For my daughter’s baby shower, she asked that family and friends bring a letter written to the unborn child. A letter to encourage the child, provide wisdom from our own experiences, etc. The plan is to give the child the letters at some point in the future when she is old enough to read and benefit from them.

Well, that child is now 19 months old and I never wrote her that letter. I meant to. I often thought about it, but it was usually after I had gone to bed for the night or was at some other location or circumstance where it could not be written at that moment. Of course, those are all just lame excuses. I should have made the time to sit down and write the letter, so I am doing it now! Here it goes, this is what I want my granddaughter to know from my heart:

Dear A—–,

Words can not express how deeply you are loved. You are loved by your mother, your father, your Gpa… ALL your family, and especially loved by me! Your parents have blessed me with the opportunity to spend time with you every week, watching you while they work. It is such a joy watching you grow and learn new things, what a beautiful young lady you are turning into! But most importantly, I want you to know these ten things:

1) I pray for you every day. Yes, EVERY day. Just as I have prayed for your mother and her brother every day of their lives, even before they were born. I pray that God protects you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I pray that you come to know Him as your personal Lord and Savior at an early age. I pray that you live your life in complete dedication and obedience to Him. I pray for your future spouse, that he also be fully dedicated to Jesus Christ. I pray that you both remain pure until the day that you marry. And I pray that you know how much you are loved, not only by God but by all of your family.

2) Seek God. Spend time with Him. Read his Word. Get to know Him. Your life will be so much smoother if you just trust in Him and let Him guide you. He’ll carry you when times get tough. Seek His guidance in every decision you make, big and small. He loves you so much and wants you to just spend time with Him and live in obedience to His will.

3) Obey your parents. I know sometimes you may think they are the dumbest people on the planet and that they don’t know anything. They are making choices that they believe are the best for you, even if it doesn’t seem like it to you at the time. They love you more than you can ever comprehend (until maybe you have children of your own). They are responsible for you and they are doing their best. They will make mistakes, no one is perfect, but they have your best interests at heart.

4) Be responsible. Just like your parents are not perfect, neither are you. You WILL make mistakes. Be willing to admit it and own up to them. Even if no one else sees, God does, and He knows your heart. Always confess your sins to Him and He will be faithful to forgive them. Just because you mess up, doesn’t mean you can’t have a clean start. Also, don’t be afraid to tell your parents anything. They will still love you, no matter what. Ask your mom about the time she hit a fence when backing the car and how scared she was to tell us about it. But she did, and it was ok. It didn’t make us love her any less and nothing you do will make them (or me, or God) love you any less.

5) Do your best…. do your best at school, at work, at play, in your relationships… in everything! Do your best. Do your best not only for your own sake (which is important), but you never know who is watching you. Set the example for others to follow.

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6) Influence the world, don’t be influenced by it. Be your own person. You are a child of the King! Always remember that. The world is a dark place and can easily drag you under if you don’t always keep your eyes on Christ and His calling on your life. Be the light that shines so brightly it draws others to you so that they want to know the source of your joy. Love everyone, even your enemies, as you are loved. That alone will change the world around you.

7) Pursue your dreams. Learn as much as you can about whatever interests you. If something is hard, then just pray and try again. Practice, get advice, whatever you need to succeed. If God has given you the passion to pursue something, then pursue it! Don’t give up. There are lots of people around you that love you and will help in any way that they can. You are not alone.

8) Only date Godly men. Who you marry (or if you marry) is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Don’t waste your time on guys that are not on the same path as you. There is enough temptation in the world without making things harder on yourself. Keep yourself pure. There may be several guys that you think are “the one” before you actually meet the real one. Start praying for your future husband now… it is never too early. And once you meet him, continue to pray for him every day of your life.

9) I am here for you. If you ever need someone to talk to. If you ever need a shoulder to cry on. If you ever just want to hang out. I am here for you. I love you.

10) You are loved. Did I tell you that you are loved? Never forget that. When the weight of the world is crashing down on you, take a moment, step back, and know you are loved. There is always hope, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel (and, no, it is not the train coming to hit you). It is your bright future. No matter how dark that tunnel is, the bright future is at the end waiting for you. You simply need to trust in God, seek help when it is needed, and keep moving forward.

I love you!

Gma

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