Where should I start?
Where would you start?
If you could back in time, what would you tell your younger self?
Would you change anything? Or just let it be?
I mean I’ve always known there’s not some magical time machine that would take me back to have some kind of do over. Of course, there’s obvious reasons why you wouldn’t want people re-doing things in their life. Not only would you affect your life you would affect others. We’re all in this together right?
Think back to something big that you wish you could change. Just one event. One little thing about what you did could alter reality for a lot of people. It could mean not turning right but instead turning left. It could mean not running a stop sign or a red light. Or maybe it was not saying something. The tongue is pretty powerful. I’m sure we’ve been on both sides of that. I would imagine there are a few conversations everybody wishes they could take back. Or maybe it was a conversation you never had or got to have. Perhaps you’d like to change how you treated someone or how you let someone treat you.
Being saved is kinda like that though. If you really start to think about it. Jesus hung on that cross before we even took our first breathe. He paid it all before we even did it.
It was all planned out before you even took your first breathe.
He knew that you were going that your were going to run that red light, drink that beer, go to that party, or date that person.
He probably even tried to warn you about that person. That person you dated and that person you would become.
He had better plans for you but you used the free will he gave you to choose a different path or maybe you didn’t. Maybe you’ve walked it out with Him most of your life.
But if I could write a letter to my younger self from older, wiser me…It would go something like this:
Dear Younger Me,
If only I could back to 18. It seems that’s where things seemed to go completely side ways. Or maybe that was the massive eruption of the volcano buried deep inside. Don’t get me wrong it was a wild ride. It was fun but like the saying goes “You can’t keep dancing with the Devil and wonder why you’re still in Hell.” You, also certainly can’t keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results.
Take those boys you’ve been dating for example. You can’t keep choosing boys and expecting men. You can’t chose the same type over and over and expect different results. You also can’t look for your self worth in anything they say or do or don’t do. You can’t find it in them or anyone else for matter so stop throwing it around like it’s a dishrag. Pull yourself up, dust your self off, and run in the opposite direction as fast as you can. They don’t love you and if they did they wouldn’t treat you that way. (He also didn’t leave you just because of your jean size it was a lame excuse) You are worthy of so much more. Act like it.
Don’t worry about those who leave you because they were meant to only be there for a season. Trust me you won’t miss most of them. You’ll survive. You’ll meet new people. Scratch that. You’ll meet awesome people. They also quite frankly don’t care what you look like. These people are non-judgers, come as you are type people. It’ll be great. You’ll see.
Keep loving on those who don’t return the favor just because Jesus said to turn the other cheek. He loves those that don’t love him. He loves everyone. He even befriended a prostitute. Loved a thief. Used a drunk. Bless your enemies. Bless those who have hurt you or wronged you in anyway. Trust me. Sounds crazy. But He says vengeance is His. Personally, I think his vengeance is worse than some angry text, dirtying their name around town, or going Carrie Underwood on them. Just saying. Don’t waste your time.
You’re beautiful and full of worth no matter what your size. You’ll find people who don’t care what size you are. I have learned to love you/me no matter. Drinking less Dr Peppers might help a little bit though. Just saying. But we’re gonna show the haters.
Don’t let yourself get chained to this world. It won’t satisfy. It won’t make you happy. Nothing will satisfy quite like Jesus. You’ll go through some storms. You’ll go through a lot of storms. But He’ll never change. You’ll learn and grow from them.
But If you only take one piece of advice from this whole letter, be who you are. Don’t hide it away. Don’t let them take your light away. One day you’ll come to a point where the masquerade will get old. Where no matter what you do you’ll never please everyone and it’s not your job too. So let go of the need for others approval and live. Live your life like every day is the last because one day it will be. One day you’ll draw your last breathe. Whether its from old age or an accident. When it all flashes before you, you don’t want to be replaying a scene straight from a country song or worrying a second longer what someone thought of your shoes.
Be fearless. Be bold. Run toward Jesus. Love Him. Be your crazy loud self. Just the way he made you.
In fact, I hope there never is such a thing as a time machine. I don’t want to change a thing. These things made me who I am. As cliche as that sounds. Just hit delete on this message….Be who you are. You’re made just the way you are for a reason.
Love,
Me.
P.S. *maybe stick to the running in the opposite direction of those boys bahahaha*
