Dear Younger Me (Steward Your Money)
Dear Younger Me,
Be a steward of your money. Remember when you gathered your stuffed animals as a committee to strategize how you could earn more money? You thought maybe doing a garage sale could help you earn more funds to buy a laptop…I don’t think that committee actually led to any results, but you were excited to figure out how to earn money. Since then, you’ve saved and made purchases, some of which you regret, because they weren’t the best uses of your finances. You’re embarrassed to even talk about them. So, there are three things I want you to work on. First, let wisdom speak into your financial decisions. Really consider if this is a smart choice. Second, make the effort to return the items that don’t work so that you get your money back and you aren’t stuck with stuff you won’t use. Third, choose to end the services you don’t use anymore so you aren’t being charged. Again, that’s a matter of effort. How you use your money is a way to honor God, so let your decisions honor Him.
Love,
Megan
From the colors we choose to paint our walls to the posts we publish on social media, you and I relish a plethora of freedoms. A series of legislation governs public and private affairs, ensuring entitlement to speech, religion, privacy, justice, and protection, among others.
Without a doubt, freedom is a sought after and fiercely protected privilege, often defended as a human right.
We may patriotically value freedom in the social sphere, but Christians know freedom in a whole other dimension!
“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death,” Romans 8:2 says. “Our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (6:6).
Hebrews 2:14-15 similarly describes, “… that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
Such precious, costly freedom is not for misuse or abuse. We are instructed against leveraging it as “opportunity for the flesh” (Galatians 5:13) or “cover-up for evil” (1 Peter 2:16). Instead, we are liberated to lovingly serve in God’s honor!
We represent Him wherever we are, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). God’s Provision: Jesus said the truth will set us free (John 8:32), and “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (36)!
Jesus Himself is Truth (John 14:6), sent to proclaim good news to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, and liberty to the captives (Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18).
Of course we find freedom in Him who breaks chains, heals disease, and conquers death!
Ironically, this freedom is still slavery—a slavery of freedom!
“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” – Romans 6:15-18
Instead of offering ourselves to sin, we are free to become God’s “instruments for righteousness” (13).
And forever remain in that freedom!
“Now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” – 22
Word of the Week: Yoke. The bondage oppressing us was a heavy burden—now, no longer upon our shoulders!
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
I think today you need to realize that you need to speak some loving words over yourself. Instead of examining all your brokenness, claim your identity as a daughter of the King. When you fall short, don’t berate yourself, but acknowledge your shortcomings and then choose to remember who you are: a loved and beautiful child of God. See yourself through God’s eyes. You would easily jump to thinking you’re not good enough, or you just don’t deserve the good gifts you’re given, and while it’s true you don’t deserve them, when you sit in those thoughts you begin to let those thoughts shape how you think about yourself. Don’t let them have that power. Daughter of the King, you are loved and forgiven and beautiful in the eyes of God. Speak that over yourself.
Love,
Megan
The simultaneous beauty and danger of raising children is that they quickly learn to copy you. You notice your habits and mannerisms reflected in their words and actions, wondering where they got that from? Small minds are observant and absorbent.
Of course, God designed it that way, and the process is intended to reflect Him. Deuteronomy 11:18-21 shows how His ways are preserved and passed down through the generations:
“You shall lay up these words of Mine in your heart and in your soul … You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land …”
For hundreds of year, God’s people lived that way.
Then, in the most earth-shattering, eternity-changing act of love, God sent His own Son to live as one of us. Anointed as Savior, He became “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) … And a type of older brother in the family of God (Hebrews 2:11).
Romans 8:29 expounds, “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
To confirm this after His resurrection, Jesus called His disciples “My brothers,” specifying, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17).
We belong in the same family with the same Father, who sets the perfect example for us to copy in Christ.
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps”
– 1 Peter 2:21
That means dying to sin, living to righteousness, suffering submissively, remaining above reproach, and entrusting ourselves to God (22-24).
