Dear little brother,

as you begin to dive deeper into your early teen years, let me share some wisdom that I have gained as I enter my last year as a teen.

First and foremost, let me say how proud I am of you. Your heart for the Lord and people truly inspires me. If I had to describe you in one word it would be this: loving. You are the most loving kid I have ever met. You just love people, and it really shows. Never let that stop.

Continue to chase after Jesus. Be a light in your school, and please do not be ashamed of your faith. Take a step out of your comfort zone and invite people from school to youth group. Start a Christian club at school. Use your time more wisely than I did. Be bold. That's what we are called to do. Never let anyone make you feel bad for your faith. Stand up for what you believe in, and make sure you know why you believe what you do. Read your Bible every day, and take time to spend in prayer with the Lord. When I was your age, I wanted nothing to do with this. It is the most crucial thing, though. Make your relationship with Christ your own, and dig into that.

Be aware of who are the right role models in your life. Don't just go with the crowd, or whoever is popular. You're a smart kid, and I believe that you are able to tell when someone is full of it and when someone is genuine. Follow those who are genuine in their kindness, in their love, in their actions. Don't get caught up in those mind games. Be someone's Joshua, but be the right person's Joshua.

Please, for everything that is good, do not rush to be in a relationship. There is nothing wrong with liking someone and having that person liking you back, but that does not mean that you have to date right away. Enjoy being friends who like each other. Rushing in could lead to you losing your friendship with that person completely (trust me, little bro. I've been there). Your teen years fly by in the blink of an eye. I don't want to see you getting hurt because you rushed something that didn't need to be right then.

Oh, and while we're talking about relationships: I hope you know how protective I am of you. Whatever girl you end up with in the future, you better believe I'm going to make sure she's good enough for you. If you ever need relationship advice, or need to rant, I am here for you. I'm always going to be on your side (unless you're stupidly wrong).

Please spend time with your family. They may get on your nerves at times, but before you know you'll be moving out and everything changes. Hug your mom. Spend time with your dad. Spend time with your siblings. Don't be a brat. Enjoy every moment. It'll be gone soon enough.

Be careful! You have a history of being accident prone. So for your mother's sake, and my own, be careful. Take care of yourself and don't do dumb stuff. Think before you act, please. It may sound like we nag, but we really just want you to be alright because we love you.

I may not be related to you by blood, but I am so honored to call you my little brother. Being an only child, I always dreamt of having a little brother--I am so glad you allow me to call you mine. You have no idea how happy it makes me when you call me "sis" or tell me that I am a part of your family. Though I am five years older than you, please continue to let me be a part of your life by hanging out with you, even if it seems lame to have your older "sister" hanging around. When we're hanging out with friends and you come back to check in with me, it makes me smile. You are so caring.

You are the kindest boy I've ever met--do not let this world change you. You are going to face different trials in this life and it's not always going to be sunshine and rainbows. There is going to be pain, and tears, and you're going to get hurt. But I have learned that every bad thing leads to God's goodness. Trust in Him, always--especially when it's hard. He's got you in His hands. And I will always be right here to give you a hug or some advice if you need it.

I love ya, kiddo.

Thank you for allowing me to come into your life, for making me feel like a special part of your life, and for just being you. Never, ever, ever change.

Love,

your favorite big sister