Sweet friends, you’re in for a treat! Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite humans on the planet: Bethany. I met this amazing woman several years ago through a mutual friend (our bestie below on the left), and we’ve been mutually smitten ever since.
Bethany is wise, she is kind, she is hilarious, and she is insanely gifted. You can read more about her here. She also lives a world away now and I drink more tea to cope with her absence. She’s the lovely one in the middle who’s face I appear to be devouring.
I’m so honored to share this little platform with her, so without further ado, please join me welcoming sweet B to the Simply Bloom writing team…
A L E T T E R T O M Y B A B E S : P H I L I P P I A N S S T Y L E
(Paraphrased from the book of Philippians…)
There are so many things I want to say. So many important things that seem to get swept away by the relentless current of our full days.
Read it over and over little ones.
Let it settle in your heart.
THIS.
This is the Truth that will set you free.
Every time I think of you my little one, I thank God for you! I pray for you constantly, always overcome with joy because I have held you in my arms since your first breath and in my heart since your first heartbeat. My prayer for you is this:
That first and foremost your love will burst through all boundaries! And that you will grow in knowledge and the ability to discern what is BEST – not just good enough, but what is BEST – so that you may always remain pure, not muddied by the sin and darkness in your heart or in this world. I pray that the fruit of the living in step with the Spirit will fill up your entire being.
I am so confident that God is the one at work in you, which gives me huge comfort, (because as hard as I have tried to be the best mom I can, I constantly fall short and fail you) and He has promised that HE WILL BE FAITHFUL to complete the work in you. We only have to be patient and wait until the day Jesus comes back for us. I can’t wait to see how He transforms your body, already made in His image, into a glorious heavenly body! It’s coming one day baby. Hold tight.
Carefully determine who you will journey with in this life – choose people who love the Lord with all their heart and mind and soul and strength. Don’t become like those around you who have set out on a path of destruction. Let nothing steal your joy. Instead fix your eyes on the only one who can Save – who has and is and will bring everything under His control. You can trust Him.
And when life gets hard, and it will my sweet, know that there will come a day when all the wrongs will be made right. We will have an eternity where peace and justice and love reign from on high. Take heart, Jesus has come, and is coming and will always come to your rescue. Until then, know that it’s an honor to have heard the Good News and to believe in Jesus, and also to suffer for him. (Because there are millions each day who live and die without ever hearing that Rescue has come.)
I long to be with you always. I can’t imagine a day when I am not by your side. But WHATEVER HAPPENS, always position your heart and your actions in right step with God – so that by your actions, the people around you will see the Good News living in you. Stand strong, always seeking unity with your sisters and with your community. Work together as one body for Jesus, and don’t ever be afraid of anyone who might stand against you.
With your sisters and all your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, strive to share the same mind, hold on to the same Love so that you can be ONE in spirit and purpose. Never act out of your ambition or selfishness or out of what is only best for you, but be humble like Jesus was – consider others better than yourself.
There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. But there is one thing I couldn’t do for you – I couldn’t save you from the darkness in your heart, any more than I could save myself. But Jesus did it! And God says that we are supposed to be just like him! This is who Jesus is:
Jesus was God.
Get that – He is God. (Let that sink in deep.)
But instead of holding tight to his power (which he had the right to do) he emptied himself of everything.
The Creator became like the created.
He obeyed everything His Father sent Him to do, even the most painful, shameful, public death imaginable.
(We will never know how much this really cost Him.)
But because he obeyed…
Faithful Papa God lifted Him up to the highest position, and gave Him the Name above all Names.
So when His name is spoken EVERY KNEE WILL BOW in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
(One day we will all bow little ones, because Jesus IS the Truth and His Name IS above every other name…so he presents us with an invitation: position your heart to bow before Him now…or feel your knee hit reality when it is too late.)
Everyone will finally see and confess that Jesus Christ IS THE LORD.
Glory to God!
Therefore, Beloved, as you were taught to obey while you were in our household, continue to obey when you are on your own and no one is watching. Continue in a posture of deep respect and reverence, never taking it lightly that it is the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE who is working in you right now, to change your heart and your will and help you act according to His Good Purposes. Do everything without complaining or arguing – literally everything – so that you can become blameless and pure and be true children of God (which is the most important position you can ever hold). This world is dark and lost and depraved, but you Child of God, shine like the stars on the deepest darkest night as you hold out the Word of Life.
Shine baby.
There isn’t anything you can do to shine on your own. Consider everything filthy rags before the Holiness of God. There is no rule you can keep, no service you can provide, no words you can say that will make you holy enough to stand before God. There is only Christ – his work on the cross and his work in your life. Know Him. He is good. I pray that you will have true relationship with Him, becoming just like Him, even if it means suffering and death – because death in Christ leads to resurrection!
I am not telling you these things because I am perfect. You have seen my fall flat on my face as I try to keep step with Jesus. But every day God gives me the strength to stand on his new mercies and to press on again and again toward the Prize. He is the prize. He is the only goal. And you are one of the greatest reasons that I continue to press in and press on.
Beloved babes – There are no words to express how much I love you – you are my constant joy – Stand firmly on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Rejoice always. Always, always have Joy! Be gentle with everyone, even when it seems impossible, remember that God is more near that you can imagine. Practice this daily: Do not be anxious about anything – nothing! – but in every single detail of your life (because there is no distinction between spiritual and secular, nothing that is too minuscule for God to care about) ask our Good Papa to work it out, talk with him about it and then leave it in His hands. The best way to keep away anxiety is to pray constantly and give thanks in all circumstances, even the ugly ones. God promises that when we do this, His Peace – that far surpasses our understanding – will guard our hearts and minds. You will be protected and safe.
God has made your mind a powerful tool – so therefore resolve to only ponder things that are True, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praise worthy. Choose to obey all the things Jesus has commanded us to do. Know that the God of Peace will always be with you.
Only Papa knows what your future holds. I pray that whether you have more than enough or if you are struggling along, that you will find your contentment – real, lasting contented joy – in Him. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. My God, the God of the Bible, the Creator of the Universe, the One Who Holds ALL THINGS Together – He is the one who will meet all of your needs. His resources are endless and glorious and constantly flowing from Jesus Christ. May He get the Glory in your life little one.
Remember, there is always Grace.
Grace is always enough.
You are enough because He is enough.
[photo credit: Cate]
