Make her proud

I am sure you’ve heard the quote, “Be the person that would make your younger self proud.”

When was the last time you’ve thought about your childhood? What was life really like before our society told you who you could be or how you should be living your life?

Looking back... I remember what it felt like to be a carefree and independent girl. Even though I was little, I was strong. Life was beautiful in all directions, no matter how I looked at it. I can remember what it felt like to play outside until the street lights came on without a worry in the world, before the word "cellulite" had any meaning, before my outfits had to match, before fast food had an unhealthy perception. It's hard not to miss that life and childlike feeling.

There is a reason why the Bible talks so much about childlike faith. Because there are no distractions, only pure and honest hearts.

To be childlike is the opposite of being independent and ‘grown up’. Children tend to be open, receptive, trusting, humble, loving, and forgiving. When I think about these traits, I'm reminded that a God centered life is similar to a child's life, with a childlike dependence on him. You become childlike when you show and share your honest feelings, when you acknowledge fragility and vulnerability, when you recognize how much you need God and other like minded people.

A few years ago I saw a little girl walking down a sidewalk with her dad, holding his hand and laughing as they walked. At the time, I was suffering from severe depression, struggling to survive within a very toxic relationship with my then husband. I struggled to hold back my tears as I watched the innocence of that precious little girl and the perfect memories she was making with her dad. I remember asking myself, "If that little girl were you, would she want to grow up and be in your current shoes?" When I realized my answer was "No", I began to sob. Because of her, I was really able to look at the severity of my unhealthy relationship with childlike eyes. The lesson that I learned changed my life forever.

In my opinion, children are the closest thing to Heaven that we will ever see this side of eternity. Children are instinctively driven to explore and discover, with purity and innocence at the core of their curiosity. They neither dwell in the past nor settle for the present, but look forward towards the future, fueled by wonder and an immense capacity for enjoyment. What if, just for a second, you could cultivate this freedom to respond instinctively like a child? What would it feel like to express wonder, awe, love, and joy --- to rush in and eagerly explore, probe, and discover things for yourself without fear of judgement, exposure, risk, stress, or insecurity.

Ask yourself this... Is the way you are currently living in line with how your younger self would have wanted for you to be as a grown up? Would the child that you once were be proud of the adult you are now? I pray today that you take these questions to heart. They have the power to really make you examine your current state. If your answer is "No", the simplest way to turn things around is to start praying. Ask God to fill you with your natural, childlike wisdom and light. We are His children. He wants all of us, at any age, to experience the awe and wonders of this world. What is keeping you from that?

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like the little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Matthew 18:3

How can I be praying for you? I am here for you. You are not alone. With Christ, there is always Hope.

xo

Brittany