A letter to my much younger self…
In the course of life, we learn so many valuable lessons. Wisdom seems to come from living and learning for yourself – not by telling your mom, I’ve got it. Had I known then what I know now, I would have learned these life-changing lessons many years earlier:
Eat lean, green and clean
Keep running 3 miles per day (jogging in reality…)
Maintain a 3 times per week stretching & strength training routine
Guard my innocence
Read the Bible every day
Welcome the Campus Crusade for Christ into my dorm room
instead of shutting the door on them
and telling them my story was between God and me
(how clueless was I???)
Give Bibles for Christmas and Easter as gifts from my heart
Honor my husband as head of our household
Raise my sons with mutually agreed upon, shared values with my husband
Eat meals together
Pray together as a family
Speak words of L I F E andB L E S S I N G over my family
Pray words of life and blessing over my family
Praise God for being good…all the time
Read the Bible to my babies every day
Read the Bible to my toddlers every day (same boys)
Read the Bible to my young sons every day (same boys)
Read the Bible to my teenage sons every day (same boys)
Teach the boys our values versus assuming they will “catch” them
Reinforce our values daily based on a Biblical foundation
Guard the boys innocence diligently from:
TV shows that differed from my values
violent video games
pornographic websites, magazines, etc.
drugs
alcohol
I see a theme…
I grew up in a home where we were in church whenever the doors opened – YET…
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11
To guide me, to guard me, to give me hope and a future, to grow me, to groom me into what His son came for – to live the life I should have lived and die the death I should have died so I have ETERNAL LIFE with Jesus Christ.
To change me from my own ignorant, know it-all-self into a woman who’s covered by God’s graceful presence and no longer full of it (myself!) but full of His grace.
Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash?
~ Job 37:15
No, I don’t know how, yet I know He does! And that is good. And God is good all the time.
Even when I am ignorant, He is in control.
Or in denial, He is in control.
Or clueless about how He controls stuff, God is still in control.
Or … whatever the situation may be, God is in control.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I have set my heart on your laws. ~
Psalm 119:30 NIV
Faithful. I like that word…
Don’t take everything so seriously. That would be my number one advise to my younger self. Although my mom says I was born mature. Lol I grew up in the church too but yet, it took years before I knew the love of Christ. How backwards is that?
I would tell myself to worry less and trust God more.
It seems as if we are on the same page with our latest posts, Susan! I wholeheartedly agree that there’s so much good that can be generated in my life if and when I make God’s word central to it all. Thanks for the linkup and it was great to meet you face-to-face at She Speaks! I hope your experience was as good as mine!
Beth, yes! I loved meeting you there. SheSpeaks is a powerhouse for connecting with dear friends we have established online! So glad you had an amazing time. Hugs, Susan
“Don’t take yourself and everything else too seriously”– those would be at the top of my list to my younger self! Right along with “learn that trust is worth the risk, even if sometimes it fails!” Thanks for your list and shared wisdom!
Bethany,
Amen to not taking yourself too seriously. Glad to have you share! Hugs, Susan
I would say, “Do things God’s way and you’ll avoid a lot of heartache!”
Oh yes, Donna! Do things God’s way is always the best answer to any question, isn’t it?! Hugs, Susan
Yes! I would tell my younger self to stop allowing insecurity to stop me from being the confident woman in Christ that he created me to be! I would tell her to stop worrying so much about what other people think and instead concentrate on what God is telling me to do. I’m so glad that it’s never too late though! I just read in a comment that you are going to seminary. Good for you! As I read God’s word I just want to know more and more!
Valerie,
Yes indeed those are powerful additions – do not worry (how many times does God tell us that in His Word?) because we need reminders…It is never too late is so right. Hugs, Susan
Hi, Susan! New to your blog and this link-up.
What would I say to my younger self? The number one thing would probably be, “Stop dating those stupid guys!” Number two would be, “Keep your eyes on Jesus.” These things really go together; I let teenage boys distract me and pull me away from the Lord. Praise Him for His grace!
Marie,
Welcome to my blog! Thank you for taking time to comment. Teenage boys. Jesus. Yes maam, I totally agree with you, we need Jesus, especially as teens! I followed that pull by teenage boys as a teen, so I hear ya…
Hugs, Susan
super post, susan and here you are, going to seminary! bless you and God redeems our locust times, as you know.
Sue, thank you! and thank God He redeems our locust times indeed. Hugs, Susan
This seems to be a popular theme right now. I may have to write a letter to my younger self too!
Susan, Go for it! It was very cathartic for me, Hugs, Susan
Precious post! I would tell myself a lot of the same things and also add a few!
“Perfection belongs to God alone, not you!”
“Learn to laugh at yourself!”
Summer,
“Perfection belongs to God alone, not you!”
“Learn to laugh at yourself!”
And all God’s people say AMEN!
Hugs, Susan
Oh my I’ve been struggling lately…I’m about to have a birthday and I feel like I’m on a runaway train toward the 50 mark. I’d say don’t wait…don’t put things off until tomorrow. God placed those dreams in your heart and blessed you with specific talents…stop burying them 🙂
Michelle,
Don’t wait. YES! That’s powerful.
I hope your August has gotten off to an awesome start!
Precious post! I would say a lot of the same things to myself as well as, “Perfection belongs to God alone” and “Laugh at yourself”!
Yes ma’am Summer! Perfection belongs to God alone is so right. And Laugh! That’s good medicine there.
Hugs, Susan
I plan to share with a few of the younger women I mentor. Wonderful words of wisdom! I wish I had been more present, more grateful, and I wish I had not taken so many things (such as youth) for granted!
Robin,
Oh how I agree with your statement – I wish I had been more present, more grateful, and I wish I had not taken so many things (such as youth) for granted! Amen and Amen.
Hugs, Susan
I’d tell myself not to be so serious!
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Jodie,
I’d tell myself not to be so serious! Yes, yes, yes! Hugs, Susan
Love your list, Susan. In fact, I can hear you speaking these words. My list would include “choose grace over judgment.” I grew up in a conservative church. Praise the Lord … but somewhere along the way, I missed the message of grace. Took a while, and (and the hurt feelings of many I loved) to living on the other side of grace, for me to understand this.
Dianne,
Choose grace over judgment is a lesson God works on with me a LOT! Oh yes, so powerful. Hugs! Susan
I tell myself often these powerful words “LET GO AND LET GOD” and “Don’t forget to dance for Jesus like David”
Much Blessings ,
Diana
http://dianasdiaries.com
Diana,
I love that – “LET GO AND LET GOD” and “Don’t forget to dance for Jesus like David”
Hugs, Susan
I wrote something like this recently. It’s so revealing, isn’t it? Try writing to your future self….also a thought provoking experience!
Becky,
Now that’s an interesting thought – write to my future self! Hmmmm, may have to do that soon too. Hugs, Susan
Susan,
I see your theme coming out again and again….God’s Word. Being in it. Praying it over our families. Absorbing it’s truth about ourselves. I think a line to my younger self would be, “God truly does love you….relax! You don’t have to prove anything!”
Blessings,
Bev xx
Bev,
That’s so powerful and true what you said – I think a line to my younger self would be, “God truly does love you….relax! You don’t have to prove anything!”
Hugs, Susan
At the top of the list would be two words to my younger self: Chill out!
AMEN – chill out! Michele, that is great wisdom there. Hugs, Susan