Dear Daughter,

You don’t know me, but…I think about you often and i’m not even pregnant. I’m not even married! But, I still think of you. The hope of having you, teaching you, and raising you alongside a strong husband who would be your amazing daddy!

I look at the world around me and for every moment I face I always think – I want to teach you this.

Through all my joys, sufferings, and pains I want to express to you how to live, how to be, how to have faith, how to be bold and brave, but most importantly, how to be you!

But – HOW do I teach you?!? I’m always frightened for you, already, because there is SO much that I pray for you to be, to know, and to understand. I already see myself holding you, cradling you, and protecting you, but I don’t want to shield you from what I want you to know.

So here is a list of the many things I think of now while I am 22 – dreaming of having you:

• You are a WOMAN to be. No matter what the world tells you – you are a beautiful soul. You do not have to expose your flesh to obtain commentary that minimizes the lion within you.  You will be a little girl for a short time, but you aren’t a little girl forever – remember that, because the world will attempt to label you as just a girl for all the years of your life – but you are a woman (a lion).

 

• You are INTELLIGENT. Your mind has the capacity to become whatever you wish to become. Your brain is made by God, and given to you from God. He made you and molded you. If you wish to learn about the entire world that God has created – then my beautiful child you do just that. Reach far and wide and past the stars! Read – become. If you want to be a CIO, CEO, President of the United States, a Doctor, a Lawyer, or an astronaut – you be it – become it.

 

• You are LOVE. The world around you may be cruel. You will see it on every corner. But, if you choose to join the others, where does love go? I’ll tell you the story of a man named Jesus – the model of pure love. You are made to love like this. The choice to love rather than to hate. To treat another human being – regardless of their own personal choices – with dignity and love. You must always know to choose your words wisely my darling – words can open up the soul, but can also pierce the heart.

 

• You are HONEST. No matter how hard it may seem – I know you are honest. Honesty is the first step to wisdom. Your choice will always be between the truth and a lie. Telling a lie may feel right for a short while, but it affects the inner you as a whole. It taints you and will eventually come back and be exposed. It hurts far worse to tell a lie than it does to tell the truth. Truth perseveres, and the truth gives you a level of credibility that nothing else can.

 

• You are BOLD. God doesn’t want you to live in fear. Of course there are many things to be afraid of, but you can’t let that control you. Fear is a temporary feeling that prevents you from pursuing what God is asking you to step into. Be brave my darling. You may have to hold your breathe to take the step, but that’s okay. Hold your breath, close your eyes, and leap! Experience what God is calling you into. It is far better to look back and remember than to wish you had the choice again and wonder what it could have been.

 

• You are STRONG. You are not born to be weak. Your body is an incredible creation made to live on this earth. If you take care of it, give it what it needs, and nourish it then your body will propel you through the years of your life. No condition you suffer will last as long as you believe and care for the wellbeing of your body!

 

• You are COMPASSIONATE – You will be able to see through the eyes of those that surround you. While you live on earth, you will need to understand that your perspective is not the only perspective that exists. In order to know the pain of someone else you will need to step into their shoes – understand where they are coming from. Everyone grows up differently, some more painfully than others. Before you speak – listen first. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.

 

• You are a SERVANT – Above everything you do, remember to serve others. We all live on this earth – we should all care for each other. There will be many people who will not do this, but you, my darling, need to know that serving others is a part of who you are because you are love and you are compassion. We strive to be selfless because God calls us to serve. It will open your heart, it will make tears come to your eyes, but it will also show you people. People matter – whether big or small, poor or rich, shy or loud, white or black, blonde or burnette – people matter. Because we are all people and we each deserve to be treated like we are loved far more than we believe we deserve. We out-love!

 

• You are HARD-WORKING – God has gifted you with a body to use. So, get up and use it. Every day is a new day to reach the goals you have set, to serve like no other, and to love everyone around you! Did you know that Jesus is coming? We have work to do!! We can’t let anyone fall through the cracks. We show people who He is. We also show people who He is by being the best we can be! At work, at school, in clubs – everywhere. We work hard at everything we do! We have the strength and the talent to do so – we will not waste it, and we will not waste our time here on earth!

 

• You are YOU – I want you to be so many things and more! I aspire to pour into you what I have learned in my years so that you live a life full of healthy and wise choices. But, I can’t make you into something you are not called to be. You see, God has a special calling on your life, and that is a calling you don’t want to miss. This calling is what makes you, YOU! I may want you to grow up and be a million amazing things, but please remind mommy that you must follow what God has called you to do. I can’t take away what God wants you to do, and I don’t want to. No matter what I say or wish for you to do – please promise that you follow my advice, but you listen for the voice of God before mine. His voice will lead you where you are meant to go.

 

• You are FORGIVEN. No matter the choices you make – I will always love you. There isn’t a thing in this world you could ever do to change my mind. My forgiveness is endless for you! When God asked me to forgive people (70X7) endlessly then I will. There is no exception to you! And I hope you learn to forgive people like that also. It doesn’t mean you allow people to hurt you and trample over you, but you show them grace! People make mistakes. Bitterness from unforgiveness does a cruel thing to the mind and heart of people – don’t bottle that up and allow it to build in you. It will cripple the person you are and are becoming.

I already love you far more than you know. I can’t wait to someday meet the woman you become.

Love,

Your Mommy (someday)

Jennie Laureen

 

 

 

Photo by Johnny McClung on Unsplash