a letter to my sixteen year old self

Did you know? Emily Freeman released a sister … or should I say daughter companion for her Grace For the Good Girl book. It’s called Graceful, and it’s lovely.

In honor of it’s release and all the things our young-girl selves are faced with, Emily’s challenged us to write a letter to our teenage selves. You know, knowing what we know today, what would we tell our mall-hair-leg-warmer-wham-loving selves? She’s hosting a link-up and there’s all kinds of fun to be had over there!

So this is me … writing to my 16 year old self.

Sweet girl,

You need to know … you are enough. And there’s a man that loves you more than any boy or man ever will … His name is Jesus. Do you know, if you could just grasp that now it would save you a whole lotta pain!

But I suppose no. You are a stubborn one, aren’t you? You do like to find things out yourself. Experience it yourself. Fail, or not fail, on your own accord and by your own will.

You’ll learn a lot because of that will. You’ll learn good things and you’ll learn bad things. What to do, and what not to do.

You want so desperately to be liked. So desperately to fit in. You’re not popular. You’re not smart.

But you are enough. In all the awkwardness and angst of your teenage-self … please know you are enough.

 

me & my high school bestie!

You really should pay more attention to your schooling, homework, and education. Yes, I get it … all you dream of being is a hairstylist, and you don’t think school really matters. But guess what? It kinda does. And yes, you will go on to be a hairstylist. But guess what? It won’t be all you thought it would be and eventually you’ll go on to do something else. In fact, you’ll go on to do lots of something else’s.

Oh and sweet girl, for the love of God would you listen to your momma and marry a boy who loves Jesus? Although, you’re not walking in His love, so how are you to know how important this life detail really is?

And little girl … don’t be in such a hurry to get married. You still have a lot of growing up to do. You’ve got issues girl, that need to be worked out.

But if you don’t listen, and you do go ahead and marry your high school sweetheart and best friend … and if that marriage doesn’t work out … know that you’ll get one of God’s greatest gifts from that relationship, your precious babygirl Taylor Rio. And that girl will go on to amaze you with her courage, strength, grace, love for the Lord, stubbornness, and her own strong will … every.single.day!

Oh! and when she’s young, she may not care for the whole mom-and-dad-were-children-of-the-80’s-and-your-middle-name-is-from-a-duran-duran-song-her-name-is-rio, but trust me, she’ll dig it when she gets a little older.

Tracie, please believe me … you are enough.

You’ll go on to do things you’ve never dreamed of. You’ll get your pilot’s license. You’ll own a business … two of them! You’ll be a photographer. You’ll be a writer … you’ll even have your very own author’s page! You’ll go on to accomplish much of whatever you set your heart and mind on.

You will also walk through valley’s of pain. Valley’s so deep … so wide … so painful that at times, you think it might kill you. But sweet girl, by then you’ll have found a Savior that loves you deeper and wider than any valley you’ll walk through. And you will lean on Him like your life depends on it … because it does.

And you will get through. You’ll get through it all. With grace, faith, love, and forgiveness … you’ll get through it all.

Your battles, your courage, your faith, and your strength will encourage and inspire others who watch you … most importantly your children. You’ll have four girls. Four.

Close your mouth … yes, you! The one who doesn’t babysit because you don’t like kids! You’ll be the blessed mommy to four beautiful girls. And they will love Jesus. And you will love those girls ’til the end of the world. They will exhaust you, and frustrate you, and you’ll wonder if you’re doing it right. But they’ll hug you, and love on you, and tell you you’re the best … and you’ll go to bed thanking God for the blessing of those little ladies.

Tracie … at 16, you think this is it, this is life and there ain’t no more to it … but sweet girl, your life hasn’t even begun. I promise you from the depths of my soul, what God has in store for you, hasn’t even begun.

He will go on to show you, all the days of your life, you … sweet girl … are enough.

98 Comments

  1. Lisa September 14, 2012 at 10:04 am

    Yes girl!….you are enough! You will be more than you thought you ever could be…because of Him!

    Reply
  2. Leslie September 14, 2012 at 10:10 am

    Well, I loved you at 16 for who you were then . . . and I love you even more for the woman that you are now. :-) It’s amazing to look at the journey those *few years have taken us, isn’t it? I think it will be interesting to see how we transform even more in the next *few years. (*because I know it has been more than a few, but it still doesn’t seem like it!!) xoxox

    Reply
  3. Courtney Taylor September 14, 2012 at 10:22 am

    Thank you for your words. I felt as if I was reading a letter to the 16 y.o. me! Keep up the beautiful work!
    May God bless you abundantly.
    xo-Courtney Taylor

    Reply
  4. marie September 14, 2012 at 10:43 am

    beautifully written……and a great idea. just ordered the book for my granddaughter…..

