Dear Younger Me (Elevate Others)
Dear Younger Me,
Elevate others around you. That also means it’s important to know your place. You may be jealous of others’ roles on the team and try to pull a move that’s not yours to make, but I hope you’ll recognize the importance of relying on your teammates who are better than you. I hope you will realize someday that you don’t have to envy or be jealous of those who are on your team when they have a lot of talent. I know you fear that they’ll one day be better than you, take your spot, and be more successful. But it’ll stick with you someday when you read a book about leadership, how important it is to raise the next leaders up to be better than you. That makes it important for you to see potential and talent, not be afraid of it, and help them grow and succeed or just simply step out of the way and let them shine. You can also learn from the ones on your team, and you’ll grow, too.
I want you to embrace the life of Jesus and the words all throughout the Bible about not being proud, not seeking to be the greatest in the eyes of the world and instead choosing to be a servant in humility. Never in the Bible does Jesus tell you to be the best in your skills, but the greatest commandments He said were to love God and to love your neighbor. So, love your neighbor, and find joy in helping them grow to be even better than you.
Love,
Megan
From peanut butter and jelly to salt and pepper, our favorite pairs have become the dynamic duos of daily life. Maybe you have your own as well! Coffee and creamer, vanilla and chocolate, or biscuits and gravy, among dozens of other combinations, might constitute your regular diet.
Some things go perfectly with other things. They are somehow linked together and just not the same apart from their counterpart.
Jesus also used images of pairs to help us understand His relationship with us. I love how He employs multiple illustrations to convey the same message: We need Him and cannot exist apart from Him.
“I am the light of the world,” He says. And elsewhere, “I am the good shepherd.” Similarly, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser” (John 8:12, 10:11, 15:1)
He tells us who He is, but also who He is to us and who we are to Him.
“Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
“The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep … I know my own and my own know me.”
“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus is the Light of the World; we are His city set on a hill (Matthew 5:14). Jesus is the Good Shepherd; we are the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3). Jesus is the True Vine; we are His branches (John 15:5).
The truth is, Jesus does not need us. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-sufficient, lacking nothing and in need of nothing. The truth is, Jesus wants us. He invites us to abide in Him, to lack nothing, to be in need of nothing, because He is everything.
In response to this shocking truth, my heart ponders as David did in Psalm 8,
“What is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?”
Of all the things that God has made and all He is … He would call us carry out His will and enjoy abundant life in Him. What a sweet, life-changing, heart-warming mystery.
God’s Provision: Despite what it may feel or seem at times, God is not elusive. He is ready to be sought and found, open and accessible. “You will seek me and find me” He says in Jeremiah 29:13, “when you seek me with all your heart.”
Word of the Week: Interwoven. When we belong to God, we are bound to Him, hidden in Him, inextricably linked to His being. We become inseparable with His presence, even as Christ Himself is with God (John 17:21).
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
The thoughts you think don’t define you. When a broken, ugly thought enters your mind, put it to rest. Renounce it, and lay it down at the feet of the Lord because you know the Truth. Unfortunately, in this broken world, you can’t expect to live a life free from evil, and sometimes you’ll find that your thoughts can be broken, too. Don’t entertain the junk, don’t let it have you. Choose Truth, choose to chase the goodness of God. Choose to believe not the thoughts that come in, but the facts of what you know in God. You also know that fear and anxiety and evil don’t get to win in you. In 2 Timothy it says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Some translations have the words “sound mind” in place of “self-control.” Your enemy would love nothing more than to have your mind, so you must put on your armor, and fight the lies and the doubts and the ugly thoughts with the Word of God. Press in to God and rejoice in Him, knowing your battle is won and He loves and delights in when you choose to hold onto the Truth.
Love,
Megan
You know when you get a good deal. The need is there, the price is right, and the benefits are included. You can list off all the basic functionalities, bells and whistles, and warrantee policy details. It’s a package deal.
Whether it’s patio furniture, a new vehicle, or education, what you need is what you get. And so I have found it to be with God.
No, He is not at all like an all-you-can eat buffet or an auction or IKEA. But God is everything good and right and true—exactly everything we need.
