My beloved Child,

You know, I knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139: 13-14) I had great fun designing your skin in such a way that you could feel the grains of sand between your toes, the roughness of rocks and bark, the smoothness of a cool drink, the tickle of a breeze on the back of your neck, the yelp of pain that comes from sliding your hand across a jagged piece of glass, the joy of a hug. Think about all the different parts of your body and how they respond to touch. Think about the difference between the thickness of your soles and the sensitivity of your fingertips and your eyes. I did right good, didn’t I, when I got busy crafting you?

Did you know I thought of you when I did all that creating way back when? How ‘bout them waves, dancing under the sun which I designed to rise and shine each day for you?  (Psalm 20:4-6) Come out tonight and look up. See those stars that sparkle? I know them each by name. The heavens declare My glory; the skies proclaim the work of My hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, My signature and voice, to be exact. (Psalm 19) 

Sometimes, I know you have a sleepless night. I get that. I neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4) You are always on my heart and in my mind. I never drift away from loving you, Child of mine.  

Do you know how much I love you? Like friends and lovers do, I thought of what would please you and made sure I could gift those things to you. When I put up the majestic mountains and the tumbling seas, I knew you would be thrilled. 

What else do you like about this world I made? I’m glad you like those things…I made them to give you pleasure, and to remind you of Me

I know sometimes you have questions about some whys in your life. Another of my children did the same. Job. And though he had many good questions, like you do, I gave him no answers, save one. The answer is only this. I am God. I am mystery. If you understood Me completely or what I am up to, would I be worth worshiping?

You may think that not telling you everything is evasive on My part. But really, I’m not sure I could explain the whys and wherefores of your life to you right now, or that you would grasp it all if I did explain it. This is one of those times you have to let Me be in control. Trust. Wait. Know who I am. Let Me take you on the path. I will never leave you. (Psalm 9:10) I have great plans for you. (Jeremiah 29: 11-14) There is hope for your future. (Jer. 31: 17) 

I have loved you with an everlasting love. (Jer. 31: 3) And always will love you with an everlasting love. 

Some days it seems that you have a bit of amnesia, child. Spiritual amnesia. You seem to have forgotten who you are. You are wondering if you ever became My child. That enemy of yours, satan, likes to feed you doubts and lies. Don’t listen. 

Instead listen to Me. Let Me refresh your memory. I remember the day you called out to Me. I leapt up and down! Then I ran off the porch to swing you around in My arms. I was so glad you were home. In My arms. Where you belong. 

Kind of like the father did for the younger son. Remember in Luke 15 how the father saw the son, when the son was still a long way off, and he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him? 

That’s what happened between you and Me, Child. You came towards me, and I came flying towards you. And the angels rejoiced. And the cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11 shouted out hurray. And some of my faithful prayer warriors danced a jig that you had come to know Me, the One true God. You may have forgotten or be unsure. I am not unsure. Nor are the angels. Nor are My children. Nor is satan. 

Go look at Romans 10:9-10. You confessed with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord. That’s it. Said and done. Your salvation is not based on your actions, past, present, or future, but on My Son’s actions. And He is able to keep what you committed to Him. (2 Tim. 1:12)  

But every now and then, that old snake satan tries to fill your fuzzy head with his usual pack of lies and accusations. All through the centuries he has been accusing My sons and daughters.  (Revelation 12:10) 

But here’s what you need to recall. You may, at one moment or another, have forgotten who you are and when you came to Me, but I haven’t forgotten who you are and when you came to Me. So even if you don’t trust your own memory, trust Mine. 

I sealed you with the Holy Spirit. 

I claim you, Child, as My own forever. 

Don’t you forget that, please. Be confident in Christ’s work. (Philippians 1:6) 

Be convinced that NOTHING can separate you from My love. (Romans 8:38-39) 

Would you do Me a favor, Child? Would you REMEMBER? 

