Who I am today is because of you both. My morals, my foundation of a Christ-centered life, my quirks, sense of humor, manners, some personality traits, and the reason I have grown in a mission-driven faith. Without you both being just the way you are, my whole life would be different. And I’m thankful that it’s not.
Mom- your sensitivity, your nature of caring for others and loving them well, the way you seek out ones who may feel ‘left out’, your silliness, your gentleness and desire to truly get to know others and show interest in their lives, the way you yearn for more knowledge and never settle for enough of it, your soft heart, the beautiful love you have for Jesus, are only a small handful of the reasons for my admiration of you. Though you may speak low of yourself at times, you are an inspiration to me as I look at my own life and the person I desire to be. You are a beacon of light in my life.
Dad- your hilarious sense of humor that will never get old, your uniqueness and the boldness you carry of just being yourself, your extreme work ethic and determination in everything you set your mind to do, your integrity to follow through with keeping your word, the softness of your heart and growing sensitivity, the deep way in which you absolutely adore your family, your unswerving and strong pursuit of Christ, the strength you give your family to lean on, the everlasting passion for adventure and thrill, and the evident faith in the Lord in which you walk daily in, build your life in, and sort your decisions through. These are the qualities in you that I love and admire the most and strive to grasp as I continually seek out my identity in Christ.
I don’t have perfect parents and I never wanted to- I’m thankful for parents who make mistakes at times so that I can learn what forgiveness looks like, what repentance is, how to grow in the hard times, and learning not to care about the world’s opinions because Christ doesn’t expect perfection in us and He is the only one worth living for.
I want you to know I’m thankful for your mistakes. I want you to know how deeply I love the both of you. I want you to know that you are my inspiration and the reason I live by faith in Christ. I want you to know that after this 11-month journey is over, and I come home full of stories and testimonies, I am expecting you to tell me that you have testimonies of your own. I expect God to keep working in your lives and using you for The Kingdom, all for His glory, because no matter how old you are, God is not finished with you yet.
I’ll be anticipating your stories and witnessing your growth this next year. I can’t wait to hug you. I’ll always be your baby and I’ll always be God’s child and He holds us in the palm of His hand. I love you both so much.
Love, Sprite xo