David bursts into song in 2 Samuel 22:
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
My shield, and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge,
My Savior; you save me from violence.”
I join him! God is my Shepherd, a source of hope and giver of wisdom. The Lord Almighty is Maker, Sustainer, Redeemer, Protector, and Provider. His Word is my lamp (Psalm 119:105), His joy my strength (Nehemiah 8:10), His countenance my peace (Numbers 6:26).
The Holy One is my deep breath when life is chaotic, my victorious triumph when times get tough, my strong tower when I run to Him. My faithful Father is a hiding place when rest seems elusive, a glorious sunrise when the darkness closes in, and most of all, my Savior.
I imagine you’ve been there too—lost, depleted, or longing. But God is not limited. His power breaks strongholds, His love invades territories, and His provision transcends human capacity.
What we need is what He gives.
“For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
Guarding the paths of justice
And watching over the way of His saints.”
– Proverbs 2:6-8
“The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” – Exodus 14:14
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
– James 1:17
Far from a genie in a bottle, God is a sovereign King and loving Father who knows His children and cares for them. He keeps every promise (Joshua 21:45) and fulfills every need (Philippians 4:19).
God’s Provision: Though it may seem so, it is not too good to be true. God was, is, and will be forever!
“Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
His understanding is unsearchable.”
– Isaiah 40:28
Word of the Week: Tamiym. A Hebrew word capturing the idea of wholeness, soundness, in fact, perfection. That which is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact. That is, God.
Everything we could ever want or need is found in Him.
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
When you need to be reminded just how in awe of God you should be, how in love with Him you should be, I hope you take to heart how much you depend on God’s grace. God’s common grace, as you will hear it called, is the grace God gives to everyone. The fact that rain falls not just for one person, but covers the land where the rain falls, is an example of God’s common grace. It’s easy to take it all for granted. But when you read through the book of Exodus, and you learn about the famine in Egypt and Canaan, and how the people gave up all they had just for food, you will get a taste of God’s providential grace to you. You’ve never given up all your wealth or possessions just to be able to survive, and you’ve never gone hungry. May your heart be so full of gratitude and not take that for granted. When you go to the grocery store and come home with food you’re so excited to eat, celebrate the blessings of God. You don’t realize how much you depend on Him, because if God allowed a drought in this very instant, you would truly see how much you lean on God’s providence. He is so good to you, like through the rain that falls and grows the food that you and so many others get to eat. He is so good to provide for you.
Love,
Megan
You bump into someone you haven’t seen for a while, find a crinkled twenty in your jeans pocket, or discover a local store started carrying your go-to brand. You may live for surprises, or be completely thrown off by them. I usually don’t mind, but I guess it depends on the kind.
Seeing God answer prayer is like its own kind of surprise! He may honor our requests, even if we weren’t anticipating it. Sometimes He waits to move. Other times He acts unexpectedly in response to our petitions.
I’ve spent the majority of my life being taught about prayer, listening to others pray, and praying myself. Now more than ever, prayer is blossoming to life in my faith journey, sparking a hunger for more.
Yet my desire is met with resistance. Daily responsibilities, life activities, and fixed obligations pull at me, derailing my concentration and hijacking my intentions. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Scripture repeatedly calls the saints to pray, regardless of status or spirituality. First Thessalonians 5:17 states simply, “Pray without ceasing.” Philippians 4:6 invites us to “let [our] requests be made known to God … in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.” First Timothy 2:1 specifies, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.”
God even tells us why: “This is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:2-3).
Truthfully, I am much like the sleepy disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. I have God’s teaching, Christ’s example, and the Holy Spirit’s prompting, yet I still do not pray as I should … not frequently, sincerely, nor persistently enough, not to mention the content and underlying motives of my prayers. It is as Paul writes in Romans 8.
“For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” – Verse 26
How thankful I am that God is patient and gracious enough to tolerate my inadequacy, accommodate my weaknesses, and faithfully respond to my cries.
God’s Provision: “This is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15).
Word of the Week: Perseverance. Ephesians 6:17-18 says, “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.”
May God open our eyes to the surprise of His work when we pray in His Spirit according to His will for His glory.
