2. You are strong. As your mom, I’d like to protect you from all hardships. But life doesn’t work that way. You have already faced more decisions, losses, pain, and trials than I wish you would have to deal with in your lifetime. But you have made it through them all. Sometimes it has taken talks, tears, and even screams. Sometimes you’ve had to be alone—to do the things that help you make sense of things. But you’ve always done it. And God has always been beside you, helping you through. He always will be. You are strong, because you are strengthened by God. That means you can get through anything that comes your way. I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me. --Philippians 4:13 3. God has perfect plans for you. Next year you’ll live in a new place surrounded by new people. You’ll be at a new school on a new team. But God has prepared you. He has led you to this place. You are fully equipped to do this, to take the next steps, to discover more about yourself and what God has in store for you. There might be some bumps, some tough days, but your days will also be packed with wonderful, new experiences and opportunities. And God will be guiding you through every single one. So there is nothing to fear. Think of all the essays written, applications sent, coaches played for, and campuses visited that brought you here. Your destination is not an accident. And because God led you to this specific place at this specific time, it will be glorious. God has your future, a phenomenal one, in store for you. “For I know the plans I have for you" —this is the Lord's declaration— “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” —Jeremiah 29:11 4. You are loved.
This is the most important one. Truly, if I only got to whisper one thing into your ear before you set out on your great adventure it is this, “You. Are. Loved.” Your family and God love you more than you can ever imagine. Beyond the limits of human thought. I am cheering for you. I can’t wait to hear about all of your triumphs. On days, when you’re down, I’m here to listen and support you. When you get the “A” or the “F”, when you win or lose, when you score the winning goal or sit the bench, when you make a new friend or if someone makes you feel small, when the sun shines or when the rain pours, I’m here for you, loving you full out. And so is God. There is nothing you can ever do that could stop God or me from loving you as much as we do in this moment—completely. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love. —Ephesians 3:17-18 Of course four things aren’t enough. There will never be enough words or time to share everything with my little (well, big) girl that I wish I could. But if she knows how loved she is, and that God will be forever at her side, well then, she’ll be equipped to face anything and everything she encounters.
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A powerful February gust shakes the over 100-year old towering trees in my back yard. I watch them as they waver like drunken sailors. It’s mind blowing how such seemingly stable oaks and maples can sway so violently. The wind settles, but it takes the trees a moment to dig into their stabilizing roots and halt their motion. They tremble and wave their branches once more, then finally settle back into their stations. Me, too, I whisper to the trees. Me, too.
And I start to sway. My self-image is deeply rooted in the fact that Jesus loves me, and this keeps me from being blown across the street or falling down, but I do stagger. I dive back into my to-do list, but I feel jittery, like I’d chosen a second coffee instead of that tea. I push off the feeling of inadequacy, shoving it aside, so I don’t have to deal with it, acting like none of those things bother me, because I know they’re not supposed to. But that leaves me feeling unsettled and unable to focus. No matter what project I begin, I can’t shake the lingering pit in my stomach that something is off. I’m like one of those trees waving back and forth, out of character, and not how I’m intended to be. How to get back to normal? I have a tendency to avoid conflict, but it really is important for me to address it. So I start the inner dialogue about what truly has me irked. I gloss over surface annoyances and finally get to the root of the problems—the button pushed, the label attached, the part of me that feels like it hasn’t measured up. There. At least I know what I’m dealing with. The name calling inside my head saying, “not good enough” has been quieted. Because I know better. And so do you. Now, the wind has stopped, but I’m still swaying a bit. Ever been there? I need to dig my roots deeper, back into the nutrient rich soil of God. I start praying. I tell Him how I know it’s ridiculous, how I know it shouldn’t bother me, but that it does all the same. And together we unravel what happened and how it made me feel. God sets me straight. My self worth has zero to do with my ability to make a reservation or balance a hot beverage. The real issue isn’t with the needy friend, but with my feeling that I need to solve their problems and how I feel inadequate when I can’t make things right. The button pusher is so busy manning their switchboard; they don’t realize how I tick, or what I even value. And a criticism from my past has long since expired. The same holds true for you, with whatever ways you feel you’re not measuring up. Talk to Jesus. Let Him remind you what truly matters, who you truly are. We are more than conquerors. We were fearfully and wonderfully made. We are to be strong and courageous. We’ve been left with peace. Our hearts are not to be troubled. As I talk with God, He reminds me I don’t need to prove myself, and that my worth is not based on my worldly performance. He helps ground me and reminds me I am not a failure because I don’t solve all problems, avoid all accidents, have all the right words, and a myriad of magic tricks up my sleeve. Jesus tells me over and over that I am loved, that I am His, and that that is more than enough.
