on what I want the younger (and older) girls to know...

I want you to know that you are both beautiful. You and the girl you are comparing yourself to; you are both worthy and lovely and absolutely amazing in very specifically different ways. 

I want you to know that it is okay to think boys are cute and fun, because they are cute and fun, but they aren't meant to consume your whole life. You are a whole person, whether you are in or out of a relationship. 

I want you to know that the list of things you want in a future husband changes, and praise the Lord for that because the most important things are not that he loves dogs, plays football, has brown hair, and listens to country music. 

I want you to know that a Jesus centered life is better than a Pinterest worthy life.

I want you to know the power of Jesus, the true power of who He is and what He does with our lives. He died for your sins and three days later rose from the grave, conquering death and claiming victory for humanity. He can redeem, restore, provide, prepare, lavish grace, love, and truth. He can take everything you have done and turn it into something beautiful, even the ugliest of things. 

I want you to know the power of dancing and singing and laughing.

I want you to know that God is big enough for your emotions. You are allowed to be mad, sad, excited, frustrated, confused, messy, and wild. 

I want you to know that you should eat the fries, buy the dress, say the nice thing, smile at the boy, read the book, go to the beach, buy yourself flowers, take a trip.

I want you to know that life is too short to be uncomfortable in your own skin.

I want you to know how important it is to find a mentor, for someone to show you how to live for Jesus in the middle of the mundane. Invite someone into your life to keep you accountable, to be a shoulder to cry on, a person to laugh with, a sister to encourage you in truth, and someone to come over on a Friday night with pizza and ice cream and a chick flick (preferably written by Nicholas Sparks, amen?).

I want you to know that the way you treat people matters. 

I want you to know that life is full of really good things. But there is a difference between good things and godly things, learn to discern the difference. 

I want you to know that we were never meant to "have it all" and "do it all".

I want you to know that there are worse things than gaining weight, a bad haircut, not having a boyfriend or a husband or kids, not having enough "likes" on Instagram, or not being invited to the party. It is far worse to be unkind, ungrateful, ungodly. 

I want you to know the value in having fun and not taking yourself too seriously. Give yourself some grace. 

I want you to know that life is hard, but God is good. Seriously. He is the treasure.

I want you to know that the church is powerful and is the most beautiful source of encouragement and community.

I want you to know that you are loved. SO FREAKING LOVED. Just because you aren't loved by the people you want or in the ways you want, doesn't mean you aren't. 

I want you to know that I am cheering for you, don't give up, you've got this.

on love as a career...

The last few days, my heart has been restless with the idea of love. Lots of thoughts and lots of tears have greeted me each morning as this idea permeates throughout each piece of me.

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Love is the fullness of God...

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On Sunday, the story of Hosea and Gomer was spoken over our congregation. I love the story of Hosea and Gomer; it’s uncomfortable, gritty, raw, and personal. As a synonym for God and Israel, Hosea and Gomer paint the picture of a relentless, unconditional, overwhelming kind of love. Hosea and God choose Gomer and Israel every single time. There is no wavering. To love someone despite their choices, despite their harlotry, despite them not choosing you, is hard. And that is us as the church, as God’s people; God chooses us and we choose the others. We run hard to other things, and no matter who you are or where you find yourself at this moment in life, we all have a desire to run. We are prone to wander with every sunrise and every sunset.

Hosea and Gomer.

God and Israel.

There is love that came for us.

It is liberally given and left without condition. Love is the fullness of God and the currency of His kingdom, and we are to spend it frivolously on others. There should be no limits, conditions, or boundaries. Who are we to place limits, whether by my own fear or by my apparent standard of who is deserving. And I think that’s huge… Fear. It’s the biggest road block and hindrance not just for us as individuals, but as a corporate, collective people. My fear limits the way that I love; I am too scared to really love, to really risk, to really invite rejection in. I am assuming that you might feel that same way. We want to be the Hosea, but we fear the Gomer.
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My fear limits the way that I love…

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Love begets love. If you love others, it gives them permission, in a sense. When you love others, they believe that they are capable of being loved and capable of loving those around them. And, I think it is powerful to be the person that defines love for another; so many of us walk around with heartache and pain and fear because we have not been loved well by family, friends, etc.

Be interested in people because they are interesting. Ask people to movies and dinners because you want to include them. Take someone to coffee so that their cup and heart might overflow with warmth. Dig deep into people, support them, love them.

Love people relentlessly; it doesn’t matter if you are the first or the last or the friend or the person. Love them. Love them all. This must be my thing, this must be what I am known for; I need to make a career out of loving people well.

Let’s stop being so fearful to love.