My children the Israelites had such a hard time with this. They would forget who I was. And that would make them forget who they were. So they’d go off on their merry way, running really in circles, and acting so independent of Me. But, of course, as soon as they fell down and skinned their knee, they’d cry out. And I’d come running again. They forgot. But I didn’t. And it is the same with you. 

You are dear to me. So dear I sent My Son to die for you. I wouldn’t trade you for anything. I am so glad you are Mine. Yes, you. No, you are not a disaster. It’s not true that there is nothing good in you. You have Jesus in you. You have the Holy Spirit in you. He’s pretty cool. You are My child even when you stumble and fall, even when you forget me for a little while in your day. But, you are being refined by the journey of life, through My Son Jesus. Would you REMEMBER who you are and who in the universe I AM???

So one of the things I want you to do while you are here with Me today is to remember who I am. Think about what you know of Me. What is My character? How have I showed up in the universe? The world? In your life? What have you come to know is true of Me? 

If you are not sure of your place with Me, remember this. I am truth. I only tell the truth. Do you believe that? The truth is I, the eternal Creator, the Almighty, the Deliverer, the Everlasting King, the Father of Glory and lights, the Fortress, the God Most High, the Holy One, I AM WHO I AM, the Lion of Judah, the Lord Your God, the Potter, the Refiner, the Rock, the Shield, the One True God…

I ADORE you, Child. 

I adore you from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. 

I have adored you since before the world began. 

I adore you yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever. 

I don’t love you more when you know your own heart and live there well. I don’t love you less when you flounder and fail. 

I love you always, no matter what. 

My love for you is constant. Relentless. Endless. It is deeper than the deepest canyon and higher than the highest mountain. It is not changed by what you do. My love crosses time and space. It crosses highs and lows. It crosses joys and sorrows. It crosses saintly acts and sinful ones. It is what it is. Eternal. A gift. Grace. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Wrapped in the blood of the Lamb on the cross. Tied up in the wonder of resurrection. And that lump in your throat right now, and those tears that are welling up in your eyes, are all part of My glorious design. 

I remember the day you were born. Your first school and that parade of teachers. Your first this and your first that. Your first job. Your teen years. The moments or weeks or ways you lived loud and away from Me. I know the people whose lives have touched your and those whose life you touch. Your friends. Your family. Your coworkers. And countless others. 

I delight in how you pursue others for My kingdom. Some just wouldn’t know Jesus if it wasn’t for your pursuit of them. 

You look a lot like My Son when you just show up and hang out with those who are wondering and lost and seeking and…. 

I do know you are in a pit at some moments. Don’t fret. I’m going to make sure you don’t stay in a pit. I’m putting a new song in your mouth. (Psalm 40:1-3) I am restoring the years the locust ate. (Joel 2:25) Yes, at times your spirit is broken as is your heart (Psalm 51:17) But My Son dwells in your heart, Child. (Eph. 3:17-19) You now have a heart of flesh, rather than a heart of stone. (Ezekiel 11:19) Your heart is good, not because of who and what you are but because of Who and what I AM. 

So let me remind you of who you are. 

You are my child.  (John 1:12) My workmanship, and I don’t make any junk! (Ephesians 2:10) My coworker. (2 Corinthians 6:1) You are alive, as you have crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24) You are my beloved child. I love you. (John 16:27) You have fellowship with both Jesus and Me. (1 John 1:3) You are friends with my Son Jesus. (John 15:15) You are coheir with Christ. (Romans 8:17). You are salt and light. (Matthew 5:13-14) You are a fragrant aroma. (2 Corinthians 2:15) You stand firm in Christ. (2 Cor. 1:21) You are sealed in your heart with the Spirit, who guarantees what is to come. (2 Cor. 1: 22) 

You are LOVED. Forever and ever, by Me. I made you. I love you. You are mine. REMEMBER THAT!!!

Now enough of that for the moment. On to a few other things. 

