Dear 15-year-old me,

You are beautiful. I do not care if you are the only girl in your class that doesn't wear makeup. Enjoy it! This doesn't make you weird; it makes you, well, you. And one day when you are finally in my shoes, no one else will want to wear makeup either.

Don't believe his lies. That boy that is promising you the world -- he is a liar. He is a boy. The difference between a boy and a man is not age, but honesty, loyalty and respect. He does not keep you around for your humor, personality, or love; he keeps you around for your body. Don't let him have it.

Stay innocent. The real world is a scary place. Keep inside your bubble as long as you can. Premarital sex, drugs and alcohol aren't for you, my princess. Trust me. You can save yourself so much heartache and pain. There are things you do not know and do not understand, and there is a reason why. They are heart-wrenching. You are pure as snow; don't be stained by the ways of this world.

Your GPA isn't everything. Do your best. Try your hardest. But do not let grades ruin your life. You are going to fail sometimes. Going out with friends is worth a "B" on a test. Playing a sport is a good idea no matter how hard it is to keep up with your work. Enjoy life.

You can never be perfect, so stop beating yourself up over every little failure. No one expects perfection no matter how much pressure you feel. If they do, they do not really care about you, so forget them. You do not have to be the straight-"A" cheerleader from all of those TV shows and movies. Honestly, everyone hates that girl. Don't be that girl. You can cheer. You can make good grades. But don't be "that girl." Right now, you think it will make people love you, but you are lying to yourself. Me, your older self, was that girl. Please just don't.

Enjoy being single. You are 15 years old; you don't need to find the person that is going to be your husband. You need to find yourself first. You are not defined by your sport. You are not defined by your grades. You are not defined by how many times a week you attend church. You are defined by your Maker, Creator, the King of Kings. He will tell you who you are. Listen. Find yourself before you ever think to look for a man.

You cannot change people. I know you have heard this a thousand times and haven't listened yet, but as your future self, I have lived and learned. He isn't going to love Jesus because you make him go to church. She isn't going to be nice because you are nice to her. They aren't going to change because you work so hard to make them better. Only God can change people. You can be His vessel, but if it isn't their time, all of your time and worrying isn't worth a thing.

Everyone has a story; don't be afraid to share yours. Your scars are not something to hide. Those scars have a story and a lesson behind them that others need to hear. Do not let the fear of judgement stop you from sharing your love and testimony with everyone around you.

You are going great places -- don't give up! The experiences you will have and the people you will meet are priceless. Take it all in. Enjoy it. That cliché "It's over before you know it, so enjoy it while you can" is no lie. One day, you are 15 years old trying to figure out whether you want to watch "High School Musical 2" or "Brother Bear" with your best friend to applying for scholarships and colleges and then suddenly buying a house and having kids. Nine weeks seems like forever right now, but in a blink you will be finishing your freshman year of college.

Love life. Love people. Laugh until you cry. Eat the ice cream and the cake. Take lots of pictures. Yell the lyrics to "Party in the USA" and feel no shame. Be you. Be different. Never let anyone make you feel less than. Always tell your mom you love her.

Sincerely,

Your future self