A letter to my daughter Gabriella

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."-Philippians 4:6-7

Gabriella,

Today you are 8 years old.  You are a beautiful 3rd grader living in West Linn, Oregon.  You have shoulder length brown hair that is thick as the day is long.  You have a smile that warms the heart of so many and a soul that reaches out to others.  You are one of the most caring children I know.  Your thoughts are always about others and what you can do to make them have a better day.  Your laugh rings through our home and you fill the air with the songs you sing.  You are a lot like your Dad and I, but a better version in so many ways.

Gabriella you come from a long line of women who are strong, outspoken and who stand up for themselves.  Your Grandmother, Aunts, Cousins and Great Grandmothers were and are all strong and determined women.  But what most of the world does not know about some of these women is that they live, or lived in fear, sadness and uncertainty.  Some of them hid behind their outspoken voices so as to put on an appearance of being strong.  Some of them spent countless years searching for happiness and searching for a love that would complete them.  Some of them, including your mother, have never been able to break the chain of emotions that was passed from one generation to the next.  But you Gabriella WILL.

I see you often times in moments of life where fear overcomes your face and your anxiety pours out of you like a bathroom sink overflowing with water.  It comes fast and furious and can take hold of you.  I see and hear about the anxiety you feel at school in regards to whether people like you or not. I see you approach a crowd of peers and hang back off to the side until you are invited in.  I see you scramble to do things in fear that you might do it wrong or not do it fast enough.  I see you worry about what you wear and how others will perceive you.  

Gabriella when I was your age I had the same anxious feelings and fear that you have, what you experience and feel inside your head is totally normal.  But is what you do with those feelings will matter who you become as an adult.  

I know as 8 year old Gabriella you are not reading mommy's blog and probably do not even know about it. My hope is that sometime in the future you will read these posts about you and hear the message I am sharing with you.

Do not seek the comforts and satisfaction of the flesh, seek the comfort and satisfaction of the Lord in all areas of your life.   

"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10

Gabriella our lives on this planet are only a moment in time.  This Earth that we walk on, or perhaps in your future float on, is only a spec of time in the big picture of our lives.  As you know your Dad and I teach you that there is a Heaven beyond this world.  This Heaven is where we will all meet our God, our Christ and our loved ones that have left before us.  This Heaven is the end goal to the lives we live now.  

Our time here and now is not to live only in the flesh but prepare us for the future in Heaven.  Our God puts us here to grow, learn, love and give as a preparation for our after life, the real life we were meant to live.  Our time here and now is to prepare our souls by growing them spiritually. 

So much of my own life has not been lived to the fullest because I did not understand the big picture in life.  I was too caught up in the desires of the flesh and the here and now.  God wants us to live a full life.  He wants us to have the things we desire.  God wants us to work hard and be the best we can be and live our lives to the fullest.  But God also wants us to understand all of these things prepare us for the next level of life with HIM.

Don't be so wrapped up in what others think of you.  Don't fall victim to the fear of the flesh and do not allow yourself to be stifled in your life.  Awake each day with a thankful heart to God for allowing you another day to "do you better."  Live with a giving and thankful heart that will please God and YOU.  Give yourself to others in a way that will honor God and honor who you are while helping.  Don't get caught in the traps of society and media that determines what they think you should look like or how they think you should act.  Society and the media does not have your best interest at heart.  Evil will try and come against you in the form of society and media.

I recently saw a letter from a man to his daughter where he was trying to explain to her how not to fall in the media trap of life and how his daughter should view herself.

This is a very well known magazine and the article on the cover reads the caption above.

This is the full cover.  This woman is what Society and the media deem as being plus size.  In my day this would be been the sign of someone with an eating disorder.

This magazine describes a perfect sceanior of how Evil can hid behind social media and try and take hold of you.  This woman on the cover is NOT a plus size model nor should anyone label her as one.  Don't allow yourself to fall into this trap of trying to be what everyone wants you to be.  Do not fall into the trap of defining who you are by the standards of others.  As you know your Dad and I work very hard to have a healthy lifestyle and teach you and your brothers and sister to do the same.  But no where in our lessons to you do we expect you to be beyond perfect.  

Gabriella you are a beautiful girl.  Your inner beauty shines more than you smile.  Your ability to be funny, charming and sincere is a quality not everyone has.  Your warm heart and caring personality means more in this world than the clothes you wear or the car you drive(or perhaps fly in your future).  Do not let others define what makes you Gabriella.

Walk with God and develop your faith in God and the rest will fall into place.  What matters is that you live a life that YOU love, a life that makes YOU happy and a life YOU can be proud of.  You have the ability to be someone big in this world, and you have the ability to change lives and touch others in ways that most can not.  Embrace those opportunities and embrace your life and your God.  

Our lives are just a moment in time on this Earth... make the most of it daughter.

Your Dad and I love you and We are your biggest fans!