Dear Elizabeth,
Full of wonder. Full of spunk. Full of readiness. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into with this World Race.
You’re about to travel the world. Experience new cultures. Experience new things. See people in a way that you’ve never seen people before. It’s scary. It’s exhilarating. It’s insane. But this is exactly what you need right now.
You signed up for a missions trip but you’re going to get so much more. Self discovery. A heart for the Lords people. A knowledge of how to lead and how to follow.
You’re leaving home for 9 months. That’s a long time. That’s not easy. You’re not leaving behind all of the problems from home because those tend to follow you. You’re just leaving the physical space.
I can’t wait for you to learn to love yourself. It’s a really beautiful process. Not just loving your physical body, but truly loving the fullness of who the Lord created you to be.
You don’t know it yet, but you’re worth a whole lot more than you think you’re worth. You’re loved by the Father. The one that created the heavens and the earth. You’ve quoted that before, but you don’t actually know what it means for you yet. I can’t wait for you to find out.
Be upfront. Be direct. State how you’re feeling. You’re worth being heard. Passiveness wastes time and energy that isn’t worth wasting.
Performing for people isn’t worth it. They will let you down. When you’re accomplishing things solely for that little “I’m proud of you”, check yourself. The Lord is already proud of you. He’s proud of how far you’ve come and where you’re going. Keep your eyes on Him, not on the praise or approval from others.
You have some really great friends and family. Love them well. Not in the way that the world tells you to love them, but in the way that you know how to love them. Love them like Elizabeth would love them. They deserve it.
Appreciate your real mattresses. Appreciate your towels. Appreciate your refrigerator. Appreciate your family Christmas and the quality time that you spend together. Apprciate all of your sisters jokes, no matter how corny they are. Appreciate every little moment because those are the ones that matter. You’ll look back and remember the simplicity of cheering at a football game. The feeling of your feet as your skates hit the ice before a game. The genuine laughs shared in McDonalds over a McFlurry and stale fries way too late at night.
Life goes by too fast. Take hold of each moment and don’t hold on to any regrets. This life I
At last but not least: Don’t take coffee corner for granted. I’m serious. You can’t find coffee up to par anywhere else. Take your friends. Take your family. Savor each sip.
This next year will blow your mind and challenge you in all the best ways. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
Love always,
Zibby
