Dear Younger Me (Wait Patiently)
Dear Younger Me,
Wait patiently. I’m so excited for you to someday see what God has in store for you. You are worried now about the future, you are jealous now of others who have what you don’t, but God’s ways are so good in His perfect timing for your life. So good. I can tell you now that all you need to do is just be patient, which is hard. Those longings and times of impatience, though, will point you to God who is where satisfaction is found. Where all fulfillment is found. As you would wait for any family member or friend in daily life, wait for God. His leadership, His care, and His knowledge are so above you.
And goodness, how thankful you can be for the times that God didn’t fulfill your desires at the wrong times. More patience is required, but oh, how sweet it will be when you see what God was leading you to all along. So, follow Psalm 27:14, and all the other times this is said in the Bible, “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”
Praise Him, for He is good!
Love,
Megan
Do you ever feel small? 
Maybe you’ve stood at the ocean’s edge or gaped upward at a jagged mountainside. Perhaps in your travels you’ve explored new places and met a fraction of the world’s population. Or you’ve accepted a new job, tackled an overwhelming project, simply woke up this morning—and felt small.
It can be a minimizing thing, but many times it’s a very beneficial position to be in. We behold the majesty of God’s creation, and we feel small. We experience the diversity of God’s people, and we feel small. We assume partial responsibility in God’s work, and we feel small.
Before God, we feel small.
Because we are! Maybe you’ve noticed. I’ve been reading the Bible lately; it leaves me in awe at God’s character, ability, and eternal plan—and at my own pitiful incompetence in daily service.
David ponders this very thing in Psalm 8. He muses, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (verses 3 and 4).
In other words, Why would God even care about us? Why should He pay attention to human beings?
The answer is the foundation of our hope and salvation.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” – John 3:16
God does not look upon us because of our righteousness, prestige, or reputation, nor our position, capacity, or personality. Nothing we are or do could capture His attention. The Bible doesn’t even say He turned toward us because of our need.
Just His love.
God’s Provision: Romans 5 says it: “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (verse 8). It’s in Ephesians: “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (2:4-5). And we read the same in 1 John 4:9-10: “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
And as we are saved, the Holy Spirit helps us understand. God is above all. The world He made is big; His love for us is even bigger—though we are small.
Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne,and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” – Isaiah 66:2
Word of the Week: Loyalty. Despite our depravity, God aligned Himself with us and committed Himself to us. We are His, miraculously adopted into His family and eternally protected by His sovereign power.
What a sweet mystery!
Abby
*All verses are quoted from the English Standard Version of the Bible.
Dear Younger Me,
The only labels in your life to follow are the ones God gives you.
Go to 1 Chronicles 4:10 and meet Jabez. His mom gave him that name because his birth was a painful one, and so his name literally means “pain.” Imagine how he felt for years, wondering if that’s all he would ever amount to. Did he take that name given to him to heart and believe he’d only ever cause pain? Did other kids make fun of or avoid him because of his name? Did others pass him by because they figured he’d be a cause for trouble?
But his story changes. The Bible says, ‘He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!” And God granted him his request.’ God didn’t change his name, but God showed him that his name didn’t define him.
And the names you feel you are? The ones people have labeled you or you have labeled yourself based on what you think others think of you? Teacher’s pet…awkward…goody two shoes…not good enough…failure…Those don’t define you either. Oh, that you would pray like Jabez and believe in God for His hand on your life, the only one who can change your circumstances, the One who holds Truth, the One who calls you daughter, child, loved, redeemed, prized possession.
All names have meanings, but those are the names that mean everything.
Love,
Megan
How are you, friend? Blessings to you in Christ!
At some point, I think we have all wondered why we were where we found ourselves. Maybe you’re there now. It seems natural to be unsettled when we feel uncomfortable, confused, or useless. Sometimes moments, experiences, or seasons don’t make sense … at the time.
One thing I’ve found is that God is always working. He has a grand plan and is constantly advancing His purpose. You might be at home with the kids, on the job, caring for aging parents, heading a church ministry, or volunteering in the community. The times ebb and flow, but God’s sovereignty does not. His purpose for you remains.
I love God’s wisdom and patience because He sees and knows infinitely more than we do. What we find boring, He makes useful. When we think ‘pointless,’ He creates meaning. And where we fall short and complain and wonder, He reminds us that He is always with us, molding and using us.
Have you seen that in your life? You walked through something tough and were able to comfort another in a similar position. You learned a random skill and ended up really needing it later. You never thought much about such and such a time, but years down the road you started to understand.
God did that with me just this week. I recently returned from a semester abroad and experienced all the emotions that go along with that. How scary to fly for hours and arrive on another continent! How invigorating to walk into a new culture bursting with vibrant sights and sounds! How touching to connect with locals and cultivate precious friendships! And then how sad to leave, uncertain of when or if you’ll return to see them.
I lived it once and now I can relate to that experience. The Lord then allowed me to walk through it with a dear friend, a foreign exchange student who had spent the past ten months in our local church, high school, and community before returning to Germany.
There was no way I would have been able to truly empathize with her without having done the same thing myself. Not that I ever questioned the purpose of my time away, but I certainly recognized God’s hand in that situation.
