Dear Younger Me

Dear NICU Sophie,

Your small. But mighty. You came a little early, but are so loved and so wanted. You will fight for your life many times over the next four months and will leave with many scars, but they are a reminder that God needs you here. They tell a story. Your story. And it’s worth being shared. You have a beautiful life ahead of you and the best family beside you.

Dear 7 year old Sophie,

You gave your life to Jesus this year.  Though you may not understand all of what’s being taught, you know Him and He knows you. You can trust Him. You’re excited by Jesus and can feel His never ending love for you.

Dear 8 year old Sophie,

Your biggest struggle in life will start this year. You’ll be scared, sad, and will start to root yourself in shame. But don’t forget, Jesus still loves you no matter what. And so does your family.

Dear 12 year old Sophie,

You have found friends and have joined a youth group you love. Your relationship with Jesus will start to grow into an intimate one. You love to dream about the future. God has placed a deep desire in your heart for travel and missions. It’s something you know in your bones that He’s called you to. You found out about a trip this year and have become captivated by what it could one day be.

Dear 16 year old Sophie,

Depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles might have taken you over these last few years, but they do not define you. Jesus will give you your joy back! Stay rooted in Him! He sees you. You will fall in love with young life and leading the middle schoolers! Tuesday nights are your favorite night of the week. Pouring into them is a calling you are just now discovering!

Dear 18 year old Sophie,

High school is behind you and a gap year is in front of you. You are going to feel lonely at times this year, but the Lord needs you to be rooted in only Him. You will work at a young life camp for a month and then go to Haiti for a month. The Lord will give you a deep passion for youth ministry and international missions and you wonder at how He will use both passions in your future.

Dear 21 year old Sophie,

You have grown so much. You are more confident than you have ever been. You are finally studying things that you love. You have the greatest friends around you, friends who have been sent by God. Some health issues will come up and they will scare you, but Jesus has your back the whole time.

Dear 22 year old Sophie,

You will wrestle with what you want your future to look like and Jesus will make it clear. You will get accepted to go on the world race, making your life long dream come true. You will graduate college and will mourn that sweet season that you loved. You are excited to finally be stepping into what God has in store for you!

Dear 23 year old Sophie,

This next year abroad will change you and shape you in more ways than you can imagine. You will have new revelations about Jesus and His love for you. You will discover His character and His abounding presence. Your confidence will grow and you will choose to step into every calling from God. You will be in skits and preach in churches and share your testimony more times than you can count. You will fall in love with missions and living out of a backpack. You will bond with friends in Albania and feel so at home there. The holy spirit will start to stir your heart for youth ministry and missions in the future. Jesus has been with you every step of the way. Looking back as you see time winding down, you are reminded that He wrote every page. Press in these last five weeks. Soak it up. You’re gonna miss this.

Love,

Older Sophie