You are, at times, restless. I want you to ponder that. You have deep godly desires. Listen to those. Learn to sort the good desires from the bad ones. Remember that I write things on to the pages of your life. Have you ever considered that maybe I am behind some of those new longings for more? There are times I want to get you moving in some new directions. And you are sometimes a little thickheaded. But I’ve noticed that pain is a great attention getter. Sometimes I allow a physical pain, an emotional pain, a relational pain because those pains drive you back to Me, deeper into dependence on Me. I’m here. I’m trying to remind you that all of life comes from Me. 

And, of course, satan is trying to get you to believe the opposite. That you are unloved. Unuseful to the kingdom. But he is wrong and I am right. Don’t believe the message of the arrows. Believe the message of the glory I have written on your heart. You are amazing. You are equipped to do great things for me. You are my warrior child. You have authority over the enemy and his minions. 

Just look at how you are love others. You can’t see what the future impact is of that time and love you are pouring out will bring forth, but I can. Some will invite other people to Jesus because you invited them to Jesus first. Some might not even pay attention now. But, one day in the future, when life hits hard, they will recall how you told them about Me. They may go on to be a leader for Me in other arenas of their life, just because you took the time to love on them now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are always My instrument for hope.

You may think you are not able to do many things for Me. Look at what has happened over time. Look at whom I have used. Abraham. Who lied about his wife being his sister. Moses who stuttered. David who slept with his backyard neighbor and then killed her husband. David had to change directions, but what did I say about him? He was the apple of My eye. How about Rahab, the prostitute? I used her to help My people. And fast forward to the times of Jesus. What about proud and boasting Peter? He denied My Son then I used him to build the church. Or Paul. On the road to Damascus I turned his world on end. Let’s look at other examples. Think about folks you know that were running the wrong direction for wrong purposes Now they partner with Me for Kingdom good.

Child, open your hands. Just be available. I know praying is sometimes hard for you. But really anytime you are thinking about life, love, faith, you are praying. You are communicating in your head and heart with Me. So don’t you dare let the enemy take you out. Don’t you dare let him convince you that I, the Lord your God, your heavenly Father who adores you, am not here, or that you are not loved. satan is always wrong. 

There’s more. You are wrapped around the axel about some mess in your life. Maybe it’s a friend or a relative or a coworker or a boss that’s difficult. Or someone has betrayed you. Yes, life is indeed messy. That’s really nothing new under the sun. Brothers and sisters squabble Families betray one another. Look at Esau and Jacob. Cain and Abel. Joseph and his brothers. Trickery. Anger. Split apart. Murder. Messes everywhere. But never beyond My reach. Remember that.

I know that forgiveness doesn’t come easy. Could you just put all the broken pieces, like shards of a dropped pot, into My hands? You are clutching them so tight. Look, your hands are bleeding. So is your heart. Let’s pry open your fingers and just drop it all in My hands. I’m good at fixing broken things. Like broken hearts. And broken relationships. Can you just trust Me to be in control here? I know you are private. I know it was so hard for you to trust that friend, that relative, that coworker. And then they blew it. You have places you hurt from trauma and Trauma. You have places where your life is a mess. I’m not going to tell you how it will be resolved but know this. I know your pain. Remember there is nothing beyond My reach. 

Child, I want you to relax some and enjoy your time with Me. Notice the beauty I like to dazzle you with. Feel the sun on your face. Hear the birds as they fly by. Along with that, be aware that there are plenty of distractions, sent by the enemy. 

Keep on looking at My face, My heart, ‘cause I am always looking at your face, your heart.

Go play and laugh with others but also come into My presence more and more.

Listen to My Word spoken: Jesus. 

Listen to My Word written: Scripture. 

Listen to My Word created: Nature. 

Listen to My Word alive in My body: the community of others who love Me. S

pend time worshipping Me each day. 

Spend time mulling over My Words to your heart.

I need you to know how much I love you, Child.

Love you forever and ever,

Love,

God

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Featured photos are by Ana Gabriel, Karl Fredrickson, Skyler Smith, Samuel Scrimshaw, and Cedric Letsch via Unsplash.