    Reply
  5. cyndi September 14, 2012 at 12:17 pm

    Best post I’ve read in a very long time…if not THE best. Seriously, this is awesome and profound and fun and heartfelt and full of love. I laughed and got teary-eyed. Probably because I saw myself in several spots :-) Literally laughed out loud (and knew it was gonna be a good post) when you mentioned Wham! That was the first concert I ever attended :-)

    YOU ARE ENOUGH!

    Reply
  6. Crystal @ Serving Jo September 14, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    Awesome letter! I’m still waiting on the time when I’ll be proactive enough and reach a point when I could have positive things to say to my former self…Right now, I feel like my 16year old girl hasn’t made much progress.

    Reply
  7. Stefanie Brown September 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Oh, sweet friend, growing up I never felt enough! I wasn’t think enough, smart enough, assertive enough or pretty enough. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I found my enough in HIM.
    Thank you for these beautiful words. My younger self would have loved receiving a letter such as this.

    Reply
  8. Jacque Watkins September 14, 2012 at 2:18 pm

    Loved this, my friend! Just beautiful…you are enough…we are enough!

    Reply
  9. Mackenzie September 14, 2012 at 8:41 pm

    This is wonderful. Absolutely incredible. Thank you. As a seventeen year old I’m blessed daily by the community of mentors in Christ the Lord has placed through blogs and has grown my church beyond the building I worship in on Sundays. Finding the letters bloggers are writing are bits and piece of such important wisdom and I’ll be sure to hang on to them during the times when going to the dance seems like the cool thing to do but I stay home because the 9am service is more important to me. Thank you.

    Reply
  10. Reeve September 14, 2012 at 9:50 pm

    Loved getting to Know more about who you are.

    Reply
  11. Barbie September 15, 2012 at 4:23 am

    If someone would have told me I was enough growing, it would have saved so much heartache. Yet, those stepping stones through pain have shaped who I am today. I have loved reading all of the letters in the link up!

    Reply
  12. Southern Gal September 16, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    Why do we put ourselves through so much because of our stubbornness? I’m the same way. I love your letter. Your girls should be proud to have such a wise mama.

    Reply
  13. dawn September 17, 2012 at 9:23 am

    i finally made it back here! i should have known not to read yourletter in the car-line friday… i was almost sobbing, and then school got out and here came cam! i clou;ldn’t have typed anyway, cuz my eyes were just too blurry. but i’ve been thinking about the raw beauty of your letter all weekend…what you wanted to know, and what you know now…oh, your journey. if only someone had old us then… that we were enough. xoxo

    Reply
  14. Amy Dane September 18, 2012 at 8:12 pm

    Oh, my. You’ve said several things here I really needed to hear, among them the reminder that our lives haven’t even begun yet. Really, we can still say that even into our 30s and 40s because we could never fathom all He has in store. The best is yet to come. Thank you–xo

    Reply
  15. K September 22, 2012 at 8:00 pm

    This is the most beautiful letter! Absolutely wildly beautiful!!!! I think I learned more about you here than I have ever known before. I would love to give the sixteen year old you a huge hug!!! i would like to write a letter to the self-conscious me at sixteen someday!

    Reply
  16. kathryn September 24, 2012 at 11:10 am

    still true even for our grown-up selves, don’t ya think! :) beautiful words here, Tracie.

    Reply
  17. click for more October 14, 2018 at 2:36 pm

    I simply want to say I am just all new to blogging and really loved you’re web blog. Very likely I’m planning to bookmark your website . You definitely have incredible articles and reviews. Thanks a bunch for revealing your webpage.

    Reply
  18. Homeservice Club October 22, 2018 at 2:22 am

    Hello my friend! I wish to say that this article is amazing, nice written and come with almost all vital infos. I¡¦d like to peer extra posts like this .

    Reply
  19. Homeservice Club October 22, 2018 at 7:19 am

    I haven¡¦t checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend :)

    Reply
  20. Home Service Club Warranty Reviews October 22, 2018 at 11:07 pm

    My spouse and i were really happy Peter could conclude his reports by way of the precious recommendations he obtained when using the site. It’s not at all simplistic to simply be giving for free solutions which usually the rest could have been selling. We really take into account we need the writer to appreciate because of that. The specific explanations you have made, the easy site menu, the friendships you help to engender – it’s everything powerful, and it is facilitating our son in addition to our family consider that this matter is interesting, and that’s really essential. Thank you for the whole thing!

    Reply
  21. Home Service Club Reviews October 23, 2018 at 3:49 am

    You really make it appear so easy along with your presentation however I to find this matter to be actually one thing which I believe I might by no means understand. It seems too complicated and very large for me. I am having a look forward on your next post, I will attempt to get the grasp of it!

    Reply
  22. Healthier October 23, 2018 at 11:30 pm

    Of course, what a fantastic site and instructive posts, I will bookmark your website.Have an awsome day!

    Reply
  23. Men'S Health October 24, 2018 at 1:47 am

    It’s the best time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I wish to suggest you some interesting things or tips. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to read even more things about it!

