Sweet girls,

I write these things to you so that you may see their truth and let that truth become embedded in your minds.

I write these things to you for you but probably more for myself.

I write these things because these are the very truths that I crave to become ingrained in my own mind. I repeat them over and over, write them, speak them over others, partially to share the truth, but mostly in hopes that someday I will be able to believe them about myself.

You are loved. Recently I was watching over a little baby. As his bottle was warming up, we walked around the kitchen together. The little boy smiled at me and giggled, just as he had been doing most of our night together. Even though he had fits that evening, I smiled back in genuine euphoria and said to him, “I love it when you smile! I love it when you laugh! You make me so happy!” I think this is exactly how God sees us. Even when we create pain, he still loves us. (And P.S. I love you too.)

His love for you is unconditional. This isn’t like the unconditional that has been displayed in such a wimpy way on the earth. In the world, when somebody says they will love you unconditionally, it seems that you can still let them down. But God’s use of unconditional is unadulterated, pure, literally unconditional.

And because of his love, you are holy. Every single sin that you hold so tightly and have burned into your memory was forgiven at the cross. Past, present, future. That is the you that God sees. Forgiven, clean. He sees through the falseness, which you work so hard to build up. To him, you are transparent. He sees the goodness in you.

You are light. The light of Christ dwells inside of you, and each day you take a breath you display a brilliant brightness because of it. His light and love spread through your fingertips when you touch others, through your tongue when you speak words of life, and through your eyes when you smile.

You are strong and powerful, but not because of your own power. Actually, alone you are weak. But the Spirit’s power keeps you strong, not because of who you are or what you have done, but because of whose you are. And with that strength, you can love others, you can press through any gunk, and you can live to tell the tale.

You are creative. You are smart, and your imagination and ability to make fun out of any situation is amazing. The way you take advantage of the rain, the rocks in the path, the games you create while playing in the pool. Your laugh is contagious, but not as contagious as your big, raw smile.

You are whole, even if you feel empty. Your wholeness does not come from yourself, so it is not dependent on how you feel. It’s okay to feel empty, but know that you will never truly be completely empty.

You are safe. You belong to the Father. He chose you and he holds you and loves you because you are his. His love for you is not dependent on any circumstance, but his love is present simply because you are his treasured child. He will never let you go or let you down. You are hidden in him, securely.

You are free. It doesn’t matter what yesterday held, today you are free. Lean into the freedom. Jump out of swings, have running races, slip down the waterslide, walk across the river, sing songs as you walk, dance everywhere you go, tell jokes, draw pictures, make funny faces, blow bubbles, color with chalk.

You are called higher. Higher than any pain or problem you face, because your value is not dependent on what you do or the choices you make. Your value is higher than the importance placed upon your performance. Your value is higher than any struggle that may impact your life. Your value is not found in the moments where the only thing that seems real is the darkness all around you. Your value is found in being a child of God. Even the darkness is not dark to Him.

You are worthy of being loved by others and by yourself. Your existence is so significant. Every day that you take a breath you affect somebody else’s life. You help them to look ahead, smile more, laugh deeper and feel. In order to accept the love from others, first trust that the core of your being is one beloved by your Abba, even if that is not how your mind sees things. Take time to slow down, be gentle, care for your body, your mind, and your soul, because you need love and deserve love from yourself.

You are enough. You may think that you are too much or not enough in many ways, but that is a terrible lie. You have enough and you do enough. You satisfy your requirements by being you. You are just right as you are. I like you for you.

I so desire for you to know and believe that above all else, you are a beloved creation of God. He cares for the birds in every way, yet you are still worth even more than the birds. You are not only created by the Creator, but you were created with wonder and detail. A friend of mine once said, “you are the only you that God has,” and this reigns true. You belong to him; you are his child.

Thank you for your colors- spread them all around.

xoxo,

Laura Jo