Dear Sara,

This year marks your third year of high school. They say it’s the hardest year of high school, but you are more than ready. Don’t spend too much time on homework. Spend your time focusing on creating art and healing people. When it come time to apply for college, you are a collection of your thoughts, ideas, and creations… not a bundle of grades on a paper. There are so many things that you want to do, but there's not enough time to do it all. Promise me that when things get hard you will not try to escape through television or tears.

You are strong. You are capable. The purpose of your life is to represent the good, good God that you serve. It will be hard, as there isn’t anything easy about AP Calculus or AP Physics, but you have a power with you that is stronger than in the world. God will never give you more than you can handle, and since your plan was prayed about, you know that it is possible. Never pass up an opportunity to help someone, because you know what it’s like to feel lost and confused in school. Don’t shut people out when you become scared or stressed, but rather pray, and show people the peace that comes from believing in something greater than yourself.

There are no limits to what you can do with your life. The greatest and most beautiful things in the world have come from inconsistency. Speak up and speak loud for what you believe in. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no. It is okay to fail, it is okay to be wrong, but it is never okay to stop seeking answers and deeper meaning to your life. Apply the concept that life extends into eternity into every Physics lesson, every AP Language assignment, and every function of AP Psychology. When you feel weak, pray. When you feel alone, pray. When you feel like you have done everything you can do, that there is no strength left in your marathon running legs, and you have no more song in your heart or voice, to pray. The connection and communication with God is what brought you through the rain and storms of life. It was your shelter.

You have come to learn that perfection is impossible, but there is so much beauty in your mistakes. Own your mistakes. Challenge your mind. If you feel like school is clouding your ability to create music, read for pleasure, or write, then you are doing something wrong. If you need to sacrifice kindness for success, then you will not and are not succeeding. The world will not measure glory and goodness the way that you do. Money will not heal a nation. Acceptance of God will. No one will pick up that Bible, or pray, or seek this God that you speak of if you do not live your life in a way that shows you love Him. People do not see how it is possible to love something that they cannot see, but you do, so live your life in such a way.

It is the comfort to the people that are ignored and caring for the little things and thoughts that will take you higher than the rest, but remember that being at the top is not necessarily the best place to be. There is such a thing as “descending into greatness,” and that can take you from a place of pride to a place of humble sacrifice. Work hard, and trust that the plan that God has for your life cannot be destroyed.