Dear Teenager,

These will seem like the hardest years of your life, and well they might very well be but you will get through them.  My heart sends these words to you: 

You are cherished and not a mistake.  Regardless of how you are treated, what lies are told to you or about you.  No matter the mistakes you’ve made or how bad your past has been.  Your past is not your present. Your past is not your present even though you might believe that it is. Who you were and what you might have done does not necessarily equate to who you are now or who you can be.  God has a plan for you.  Life can be “bad” but God is ALWAYS good.  Every day is a new chance to get life right.  God made you for a purpose.

You are unique:  There is no one on earth that can ever compare to you.  Never compare yourself to another person.  Never compare your messy insides to other people’s cleaned up outsides. You are loved for you, not who you think you need to be.

You have a destiny:  As I’ve said, God created you for a purpose and though you may stray from the path from time to time, you still have a purpose.  You will move in and out of the lives of others, make sure that you are a good influence.  Use your words to lift up not tear down.  Live for your future not your past.  "You cannot amputate your history from your destiny." - Beth Moore  Find your purpose and live it out to your fullest.

People suck: Somebody in your life will let you down.  Somebody in authority will mess up.  Don’t let negative words or actions penetrate their way into your soul.  Society does not look out for your best interest nor will they promote the highest form of humanity.  Not everyone will agree with you and that is OK.  "Have courage and be kind" - Cinderella's mother.  God will never let you down.  He will put somebody in your life will help you make the right choices, avoid the wrong, lift you up, and help you see through these ages…find that person and cherish them.

Phases in life are just that, phases: Stop, breath and when things don’t go as you planed or you’re confused…turn to God and someone you trust.  They will get your through these crazy times.  Your path in life is not guaranteed to be paved with gold, but it is guaranteed to be in God’s hands if you just trust him. This too shall pass.  2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever.  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

Perfection is not achievable: so don't aim for it.    

Patience (endure discomfort without complaint) is a faithfulness: impatience is an evil we all have to deal with.  Waiting is hard.  However, waiting, is merely letting your path be prepared in God’s timing not yours.  The best is worth waiting for.  Remember unanswered prayers, are probably blessing in disguise.

Lastly and most importantly, live by faith. Place your faith in God, not yourself, your friends, significant others, teachers or influential people.  I’ll say it again, PLACE YOUR FAITH IN GOD.  Life is not measured on likes or dislikes.  Happiness is not based on the number of friends you have, but how deep your relationships are.  Your self-worth should not be based on how other see you, but how God sees you.  Don’t live for the acceptance of others, but for the acceptance, love and grace of God.  Stay true to who you are, not who someone wants you to be.

YOU ARE LOVED.  YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL/HANDSOME.  YOU ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF A LOVING GOD THAT WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.