Dear Daughters

I attended If:local this past weekend and it was so amazing. It was challenging and inspiring all at the same time. I have not allowed myself to ever be challenged in that way, so I left with my head spinning and feeling extremely hopeful. This particular post is not to go into the details of what If:Gathering is, but please follow the link to the website and take a look (especially if you're a woman).

I am not speaking towards any agenda - at all. I'm speaking as a woman, who believes we have a very special and important role to play. Is it different than a man's role? Absolutely. Is it less important? Absolutely NOT.  I believe that we, as women, need to get back to the basics. We need to be solid partners for our significant others, we need to mother our children, we need to lift and encourage the other women around us, we need to stop pursuing attention from people of the world and start pursuing God and most importantly, we need to not be afraid to be bold in our actions and true in our words.

So many words consumed me this weekend that I can't even share them all here. God definitely called me into that place and I'm so thankful that I listened. The benediction stayed with me and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Since I couldn't find the words, I went back and listened to it over and over and over and just typed the words myself. I want to share them with my sisters in Christ in hopes that you don't just hear these words, but you believe them!

From God:

Daughter of mine, beautiful daughter of mine, beloved daughter of mine, oh how I’ve longed for this time. How I have longed for your whole heart to be wholly mine. For you to be captured by the love I’ve had for you since the beginning of time. Beloved, you cant do anything to make me love you more. You cant do anything to make me love you less, even when you are a hot mess.

Daughters, my love is enough. You are enough. I have decided that you are worthy, so you no longer have to worry about impressing me or pretending like you can hold it all together. Trust me, my way is better. My burden is light and my invitation is to a full life. A whole life with me, whole hearted and set free.

So daughters you are free to play, you are free to lead, you are free to rest, you are free to be your very best. You can do so many things but you can’t do everything. So embrace the limits that remind you that you are not me. There are glimpses of glory in your story and part of me is written into every part of you. So resist the urge to edit or copy or delete. It’s all of these beautiful and broken parts that make you complete.

When you look in the mirror, try to see what I see, not all that you’re not, but all that you could be. And when you look upon your sisters, look with those same eyes. Choose grace over judgment, blessing over jealousy, interest over indifference, truth over lies. This is the life I’ve created you for. Nothing less and so much more, and SO MUCH MORE.

The life you choose to live with me is the story you choose to tell. The greatest gift you give to me is your beautiful and whole hearted self. So don’t hold back and don’t give in, don’t settle down and don’t wait to begin. Daughters, be bold, be beautiful, be soulful, be true. Be gracious, be grace-filled and become all of you. Believe that you belong and be present. Be strong and be okay to not be okay. Be okay to be wrong. Be okay to be with my spirit. Be ready to do your part. And be the you I created you to be and live from your whole heart. These are the words of the Father to your heart. Be blessed dear daughters.