    Reply
  24. Health Food October 24, 2018 at 3:22 am

    Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just spectacular and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the gratifying work.

    Reply
  25. Health Food October 24, 2018 at 7:17 am

    I do agree with all the ideas you’ve offered in your post. They are really convincing and can definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are very quick for newbies. Could you please lengthen them a bit from next time? Thanks for the post.

    Reply
  26. Business News Articles October 26, 2018 at 3:11 am

    Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is magnificent blog. A great read. I will certainly be back.

    Reply
  27. Business Line October 26, 2018 at 4:18 am

    Helpful information. Lucky me I discovered your site by chance, and I am surprised why this accident did not happened in advance! I bookmarked it.

    Reply
  28. Small Business October 26, 2018 at 7:04 am

    Hello very cool blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds additionally¡KI am happy to search out so many helpful info here within the submit, we need develop more strategies in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .

    Reply
  29. Online Business October 28, 2018 at 11:20 pm

    Definitely believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the internet the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed while people consider worries that they just do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

    Reply
  30. Opportunity October 29, 2018 at 1:58 am

    I am very happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that’s at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this best doc.

    Reply
  31. Small Business Ideas October 29, 2018 at 7:33 am

    Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is wonderful, as well as the content!

    Reply
  32. Homeserve USA Customer Service October 30, 2018 at 12:05 am

    You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!

    Reply
  33. Homeserve USA Customer Service October 30, 2018 at 3:01 am

    I¡¦ll immediately seize your rss feed as I can not to find your e-mail subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me understand in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.

    Reply
  34. Home Service October 30, 2018 at 6:55 am

    I¡¦m no longer sure the place you are getting your info, however good topic. I must spend a while studying much more or understanding more. Thank you for magnificent information I used to be looking for this info for my mission.

    Reply
  35. Healthy Nutrition October 30, 2018 at 11:38 pm

    Excellent website. Plenty of useful info here. I am sending it to a few buddies ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you for your effort!

    Reply
  36. Business News Articles October 31, 2018 at 10:49 am

    You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!

    Reply
  37. Money October 31, 2018 at 12:05 pm

    Hi there very nice website!! Man .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally¡KI’m happy to find a lot of useful info right here within the put up, we want work out more strategies on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .

    Reply
  38. Business Line October 31, 2018 at 1:41 pm

    I have to show some thanks to you for bailing me out of this situation. After searching through the world-wide-web and getting techniques that were not pleasant, I figured my life was gone. Living minus the solutions to the difficulties you have solved all through your entire short post is a serious case, as well as ones which might have in a negative way affected my career if I hadn’t encountered your site. Your personal know-how and kindness in controlling a lot of things was very helpful. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t discovered such a thing like this. I can also now look ahead to my future. Thanks for your time very much for your high quality and amazing guide. I will not be reluctant to endorse your site to any individual who needs guidelines on this topic.

    Reply
  39. Business Plan November 1, 2018 at 7:18 am

    Usually I don’t learn article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thanks, quite great article.

    Reply
  40. Health Store November 2, 2018 at 5:16 am

    Hello there, I found your web site by means of Google whilst searching for a related topic, your web site got here up, it appears to be like great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

    Reply
  41. Homeserve USA Customer Service November 3, 2018 at 2:08 am

    Its like you read my mind! You seem to know so much about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a bit, but other than that, this is great blog. A great read. I will certainly be back.

    Reply
  42. Plumbing November 3, 2018 at 3:49 am

    I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don’t know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger if you are not already ;) Cheers!

    Reply
  43. Money November 4, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website. I am hoping the same high-grade web site post from you in the upcoming also. Actually your creative writing skills has inspired me to get my own web site now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a good example of it.

    Reply
  44. Art Painting November 5, 2018 at 1:54 am

    Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a really well written article. I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will definitely return.

    Reply
  45. Paint November 5, 2018 at 7:41 am

    I¡¦ve been exploring for a little bit for any high-quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this web site. Reading this info So i¡¦m glad to show that I have an incredibly excellent uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to don¡¦t overlook this site and provides it a look regularly.

    Reply
  46. Business News Articles November 5, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    Thank you, I have recently been looking for information approximately this topic for a long time and yours is the greatest I’ve found out so far. But, what in regards to the bottom line? Are you sure concerning the supply?

    Reply
  47. Small Business Ideas November 5, 2018 at 10:53 pm

    Wow, fantastic blog format! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you make blogging look easy. The full look of your site is excellent, let alone the content material!

    Reply
  48. Barrister November 6, 2018 at 9:49 pm

    Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.

    Reply
  49. Profitability November 6, 2018 at 10:00 pm

    I keep listening to the news bulletin lecture about receiving free online grant applications so I have been looking around for the most excellent site to get one. Could you tell me please, where could i get some?

    Reply
  50. Business Website November 6, 2018 at 11:13 pm

    Good web site! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I’m wondering how I could be notified when a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed which must do the trick! Have a great day!

    Reply

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *