Most of us have at least one person who we look up to, and who changes our lives for the better every day- no matter how short or long we have known them. For most of us, we have so many “thank yous” we want to say to that person, but sometimes we don’t know how. Today, I want to take a second to say thank you to a person who has impacted my life, and who pours into me daily.

Dear Role Model,

I know I have only known you a little over two years, but in those short two years, you’ve grown to be more than just my role model. You have become my best friend, and my sister. I’ve been wanting to write this letter for you for a while. So, here are a few things I want to thank you for.

Thank you for:

1. Having the cutest kids (and letting me spoil them)

There have been so many days that I have come over to your house and barely talked to you for playing with your cute kids. Thank you for understanding that sometimes, I just need to have a conversation with a child to make sense of my life. Thank you for letting me come and pick them up and buy them things, and not complaining about it. And, thank you for letting me love on them like they are my own, all of the time.

2. Loving Christmas as much as I do

One common ground we have had the whole time we have known each other is that we both believe that Christmas time is the greatest time of the year, and that we should celebrate it all year round! Thank you for letting me help you put up your tree as soon as possible, and for letting me celebrate with your family.

3. Always having a place for me, no matter what day or time

Whether it be a Sunday afternoon nap, or late at night when it’s coming a storm outside and I don’t want to go anywhere, I always know that there’s a spot for me to stay. There have been a countless number of times where I have called last minute and asked to come hang out. You have never ever told me no, even if you wanted to. And I can’t forget that you always seem to have enough food to feed me when I’m hungry. Thank you for letting me be at home with you.

Whether it be about your college days, or your mission trips, or something funny that happened the day before, I know I can always count on you to have a story to tell me, and most of the time, the story is so funny that I laugh until my sides hurt. We have taken the same path in many ways of our lives (just a few years apart) and I guess that’s why it seems like you always have the perfect story for me to listen to. Our story times are some of my favorite times with you, and I can’t wait to hear what other crazy stories you have to tell

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5. Always being there for me

Thank you for coming to my school events, and cheering for me, just like I am your little sister! Also, I am so thankful that so many times I have called you crying over something so small, or trivial, and you have just listened intently and then spoken exactly what I needed to hear. I always know that if I need a listening ear, I can count on you picking up your phone and being ready.

6. Teaching me how to be there for other people

Out of all of the many things you have taught me, this is the one I have used the most. You have taught me how to treat people. I have watched you interact with other people for hours on end without you even knowing and I am amazed every time. I see so many people come to you with their problems, and they have no doubts that you will listen and care. Your charisma and love for others is something I strive to have every day, and I hope to one day be half as dependable as you.

7. Letting me be there for you

So many times when people with an age difference like ours become friends, it is only the younger leaning on the (Slightly) older, but ours isn’t quite like that. I am so glad that you trust me enough to lean back on me. It never fails that at a moment when I feel like no one needs me, you will call and I can be a listening ear to you, and I am forever thankful for that.

8. Always knowing exactly what to say.

When I have something going on in my life, you are the first person I want to go to about it. I know that you will always have the right words that I need to hear, even if it’s not what I want to hear. You aren’t the kind of person who will hurt my feelings just to hurt them, but you never refrain from telling me your opinion, even if you know it might. Thank you for always being my support system, even when I felt like everyone had turned their backs on me, and didn’t care… I always knew that you did.

9. Being the voice in my head when I have an important decision to make.

Lately, I’ve had a ton of important decisions to make. From where to spend my last two years of college to how to handle relationship break ups and friend breakups alike. Through every decision I could hear you in my head, kind of like my voice of reason. That voice is always the one that jumps through all of the other ones and that’s the one I listen to. I always know I can count on that voice to come through for me, when I need it most. Thank you for being my voice of reason even when it isn’t easy.

10. Pointing me to Jesus consistently.

It never fails that when I am going through something in my life, no matter how big or small, you always know exactly how to twist it around and make me see perfectly how I should react. And in the explanation you always give, you always wrap Jesus up in it. You always remind me that Jesus is in everything that I do, and that He knows where I am at. Thank you for reminding me that life is about HIM. It’s not about my problems, or my worries, because it’s all in the palm of HIS hands.

11. Being a picture of the Proverbs 31 woman in my life.

Proverbs 31:10 says “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies”, and that is the verse that describes you perfectly. There isn’t another person that could your place in this world. As I read back through Proverbs 31, I see how you live out and are the Proverbs 31 woman daily. I know that you don’t see yourself that way, but in my life that’s exactly who you have been.

Thank you for doing all of these things, and more, for me. You will never know how much you truly mean to me. Thank you for being my role model. I love you more than I could ever put into words.

Love your little sister,

Lori Beth Watts