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
God sees you. When you experience those times where you wonder where God is, know that He really does see you. He knows what your heart needs and exactly the time to tangibly show you His presence. Whether it comes in a word of encouragement or a song or another blessing, you can look at God and marvel at His goodness and perfect timing of giving you exactly what you need when you need it. Of course, always remember that even if you find yourself waiting for God to do something in your exhaustion or during the trial, that He is with you, though your heart might not feel it. Choose to remember those times God has revealed Himself to you before and trust His heart. And oh, let me remind you again of how faithful He is…always with what you need when you need it.
Love,
Megan
What is it about a sunrise that radiates hope? Turning the page on your calendar, lighting a new candle, or opening a fresh bag of coffee might have a similar effect, as you begin again.
I enjoy the satisfaction of starting fresh, especially the undeserved opportunity to do so daily. Many evenings, my prayer is a mixture of gratitude and relief: Tomorrow is a new day.
No doubt, I would be utterly lost without God’s life-giving, life-changing redemption. Indeed, He is making all things new! Surely, He is doing a new thing!
What a picturesque paradise. I imagine creation restored, justice upheld, harmony reinstated. Beauty is pure, life is purposeful, humanity is sinless. Jesus is King, the light and source of all, and God is forever exalted on His throne.
I can only dream how stunning it will be to enter the glory of God and dwell there forever … to be in the company of the saints, that great cloud of witnesses that has persevered through the ages … to be robed in righteousness and seated at a table of endless grace and mercy … for all eternity.
God’s Provision: As if that were not a complete picture, that same perfection resides within each of us, as children of God! Throughout this life, we are purified through God’s process of making us more like Christ. Then one day, we finally see Him face to face!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
– 1 Peter 1:3-9
Word of the Week: Consubstantial. A fancy word for likeness. Literally, “of the same substance or essence.” I can’t help but ponder how we assume the character and image of God through Christ and are forever enfolded in Triune fellowship.
We will at last be who we have been becoming this whole time.
“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.” – 1 John 3:2
Dear Younger Me,
Love doesn’t always look the way you want it to look. Your heart wants words of love and affection and praise and affirmation to feel loved, and sometimes, that’s not what you’re given. Some of your treasured people in your life won’t be the best at actually speaking such words to you. But they show it in other ways. It’s easy to let yourself doubt their love until you look a little deeper. Even if not directly an affirmation of you, is there love behind their words? And maybe you didn’t ask for that gift, but appreciate that they wanted to give you something. So before you doubt, remind yourself to look deeper. And when you do receive those words you so long for, cherish them. Above all, just remember that though the love of others is imperfect, it is a gift from God to enjoy through the ones He has placed in your life, and that you truly are loved.
Love,
Megan
Sunshine peeps through your window on a brisk, wintry morning. A familiar ring tone sounds as you receive a call from a dear family member. You smile at the note on your counter, the date on your calendar, the face in your backseat. Life is full of beauty!
I sense beauty when I wake up in the morning, another chance to live another day. I witness God’s majesty in butterfly wings, shooting stars, and mountain ranges. I hear redemption stories, marvel at God’s work, and behold His faithful fulfillment of every promise. Life is indeed full of beauty!
Sadly, however, the most beautiful things in life can sometimes be the most trying, disheartening, and distressing. Maybe the sun doesn’t shine, the phone doesn’t ring, or the plan doesn’t happen. There’s an empty backseat, a new address, a damaged relationship.
Sometimes I am torn between life’s beauty and pain—two strong forces, seemingly opposing, yet often existing simultaneously.
Ecclesiastes 3 paints the scene. There is a time and season for every matter under heaven.
“A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.”
– Verses 2-8
In the dark, hard, and sad times, God is no less present, able, and loving, than in the beaming, flourishing, and joyous seasons.
God’s Provision: We always have reason to rejoice! I loves the words of Psalm 63, steadfast and independent of any circumstance.
“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.”
– Verses 1-4
Word of the Week: Uphold. “My soul clings to you,” Psalm 63 continues, “Your right hand upholds me” (verse 8). The truth is, the “un-beauty” of life helps us appreciate the true beauty of God’s majestic, redemptive work.
May our eyes be open to the beauty around us in good times … and bad.
Abby