Dear Little Sister,
I cannot believe you are about to become a teenager. I still remember the day you were born, just like it was yesterday. I remember our brother asking Mom and Dad a week or two after you were born when they were going to take you back, because he didn’t understand that you were a permanent addition to the family. I remember you learning to walk and talk. I remember you running around with those pudgy little toddler legs, with your blond curls bouncing all over the place. I remember the countless times we’d find you climbing up a bookcase or some other tall piece of furniture, and having zero idea how you’d gotten up that high. I remember how you never sucked your thumb, but instead sucked your ring and middle finger. I remember that weird accent you had when you were learning to talk, that random mix of Boston and New York, that baffled us all, because the only accent in our house was Mom’s slight Southern drawl. I could go on for pages about all the memories I have of you as a young child, but it still wouldn’t be enough to convince me that you are actually about to turn 13. Despite my bewilderment at how you're already this old, there are some things I want to tell you as you enter your teenage years.
1. Know who you are.
What do I mean by this? Well, throughout your teenage years, you're going to be bombarded with ideas about who you should be and how you should act. Especially now with social media, the pressure to put out a good image is immense. There's going to be pressure to constantly be at your best. You're going to be told so many things by society, and most of the time it won't be through words, but through ideas and expectations. You'll be told that you aren’t good enough. You'll be told you aren’t beautiful enough. You'll be told that you aren’t good enough at sports, or smart enough. You'll be told you aren’t popular enough, or that you don’t have enough friends. You'll be told you're irrelevant, and that you don’t get enough likes on your social media posts. You'll be told your worth is found in boys, or any other petty thing. You'll be told that you aren’t loved, that you don’t have worth. Every single one of these is a lie. Every. Single. One.
If you remember nothing else from this letter, remember this. You are a daughter of the living God. You are a child of the King, and a co-heir with Christ. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God has specifically designed you for a purpose. You are so incredibly and immeasurably loved that the Savior of the world left Paradise, and came to Earth in the body of a man. He suffered every single ounce of hurt and pain felt by every individual member of humanity throughout the entire course of history, along with the indescribable wrath of the Father, so that you would have life.
I can tell you that our brother loves you, our parents love you, I love you, and so many people on this earth love you so much, yet all of that love together can’t even begin to compare with the love that Jesus has for you. This love is incomparable to anything we can even begin to fathom on this earth. Your teenage years are a time when the Enemy will try to convince you of these lies. There is a real Enemy, trying to pull you away from Jesus, and he will try everything in his power to convince you of these lies. That's why I want you to always know who you are. You don’t have worth in any worldly thing. Your worth is hidden with Christ. You are a daughter of the King, and that is who you are. Never forget it.
2. Know your purpose.
In the same way that the Enemy wants you to forget who you are, he also wants you to forget what you’re called to do. In the same way the world will tell you lies about yourself, it will also tell you lies about what you're called to do. It will tell you that your job or your dreams are the most important things in your life, and that's your main purpose for living. This is a lie. You're called to something more. You're called to love God and make Him known. This is the most important calling in your life. I’m not saying getting a job or participating in worldly pursuits such as those are wrong, but I am saying that those should never be the main purpose of your life. We are called to be “salt of the earth” and “let our light shine before others, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:13,16). Jesus, in the last moments he spent with his disciples, gave them the command we know as the Great Commission.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” –Matthew 28:18-20
Normally this verse is taken in the context of missionaries alone, but it's relevant to all of us. We are called to make disciples, and tell them about Jesus. Enjoy your teen years, but never forget what your ultimate purpose is.
3. Know what matters most.
This one is one that everyone in the world wants to know. People concentrate on their dreams and how they want to be a doctor or professional athlete. They want to get into this college, so they have to do well in school and all of these other activities. All of these are well and good, unless they become the most important thing in your life. You know me, I love sports, and I loved playing them when I was a teen. I still enjoy playing them! Nobody usually enjoys school, but everyone understands it's necessary to get into college. These things are important, but never forget about the most important thing. Your relationship with your Savior will always be the most important thing. He came for every one of us, to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). He came so that we may have life, and have it to the full.
No matter how mad or frustrated Mom and Dad make you, they love you and just want what’s best for you. Chores and discipline might suck, but you will thank them in the future, I promise! Boys and relationships might sound like fun, but I promise you, they're just a drag. Teen boys suck, believe me. I was one. Our brother might get on your nerves, but he loves you. Social media is fun, but never ever put any weight or worth into it. I love you, and you have so much in front of you. Never forget, you are a daughter of the living God.
Love,
Big brother