And once again, I stand tall, extend my branches, and breathe deeply. Whatever is making you waver today, talk to Jesus about it. Reach your roots deep into Him. He will hold us firm on the promise of His love. You are beautiful. You are priceless. You are made in the image of God. You are His treasure, His masterpiece. The Creator of the Universe created you and me, and He loves us just like we are. But some days we don’t see it. Some days we can’t. We lose sight of our true reflections. There are days when we fail to believe that we have value, or tend to distort our self worth as the images and comparisons of the world barrage us with the false pretense that we need to be perfect, as the world defines perfect, and that we need to reach that level of perfection all of the time. We don’t. We’re already perfect in God’s eyes. Let me say that again. In God’s eyes you are perfect! Just the way you are. But there are days when we trip and fall, when we can’t pay the bill, can’t do the balance in yoga, don’t get the joke, are left out of the conversation, aren’t invited to the party. There are the days we get horrifying news, we get rejected, and we fail. And it’s hard to remember that our true reflection is that of beauty. It’s hard to find anything of value left within us. But it is so worth seeking. How do we find our true reflections? I urge you to go on a treasure hunt today to remind yourself of who you are—Christ’s masterpiece. Clue #1 Hang out with people who love you for your true self. You are more valuable than gold, and you’ll be reminded of this by the people who truly understand and appreciate you.
Clue #2 Dig for your true reflection in The Word of God. Use these coordinates to unearth the treasure of who God created you to be:
Discover your full potential by doing something you love. Are you energized by a run? Go on one today and allow the adrenaline to course through your veins reminding yourself that you are strong and capable. Does music soothe your soul? Sit down at the piano bench and let the notes flow from you, reminding you of the beauty you can create. When we do the things God made us to do, we realize more fully our capabilities and worth. DIDN’T I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT FREE BOOKS?
Amy Parker’s children’s books also remind us how much God loves us. Her two new releases Night Night Mommy and Night Night Daddy are treasures in themselves. Amy is giving away free, autographed copies of her new books all over the country and has asked me to join in the fun. For a treasure map of where to find the books click on her website, AND….for any of my readers who live near Oxford, Ohio, a copy of each of these books have been hidden within your reach. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could find one and read it to someone small reminding them how awesome they are, how loving our God is? Who knows, you might just be reminded how much God loves you, too. Find the free books, keep, read, share or pass them along. It’s not that tricky. Clue #1 Night Night Mommy It's easy if you Tri, just go to the front door and open your eye Clue #2 Night Night Daddy This used to be a place for only women students to live, now it's a place for artists to dance, sing, paint and give Is anybody on the hunt for the books? Leave a comment describing your treasure hunting adventures and how they pan “Why are those girls all wearing exactly the same thing?” I wondered, driving through campus.
Some articles of clothing are considered “required” for girls on our campus – black yoga pants, riding boots, scarves -- but these matching outfits of cut-off jean shorts, plaid shirts and cowboy boots were out of place - to say the least. On the next block another group sported the same costume. Aha! -- a costume, for a party – maybe farm, maybe hoedown, maybe hillbilly. I’m sure the official name for the party was more clever and loaded with innuendo, but you get the gist. The next girl I drove past broke my heart. She stood out because: 1. Instead of shorts she wore denim short overalls with one of the straps undone, exposing her shoulder. 2. On top she wore a hot pink bra with no plaid shirt. Just the bra. Something made this poor girl feel the way to be noticed - to be accepted was by exposing her skin. Is that what she truly wants? To be remembered as the girl with the hot pink bra? I wanted to pull over, to hold her in my arms. Instead, I silently cried for her in my car and kept driving. She’s been on my mind ever since that day. And so now, I’m telling her everything I longed to tell her in that moment in this blog. I’m praying she and anyone who’s ever felt like her will read it. Dear Girl in the Pink Bra: I’ve never met you, but I don’t have to know you to know that you have an inner beauty burning somewhere beneath your pink bra. If you are at this university you must be both bright and talented. It’s not easy to get accepted. The admissions board selected you from hundreds of applicants because of your gifts. But in this outfit no one can pull their focus away from your cleavage to hear your great thoughts or to learn from your insights. No one will notice the unique pattern of your eyes or the distinct melody of your laughter. Instead of being revealing, you are concealing your true identity and masking the things about you that are truly beautiful. You have so much potential. You can be accepted for you, your beautiful self, not for your bra or for your body, but for you. The next time you wear your pink bra, please wear something over it that covers the rosy lace. By covering your bra, you will actually uncover some of your very essence. By hiding some of your skin, you will allow others to see so much more of you – the real, true beautiful you God created you to be. Please know you were fearfully and wonderfully made. Peace be with you. Laura Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. |
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