Dear Younger Me (Find Joy In Your Responsibilities)
Dear Younger Me,
Find joy in your responsibilities. It’s easy to put off those tasks you don’t want to do, but when you really buckle down and do them, you get to appreciate the joy of the job well done. Sitting in that zone of dreading the task doesn’t lead to any good, so remember the feelings of finishing and let that motivate you. But I hope the greater motivation will be realizing that the tasks you are doing are a gift. Whether the task is a part of serving your family or a part of your work, it is a blessing. Your motivation then is to do the job well for the ones you serve and also as service to God. Truly, joy can be found in the mundane things because of the gift it is to be able to do them!
Love,
Megan
When the kids are bickering, you can’t seem to get along with your spouse, or you’re going head-to-head with your boss, fighting never seems good. In fact, more often than not, it generates bad—tension, division, agitation, or worse. Fractured relationships and complete breakups are usually marked by ongoing disagreements, serious quarrels, even irreparable rifts.
Strangely enough, faith is described as “the good fight.” How can that be? A “good fight” does not appear to have its place in our societal, familial, and professional circles.
Nonetheless, 1 Timothy 6:12 contains a clear directive.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Paul says in a second letter to young Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (4:7).
I have always interpreted this to mean we must be properly trained, continually fit, and ceaselessly engaged in the spiritual combat of life. Furthermore, I realize God endows us with adequate armor for the conflict. Ephesians 6 expounds the array of protective pieces:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying 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
Ultimately, “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
God’s Provision: The good fight is hard, but our own fortitude and faculty is unnecessary, for the battle is not ours but the Lord’s (2 Chronicles 20:15). He goes before, with, within, beside, and behind us.
Word of the Week: Uphill. The way is arduous, adversarial, and adventurous, at times more demanding and difficult than others, but always an effort. Every day is another struggle …
… and another opportunity for good. What a gift to live in God’s grace, walk in His Spirit, and conquer in Christ!
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
No amount of regret can change the past. It doesn’t help you to sit in the “should haves” and “would haves.” You know a God who makes beauty from ashes, and that includes your wrong choices and your messy ways of handling problems in your life. Ask Him to hold all your regret and rewrite it, rejoicing in His goodness that He can right wrongs and also help you to see the good where your mind might see everything wrong. And He’s big enough to handle that. Your enemy would love for you to sit in the places where you wish you would have made different choices, instead of reveling in God who lavishes grace and mercy and turning your eyes to Him. Choose joy and rest in His forgiveness, and choose instead walking with Him by quiet waters instead of staring at a sea of regret.
Love,
Megan
When somebody you trust promises you something, you have reason to believe them. You might file their words into your memory, hold them to their commitment, or remind them of your expectation. Whether it’s a coffee date or a work-related request, we expect others to follow through on their word.
Whether or not they do is another story, right? But there’s that innate hope and persistent reminder that compels us onward in anticipation. Will they come through? If so, when?
Someone who earns our trust is applaudable indeed. Praise the Lord, we possess a precious collection of His promises, every one of which He has completed or soon will.
Among the countless are a few that speak to me in this season of my life. Maybe you also have clung to one or another at some point in your journey.
For example, I know God is always with me. He strengthens and upholds me, guides and molds me. His love for me is more permanent than the mountains, more firm than the hills. Through Christ, He forgives my every sin and sanctifies me through His Holy Spirit.
God’s promises stand like buttresses in the shifting sands and swirling waters of life. Right now, I am especially comforted by the promise of perfection.
Sin corrupted man’s flawless condition in the Garden. Righteousness fulfilled God’s requirement at Calvary. Not only does God intend for us to be restored, He makes the way for that redemption.
“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” – 2 Corinthians 5:21
“For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” – Hebrews 10:14
Day after day, from the latest news feed to the inner thoughts of our minds, we are reminded of the brokenness of this world. While we lack perfection in its fullest, we are already declared holy and continually made more so through Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” – Romans 5:1
“And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” – Ephesians 4:11-13
God’s Provision: We can be sure of this, “that He who began a good work in [us] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Word of the Week: Peace. While the refining process can be strenuous, God encompasses us with His comforting presence. “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
May you find the joy of talking about Jesus. What a gift when you find friends who will talk about Jesus with you and point you to Him, and to whom you can share Jesus’ words in return. And, when you realize how much Jesus has done for you in your life and how good He is and are in awe of who He is, I hope you’ll then be moved to tell others of who He is. So many times in the Psalms are phrases that describe proclaiming God’s name and works to others, like in Psalm 71, “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.” What a privilege it is to get to be a vessel to tell others of the Savior. There is joy in knowing Him, in learning more of Him, and proclaiming Him to the people around you, and I hope you discover that. What purpose is more important than talking about Jesus? Whatever platform you have, whatever your role may be, talk about Him.
Love,
Megan
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