A Legacy for My Daughter.

 

I have been reading through a study which has been wrecking my life. I feel like if you talked with me on a regular basis you would probably tell me I say that about every book I read. Well honestly, in the past 6 or so months, it has been totally true. 
I feel like the Lord has just been speaking into my life from every direction through every book I have been reading, and it has been just incredible months of growth. Of seeing myself clearly, of seeing aspects of Him that I hadn't personally experienced even if I knew of them. 


While doing one of the latest one, we were given a question which I felt I just had so much to say, that I wanted to share some thoughts on here.
We were discussing insecurities, how to battle them and what kind of effect they have on others, specifically how we impact future generations. We were asked to share what kind of a legacy we would like to leave to women who come behind us. 
Oh friends, this topic stirs my heart like something else. I can't even describe. 
Maybe some day the Lord will give me a daughter to give this to. 



Sweet Girl,

I can even begin to explain how fast you are growing up, I'm sure you hear that so much from people older than you. But oh how I see how true it is, this world causes us to grow up so fast, to lose that child-like innocence so quickly. But with each passing day I pray that you are becoming as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside. 

I have so many things I wish I could share with you. So many tears in your life I wish I could wipe away by sharing my short twenty-some limited years of wisdom through my own bad decisions and experiences that I pray you never have to walk through. 

I wish I could protect you sweet girl from a lot of things in this world, to wrap you up in my arms and tell you everything is really going to be ok even when you feel your entire world is crashing down and that no-one cares about you. Those moments when you feel as though life won't go on because of the loss of a friendship, or something that happened at school or a move in your life. You will be ok, Baby. 

Sweet one, it is so far from true that no-one cares about you! I pray that is a truth you really grasp at a young age, that you are never alone and that you are so loved by a Father who chose you to be in His family. He sees everything there is to know about you and still chooses your pretty little face. He wipes away all those smudges you have made and will continue to make as you figure out how to live life here on earth. All of us make mistakes sweetheart. 

If there's something I pray for you, it is this. I pray that you would be so completely head over heels in love with Jesus. Because girl, if you truly grasp that, you are further ahead than so many of those walking ahead of you. There is nothing He isn't capable of redeeming in your life. Those little things which seem so huge right now, those comments from those girls at school, those clothes or things that everyone has that you don't have, they aren't as big as you think they are. There will come a day after high school that you will wish you had spent more time on things that were of worth. Because there is nothing worse than seeing an adult still trying to live in junior high. And someday you will see just how silly it really is. 

I pray that you will be so encouraged and sure of your worth and value in the Lord, that you are a light to your generation. A one-in-a-million girl who is capable of doing big things for Jesus. A girl who others want to be around because of your joy and Christ-like spirit. I pray that you will be able to bring out the best in those around you and really love others for who they are. I pray that you will be the first to want to serve those around you, that you would be known for your love. I pray that you would shine radiantly because of your inner beauty and that will make you seem different baby. But that's really ok.  

Sweetheart, I know there will be things in your past that seem so huge that you question whether you will ever get past them. Baby, you will. With the help of our precious Jesus, you will! 
He will never leave you hanging girl, He is there for you whenever you cry out for Him. And know that He is in the business of redeeming your past. What was intended for evil can be used for such good! There are so many women who can testify to this truth. All of us are in need of His grace, none of us is perfect. Please don't ever forget that truth. Your mistakes and secrets are no bigger than anyone elses, even if you feel they are. 

Girl, I pray that you would know that God is ultimately in control of your life. And He won't let you down! Even when things feel like they are going far differently from the plan you set for your life when you graduate high school and start navigating life on your own, He is still in control. Thank Him for that, because we would make such a mess of it on our own. And often do when we try to do it our own way.

Every tear you shed, every broken heart you have to endure, He sees it all baby. And He will carry you through. I pray that you would know how precious you are to our Father. And that you know that every bad circumstance you have walked through, the pain inflicted through your choices or even through others, every unmet expectation you may have for yourself or for those around you, and every disappointment you have to experience in your life...I pray that you would throw yourself into the open arms of Jesus. He will use them to draw you to Him, and sweet girl there is no better picture of redemption than that. 

I love you so much! And I pray that you grow up to leave a better legacy that the broken one our culture has given to you. Remember that your value and security can only be found in our Father who gave you your identity in the first place. Never let anyone take it from you, and remember they can't without your permission. 


With all my love.