Dear _____ me,
Dear broken me,
You weren’t created damaged, but perfect and whole. You were created with purpose and intention. Every breath you breathe and every time your heart beats is a reminder that God isn’t finished with you yet. Wherever you are in your life’s journey, God is using you. You may not be aware of the small things you do that impact others, but your life’s worth it. The things you’re feeling right now are momentary.
“We’re pressed on every side by troubles, but we’re not crushed. We’re perplexed, but not driven to despair. We’re hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we’re not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.” We’re living testimonies of Him. Though you may be afflicted with hardship, God’s always there. If you feel broken, just remember He never let you fall.
Dear lonely me,
You’re not. When you were formed, He was there. With your first heartbeat, He was there. When you passed your class with room to spare, He was there. When you sat, aching and frustrated, He was there. He knows the things that make your heart pound, and what forms tears in your eyes. He’s respectful and loving towards you and He never wants to leave your side.
When you sit in your room without a friend in the world, He’s there. He was the One lifting weight of the world off your shoulders. He’s always there.
Isaiah conveys His promise to you in Isaiah 43:1, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” He’d give up anything for you, because you are His most precious. You aren’t alone, for He, who laid the foundations of the Earth, is there.
Dear fearful me,
“Fear not; do not be afraid.” That’s how God and his angels greet you. Are you the first to fear? Gideon, Mary, King Jehoshaphat, Joshua, the list continues. Why do you fear? God’s at your side. He says to you, “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” You’re in the hand of the gentle Creator of the sparrow.
Dear inadequate me,
You’re complete for the purpose He created you for. You cannot compare Van Gogh’s Starry Night to Handel’s Messiah. How can you compare yourself, a priceless display of God’s handiwork, with another? You’re a workmanship, with a beaming Master Carver waiting for you to ask for guidance. Keep your eyes on Him and he’ll complete you. “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” (Ps 139:14)
Dear hopeless me,
You can turn to Him even though you may think you’ve asked so much of Him that He can’t help you. Are your problems so big that God can’t solve them? Is your sin so large that God cannot redeem you and extend grace? He stretched out His arms of love so He could give you hope.
Your hope is in Him. If You were to try to earn salvation, it would be hopeless. However you don’t have to earn it--it has been give to you.
“May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you. So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.” (Ps 31:24; Ps 31:24; Ps 33:20)
My dear child,
You’re my pride and my joy. Though you may feel lacking in strength and wisdom, I can restore it tenfold. You’re my child, and I’ll strengthen you and help you. My love is unfailing, withstanding even the greatest of conflict. I’ll give you my peace whenever you ask for it. Please talk to me; I only want to complete you and show you your fullest potential.
I complete you and will chase away your doubts and fears.
(Is 41:10; 54:10; James 1:5)
Kasondra Reel is a senior studying nursing.