Letting Go – A letter to my daughter as you graduate

A letter to my daughter
as you graduate:My prayer for you, darling daughter, is that you would fly, far and high. You are letting go of childhood and starting a new season. I cherish you and I cherish the memories we have made with you. Some of the memories we made during these years were frivolous and fun, some were purposeful and intentional and some were just experiences we encountered, together, along the way. I pray you take all the good… The fun and the growing opportunities and the life lessons… and just let go of the rest. You will need your hands free to make more memories. You can only hold on to balloons for awhile. Just like when you were little and you were given a balloon at a birthday party or a character balloon to walk around with at DisneyWorld or at a celebration … Once you got home, or sometimes before you even left the activity, you had to let go of the balloon. You needed your hands free for real life.  

Had to brush your teeth.

Head to bed. 

Real life. 

Baby girl I want you to hold on to the memories – hold on to all the fun of life and the people you love and the values that center your life – but feel free to let go. As you graduate from high school – let go of childhood and walk freely into this next season… Let go of any childish 

 “not good enough” feelings, let go of stereotypes, let go of insecurities, let go And be free. 

Free to have fun! 

Free to choose when and how you study and work. Free to continue growing but in new ways. Begin college, meet new people … 

Use your talents to serve your world. 

You may be letting go of childhood but you can always keep your childlike spirit and your wonder for life. May you love God like never before and feel His love for you. You may be growing up and letting go of high school. You may be leaving childhood. Letting the balloons fly away with all that they represent… You need your hands free for real life! But as you let go… Look up! And see your beautiful, bright future in the sky.  

Equal in Value, Different in Function

Jesus’ message was radical in its inclusiveness. The fact that He even spoke with women during His earthly ministry, let alone, empowered them to be catalysts of change… as we see in New Testament examples of women in church leadership… this was unheard of. Every woman with whom Jesus had contact, whether they were old or young, in need of healing or forgiveness, each of these women was radically changed by the Truth. His was a message of love, acceptance and grace … that God could not only love and redeem all of mankind but that He held all of His creation … both men AND women with esteem and value. Yes, we are different. Many times it is a difference in function.  Sometimes  we are different in talents, ways of thinking, communicating and creativity. But we are 100% equal in VALUE. On International Women’s Day 2016 I want to encourage you to remember Who made you: for both male and female are made “in the image of God.” So I choose to honor and elevate the unique position of femininity in the earth. It takes both male and female to showcase the image of God in humanity. If only one gender is flourishing, then the image is not complete.  A woman, in love with Jesus Christ, secure in Her identity and wholly aligned with her mission in life, is a force to be reckoned with.
XoXo, Abigail