Son, 10 years ago tomorrow you came into our lives. You were kicking and screaming and so full of life. We had never seen anything so amazing and beautiful. We had never felt love like this before. We were parents. We didn't know what in the world we were doing, but we knew we wanted to do it everyday for the rest of our lives. We knew we had been given a tremendous blessing. Now here you are. Tomorrow you turn 10. It is hardly believable that you've been here that long, and at the same time I can hardly remember life without you. The first 10 years of life are so magical. Childhood is a great gift from God. You are still a child, but lots of things will change in the next 10 years. Here are 10 things I want you to know as you bravely move forward into the next decade.
1. God Loves You More Than You Could Ever Imagine.
This is number one because it is by far the most important. If you can know this, truly know this in your heart, it will change EVERYTHING about your life. He loves you in a way that no one else you know is even capable of loving. It is perfect love. He made you. He created you exactly as you are for His divine purpose. He longs for you to be in relationship with Him. You make Him smile. Hold that truth in your heart, Son. It will never let you down.
2. God Will Never Leave You.
The next 10 years will bring many highs and lows. They will be some of the best years of your life with some of the hardest days of your life. You will be growing and learning so much every day. Your dad and I can't be with you every second of every day, but rest assured in this: God is with you always. Nowhere you go is too far from Him. No situation you find yourself in is too hard for Him. He will be by your side everyday. All you have to do is turn to Him. You can't see Him, but you will feel Him if you look for Him. He is your one constant in this life.
3. Don't Be Afraid To Be You.
The bible says it so beautifully "You are fearfully and wonderfully made." God created you with extreme care. He has purposes for you, and they are all a part of how He designed you. There is nothing wrong with how he created you. He doesn't make mistakes. We make mistakes, but He doesn't. Don't be afraid to be exactly who you are, Son. If someone else tries to convince you that aren't enough, tell them they are wrong. Then tell them that they are enough too, because they probably don't think they are. Be the kind of person who is comfortable in his own skin. You can do this when you understand number 1. He loves you.
4. You Are No Better Than Anyone Else.
Just as you are fearfully and wonderfully made, Son, so is everyone else. You are not better than any of your friends. You are not better than any of your enemies. We are all made in the image of God, and we are all lost without the grace of Jesus. You will have friends at school who don't look like you or talk like you. Their families won't look like yours. Their lives won't look like yours. Their clothes won't look like yours. They may make poor choices. You are no better than them. They are loved by God just the same as you are. They may have circumstances that make it hard for them to know that, Son. Treat them like the God-creation that they are. Treat them with respect and love. Be kind to the kids that the other kids tease or ignore all together. Do that, Son, and you just might change their life. And when you do this, it will most definitely change yours. This, my sweet boy, is being Jesus to the world.
5. Your Dad and I Love You So Much.
Son, your Dad and I can't love you as perfectly as Jesus does. But we love you as much as is humanly possible. To quantify how much we love you is impossible. There are no words or numbers that exist that could explain how we feel about you. You are ours. We will love you no matter what you do or don't do in the next 10 years. We want you to know that we are here for you. You can talk to us about anything. If something is hard in life, don't carry it alone. We are here. We will support and encourage you. We will help you work through the hard stuff. We will love you fiercely even when we don't agree. We will try our hardest to show Jesus' love in every conversation we have with you. We won't be perfect, but we will ask forgiveness when we mess up. We are so grateful to be your parents.
6. Your Siblings Are One Of God's Biggest Blessings To You.
I know sometimes it's hard to be the oldest of four children. I know your siblings drive you absolutely crazy some days, but believe me when I tell you this: You will treasure them someday. They are life-long friends. No matter where you go in life they will be a part of you. They will be there for the biggest laughs and hold you through the biggest tears. You will share so many memories with them. They will know you in a way that other people never will. Treat them well and know that they look up to you. Find chances to be kind to them. When you are grown up you will be so glad that you did.
7. Everything Worthwhile Is Hard.
People will try to tell you to take the easy way out. We can justify so many things with the excuse "It's just too hard." Let me tell you something, Son. If you have to work hard for something you will appreciate it so much more. The biggest blessings in your life will also be the things that require the most of you. When you have a class that is just "too hard"- work harder. When you don't make the starting team - practice more. When you are in situations with friends and family that are "too hard" - don't give up on people. Working hard makes you tired in the best kind of way because when you finally rest you can rest peacefully. When you don't think you can't do it - dig deeper. Jesus is your source of strength. When you ask Him for help He will help you. Don't be lazy. It feels good in the moment, but it drains your soul in the long run. Don't shy away from the hard stuff. Befriend it. You will have a much fuller life.
8. You Are Not Too Young To Make A Difference.
You may feel like you are too young to make a real difference in this world, like that is something that only adults do. Don't believe that. The next 10 years of your life will be absolutely filled with opportunities to change the world. Everyday you will have a choice to either speak life or speak death to the people around you. You can be kind to people in ways that will change the course of their lives. You can help those that are in need in your community. You can start movements among your peers that will make this world a better place. You can share Jesus with people who don't know Him. There is no greater mission than this. You will have lots of friends who need to meet Him and learn who He is. Share Him with them. Bring them to church with you. Pray for them. Pray with them. Don't be afraid to be bold about your God. He was bold for you. He sent His only son to die.
9. You Don't Have To Be The Best At Everything.
You are so talented, Son. You have many gifts and abilities. We are so proud of you, but please know that you don't have to be the best at everything. Some things will come naturally, and some things will be harder. That is okay. More than anything we want you to realize that you are loved regardless of your abilities and not because of them. When someone else is better than you at something don't be jealous. Be happy for them. Feel good enough about yourself to praise other people for their special talents without feeling threatened by them. You are who you are, and they are who they are. Their successes don't take anything away from your successes. If you truly rejoice with others when they succeed, your own successes will be so much sweeter.
10. Joy Is A Daily Choice.
My sweet boy, life will throw things at you that you didn't want or expect. You will have hard days. Sometimes you will feel like you are being treated unfairly. Some days you will deal with disappointment or rejection. Your attitude in these moments will determine the quality of your life. Choosing to be joyful and thank God daily for your blessings even on the hard days will change your life completely. No one wants to be around someone who is negative all of the time. But when someone is truly joyful in their life they are like a magnet that people can't resist. There is something about joy that is so enticing and mysterious. True joy isn't bound to earthly circumstances but is found in knowing that God loves you and is always with you. See number one and number two above. :) Choose joy every day.
I love you so much and look forward to every day of the next 10 years and beyond with you!
Love,
Mom
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