For as long as I can remember, I have always had a desire to be loved unconditionally. Even as a small girl, I never truly felt like anyone loved me with their whole heart. One of my deepest desires was, and still is, to truly be valued and appreciated by someone. For someone to see my worth, and to celebrate me for that worth.

I see people my age longing for a purpose; a way to feel important or appreciated. I, myself, have been at that point. I have put my identity in something other than what I was made for—God. I was lost, relying on other people's opinions and perceptions of me to give me wholeness and purpose. I relied on the way people treated me as a way to gauge my worth. You can imagine just how fleeting this became.

As I grew in my faith, I realized how wrong my thinking was. I was putting my worth into opinions that had no significance. Not then, nor ever. I was ignoring the opinion of the One who mattered most—God.

Our identity in Christ is vastly over-looked. The church doesn't teach about self-love, or self-confidence. Never have I learned about value of self in church, but the people of my generation desperately need it. To be loved by God is a miracle in itself. But to be appreciated by God, that is never spoken of.

We have purpose.

"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb, before you were born, I set you apart."
Jeremiah 1:5

If you believe what the Bible says is true, you know God made everything around us. He crafted everything for a very specific purpose. That includes you!What a comfort it is to know that God has a plan and purpose for us all. Your talents and your "calling" are deliberate! With God, you will always know that your very existence is planned out. You have a special place in this world, despite the times when you feel like you don't.

We are cared for.

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will ever allow the righteous to be moved."
Psalm 55:22

Earthly love fails us. That will always be true. We are all born with the Holy Spirit inside of us, and the only way to fulfill that longing is to quench it with God's wisdom and comfort. We fail, we disappoint, and we fall short. We look for reassurance. God is guaranteed to be there every time we can't stay strong. There is comfort in knowing that God has been and will always be a constant in our life. We don't have to call to him just when we are happy, but rather in times of need and struggle. He truly cares for us.

We are masterpieces.

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us-anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."
Ephesians 2:10

I want to emphasis the words "long ago." God has been crafting this idea of us for a long time. He is an all-knowing God. Each and every one of us, and every part of our being, was handpicked by Him. We have an amazing and most creative God. Look at the way He has created our minds, bodies, and souls. If you think humans can do amazing things, just imagine what God has done and is doing! You are a byproduct of His love and creativity. How great is it to believe that we are masterpieces of the most profound artist in history.

We are capable.

"With God, there is no limit to what you can do. There is no obstacle you can't overcome. Through Him, all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26

If we set our sights on something, and it's God's will, we are capable of accomplishing it. There is nothing that can't be done through God's strength and wisdom. Something we always need to remember, is to give the glory to God through everything. We are nothing without God's grace.

We are precious.

"(We) are more precious than jewels."
Proverbs 3:15

Perhaps the biggest comfort is knowing that we are more loved and appreciated by the One and Only. We have the greatest love known to man, and we are capable of that very love. That is ground-breaking to me. God blessed us with the Holy Spirit, and told us that we are worthy of us His love. Us! Once you start believing that, you start treating yourself like you are worth something.

The biggest lesson of all of this, is to never settlefor less than what God promised. That includes how you're treated by others, and even yourself. Don't tell yourself you aren't capable or worthy, because you are. God gives us so many promises when we give Him total control over our lives. What are you waiting for?