If I could tell that little girl anything, I would tell her to “enjoy each season” because they come and go so so quick.
Her papaw used to tell her that. He warned her about time. Just how fast it went..
It wasn’t that she did or didn’t believe him. It was more that she didn’t think about time. Her days were full of fun and full of laughter. She lived in the present of each moment. Not thinking about the next hour, days or years to come.
I would tell her to not worry about what others thought.
But she wouldn’t understand. You see, she didn’t care what others thought about her. She laughed, sang loud, danced for all and unfortunately took way too many selfies. The last thing she thought about is what others might think.
I would tell her to be kind to herself.
But she wouldn’t understand. She might ask why she would be anything but kind? She had no mean comments to speak over herself. She was comfortable in her own skin and was confident and passionate about the things she loved. She felt no embarrassment.
I would tell her to try her very best to put God first in her life.
But she might tell me she already tries to do that. You see, she gave her life to Christ at 7 years old. She wanted nothing more than to learn about Jesus and all the stories about him. She had childlike faith - She prayed big prayers. She would get in bed and talk to him about her day, never doubting that he was listening.
I think It’s easy to think of all the things we would tell our younger self. In hopes, our younger self would understand and live by those truths. But maybe just maybe, it’s important that we look back and learn a few things from the simplicity of the child, once in us. (Maybe not our foolish mistakes in high school…) But even further back - when we didn’t realize the importance of what came natural to us.
The truth is, I’ll always have much to learn from my little 7 year old self.
On the other side of things, I also believe that 7 year old girl would be so proud of where she’s at today.
In just 8 years, she will have a little 7 year old of her own running around. The thought of that brings me to much gratitude.
Because,
My little 7 year old self would have never dreamed that. To be honest, my 17 year old self would have never dreamed that. But God. He is faithful. He is good.
Romans 8:28 says “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”
Today I’m standing in Gods faithfulness because my little 7 year old self put her faith in something bigger than herself.
I think it’s important to look back and see dots that God connected, overtime. There’s so many things that had to fall into place for me to be where I’m at today. There were many times, I didn’t understand what God was doing in my life. Some situations felt too painful, some pits felt too deep. But along with that, there was much beauty. Through it all, the dots were being connected.
My friend, I encourage you to look back to where it all started.
Do you see the dots that God kindly connected?
When did you give God the authority of your life?
He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. 2 Timothy 1:9
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10