I’m sure you’ve known a time like that too. It only reminds me of God’s kindness toward us in orchestrating events, strengthening us to do His work, and permitting us to enjoy the fruit of the harvest, time and time again.
God’s Provision: Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.” He consistently and most assuredly works in all of our moments, experiences, and seasons.
Word of the Week: Okay. I’ve been saying this quite a bit lately. You’re going to be okay. It’s okay! We’re going to be okay. I don’t know what the future holds, for good or bad, but I know you and I are going to be alright! Why? Because our God holds us, He’s in control, and He’s always on the move—for our good!
In Truth,
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
Cheer them on. Be a champion for the ones you love and even those you don’t know. When you set aside your nature of comparison, jealousy, and wanting the attention for yourself, you’re better able to focus on how you can support others. Because it’s not all about you. And here’s the thing…cheering is fun. Your loved ones love your presence, and that would be fine enough, but to have your praise and shouts and words of affirmation can go a long way, too. There are times as you grow up that your jealousy will win out. You’ll envy, you’ll cry, and you’ll desire the spotlight. What I desire for you now is that you would choose to cheer instead, that you would choose to lay yourself down and lift up your people. I don’t want you to live in regret of those times when you were self-centered and couldn’t encourage or celebrate others. And just think of all the times when others have been there for you!
Romans 12:10 says, “Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” Make a poster, send a text, speak those words, yell as loud as you can, be there in person. Cheer them on.
Love,
Megan
Dear Younger Me,
When your dreams come true, thank God. The days you realize you have what your heart has dreamed of are beautiful. Cherish what God has given you and remember that it is still all His. As it says in the book of James, “Every good and perfect gift is from above…”. You’re not deserving, and yet your Father has lavished His love on you. How blessed you are – don’t forget that. And the longings in your heart that still remain, believe Him for their fulfillment whether He satisfies those desires or replaces them with new ones. May your eyes be open always to see how good your God is to you, and let your heart sing because of how loved you are!
Love,
Megan
Dear Younger Me,
As much as moving is hard, you’re going to love moving into new places to make your own and call home. It’s fun to dream about ways to decorate and all the cool things you can do with your new home. It’s sweet to sit and just soak in a space to call home…and keep dreaming about decorations. The funny thing is, no matter how many decorations you get or how many pictures you hang on the wall, it is never supposed to be your real home.
Abraham in the Bible was called to leave his home for the land God would give him. He probably couldn’t wait to find a new home. But, the Bible says, “By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” and “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” and “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”
Seek the city that is to come, while you cherish your home here and be thankful for it. But if your eyes are only here, then you miss the beauty of looking towards the home that is eternal.
Love,
Megan
Dear Younger Me,
Learn to love modesty. You see all the girls around you who are confident in their bodies or who are not afraid to show themselves off, and it’s easy to think (or even want) that you should look or dress that way, too. You will begin to believe that they are the ones who will be sought after and you’ll never be wanted. While you may follow the way of modesty because it is the right thing to do, there’s more to love about living modestly. The man who will hold your heart someday will have all of you. And he will love you for more than just your body. And, in living modestly, you protect your heart and mind, and you save yourself.
In 1 Peter 3, it says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” And, in 1 Timothy 2, it says, I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” What you are reminded of here is that God loves your heart. A woman of God gains favor in how she lives before God, not in what she wears. In God’s eyes, modesty doesn’t cover up beauty; modesty protects outer beauty, that the inner beauty may shine through even brighter. What a beautiful way for you to live.
Love,
Megan
Dear Younger Me,
Name-brand doesn’t name you. The desire for name-brand things is real. But what I hope for you is that the desire for those name-brand things will be because you want them, and not because you want them to feel cool or popular. If you think having a swoosh on your backpack makes you cooler, it might to other people, and you might feel pretty cool yourself, but that doesn’t define who you are. It’s funny how much power a name-brand can have, but I wish you would see how loved you are as a child of the King without the symbols of status. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Your worth isn’t in the stuff you have…it’s in the spirit God gave you.
Even your future home may not look like it was decorated by Joanna Gaines, but I can tell you you’ll have so much joy in the hand-me-down items that you’ll assemble together to someday to make your home. And hey, it’s far cheaper! Some of those items will have even more value to you because of who gave them to you and the gift they gave you in sparing you from making those purchases on your own. Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Having beautiful things in this life is wonderful, but remember that your real treasure should be somewhere else.
Love,
Megan
Dear Younger Me,
Say thank you. You were taught growing up to say thank you for the gifts you don’t like – how much more do you say thank you for the gifts you do! Similarly, God will allow circumstances in your life that you really don’t like, but you will thank Him for those when you realize that God uses all the hard stuff for His glory and to grow you. And God gives you so many beautiful and lovely gifts you should celebrate all the more!
Thank Him for your people – all the loved ones who champion you. Thank Him for the celebrations of finished work. Thank Him for a weekend of love and laughter. Thank Him for His faithfulness when you take a moment to look back at your life. Thank Him for the beauty of His creation in a sunset. Thank Him for love you could never have imagined. Remember Psalm 113:3, “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
You are blessed.
Love,
Megan