Paul even said in 1 Corinthians 11, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1).
To live like Jesus is to live in and live out love, for “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
We must follow every movement, hang on every word, obey every command.
God the Father affirms, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”
God’s Provision: “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10).
Word of the Week: Structure. Jesus Christ is the blueprint and the finished product. Joining and holding everything together, He acts as the cornerstone of the foundation of the household of God (Ephesians 2:20) and the head of the body of believers (4:15-16).
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
I wish I could go back to you and tell you and engrave it on your heart that you were made exactly as God intended for you to be. You don’t need to compare your beauty and your personality to anybody else and allow that to weigh you down because if you saw yourself through God’s eyes, you would see there’s no need for all that. You could stand in the face of comparison and all the garbage of the world knowing exactly who you are in God. You would see through His eyes, not yours. How I long for that for you, because I’ve walked the wrong road and know how much it has hurt to let the world and brokenness affect the way I see myself. So stay on the road of praise – praise Him for His care in designing you, praise Him for His love for you, and every time you are tempted to doubt who you are and His good design of you, press in to Him.
Love,
Megan
You could pop your mug into the microwave oven and in two minutes have instant coffee to kickstart your morning. If you realize there’s a smudge on your shirt, your instant stain remover will have erased it in no time. And when you plop down in front of your computer to begin browsing, with the click of a button you can access an instant download to suit your needs.
From fast food and streaming services to instant messages and same-day delivery, society sweeps us away in its hurried hustle. Whether we like it or not, you and I live in an instant world!
Sometimes I get on a roll and don’t realize how impatient these petty luxuries have made me. If a web browser doesn’t load or a light doesn’t turn green, what’s taking so long?
When I slow down long enough to read my Bible, though, I encounter something different. God seems to think waiting is good for us.
“The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.”
– Lamentations 3:25-26
Even more so, He commands us to it! Using the words of David, He urges us in the Psalms:
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” – 27:14
“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him … Wait for the LORD and keep His way” – Psalm 37:7, 34
Of course it is difficult, but never in vain. Isaiah 40:31 says that “They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
What are we waiting for exactly? To put it simply, we are prayerfully expecting the Lord to act (Psalm 37:5). Perhaps it is like the times of Habakkuk.
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” – 1:5
Indeed, Isaiah 64:4 affirms, “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides You, who acts for those who wait for Him.”
God’s Provision: Sometimes we wait for vengeance (Proverbs 20:22), other times for provision (Psalm 145:15-16). We wait on the Lord for deliverance and help (Psalm 33:18-20), justice and mercy (Isaiah 30:18), steadfast love and redemption (Psalm 130:5-7).
Most of all, we wait for His coming! As the farmer awaits “the precious fruit of the earth,” so we establish our hearts for the day of the Lord (James 5:7-8).
The reward is always worth the wait!
Word of the Week: Long-suffering. God is exceedingly patient with us (2 Peter 3:9). We also can endure with tolerance and without complaint as He fulfills His plan for us.
Abby
To surprise someone is to cause them to feel “mild astonishment or shock.” To astonish someone is to “surprise or impress” them “greatly.” To impress someone is to generate feelings of “admiration or interest.” (Thank you, Oxford Languages!)
More than a grammar lesson, I am drawn to these definitions to help me understand one of my favorite stories from the Bible. It goes like this:
After teaching, Jesus entered a village where He was approached by some elders of the Jews on behalf of a Roman military officer. These envoys “pleaded with Him earnestly” (Luke 7:4) at their masters’ request: “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly” (Matthew 8:6). Jesus responded with compassion: “I will come and heal him” (Matthew 8:7). But He didn’t get very far before the Roman sent word via his friends: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof … Therefore I did not presume to come to you … But only say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8, Luke 7:7). He explained that he too was “a man set under authority” (Luke 7:8), with soldiers at his disposal to carry out his bidding (Matthew 8:9). “When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him,” Luke reports; and declared Matthew adds, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”
What surprises me is Jesus’ surprise! By no means was He caught off guard, rather delighted and awed by this man’s faith.
To marvel is to “be filled with wonder or astonishment.” Jesus Christ the Triune Son of God, Maker of all things and King over all the earth, was astonished at a single act of faith expressed by someone outside the chosen nation of God.
Faith pleases God, as we know from Hebrews 11:6, and Ephesians tells us it is a gift from God.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” – 2:8
“Not a result of works,” the author adds, so we have no grounds for boasting. Faith is produced and given by the Holy Spirit, all for “the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1).
That’s why I am all the more amazed at Jesus’ reaction to the centurion. Not only did He commend his faith but also grant his entreaty. Matthew says “the servant was healed at that very moment,” such that “when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well” (Luke 7:10).
God’s Provision: God does not always answer our prayers exactly as we petition Him to. Yet,
“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
Word of the Week: Marvel
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
It’s fun to buy new school supplies, but when you don’t get all brand-new school supplies, choose contentment. When Mom does let you pick out some new things, cherish it all the more. But learn the way of contentment and stewardship as you use the folders and pens and such that you’ve used in years past. Really, if they’re still good, you don’t need to buy new ones. It’s fun to start the school year off with something new, I know. But it doesn’t make or break your year. And someday you’ll appreciate that Mom asked you to use what you already had because it saved money. And the stuff you have really is still usable. That’s being a good steward.
Love,
Megan
A person is composed of far more than the physical space they occupy. You know how it is! A personality enters a room, relationship, or routine and completely changes the dynamic.
Presence comes with persona. And so it is with God, but on an infinitely loftier scale!
How could I even begin to describe God’s presence? He fills the entire earth, His Spirit radiating glory and infusing loving kindness into the far reaches of the world!
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
– Isaiah 6:3
“He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.”
– Psalm 33:5
God is ever-present among His creation—compassionate to provide for each organism, merciful to rescue mankind from sin. As He moves, we respond in worship!
“His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise.”
– Habakkuk 3:3
This is the very same God who comforts me in sorrow, uplifts me in disappointment, and ministers to my journey. Psalm 46 says He is “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” In other words, He is always available as a source of protection and power!
As leader of God’s people Israel, Moses points this out in Deuteronomy 4:7.
“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon Him?”
God’s Word is full of promises to befriend us with His presence. Deuteronomy 31:6 and 8 assure us that the Lord goes before us and will be with us, never leaving or forsaking us. Joshua 1:9 reiterates that God is with us wherever we go. Psalm 23:4 contains the comfort of God’s presence in “the valley of the shadow of death.”
Ultimately, He presented Himself among us in flesh. God the Son became one of us—human—to dwell among us (John 1:14).
His message is one of hope.
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.”
– Acts 3:19-20
God’s Provision: One day, all will be acquainted with this God. “As the waters cover the sea,” so will the earth be full of the knowledge of the LORD God (Isaiah 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14). We can claim Psalm 73: “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory” (23-24).
Word of the Week: Midst. God stirs, sings, and saves within and among us. For, “The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
The essence of God’s presence meets every need, calms every fear, and satisfies every hope.
Abby
Dear Younger Me,
You always have hope because you always have Jesus. Jesus Himself is hope – that He lived, and defeated sin and death, and gave you salvation and freedom and a promise of restoration someday. So when your situation seems desperate and without hope, never fail to remember that with Jesus in you and you in Him, you really aren’t without hope. Cling to him, cling to His promises, that you won’t give up your belief in Him, His power to do all things, and His good and perfect knowledge and will that even when things don’t go the way you want them to, you can trust that He is enough, that your miracle could still be right down the road, and that ultimately the hard stuff does not last forever. Look to Hebrews 6 to read about the certainty of hope in Him, words like “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.” It’s exactly what your heart needs.
Love,
Megan