Dear Adwoa,
I know that ever since quarantine passed, you have changed. You got quieter and started caring more about your physical appearance. You lost your grandfather (who you didn’t even get a chance to meet) and you couldn’t see your friends for over a year. It was harder for you to socialize and you started overthinking more. Once you did go back to school in-person, you were still insecure and even memories of the minor events throughout the day that bothered you would linger until the end of the week. I want to let you know that you do have a purpose and you are worth something. There are so many opportunities that are coming your way, so just remember you are not wasting your time.
Back then, you didn’t realize what it truly meant to be a child of God. You didn’t realize how valuable you already were and how much you would continue to grow. The lies that you were believing caused you to begin struggling with anxiety. This would lead to you having anxiety attacks. There was even a time where your team lost a volleyball game, and you had an anxiety attack in the gym afterwards. On the way home, your mom kept commenting on the attack while your sister tried to comfort you and get your mom to stop talking about it. You felt like nobody would understand what you were going through. The truth is, you were never supposed to go through this on your own. Recognizing this would cause you to start taking your relationship with Jesus seriously, and you’ll later come to see how gracious God has been to you.
Now I know that I am loved because God has shown His love to me. I know that God is using me to fulfill His perfect will. Knowing this information, I want you to remember who your Creator is, no matter what you are going through. Even when it may seem hard, just reminding yourself that Jesus really does love you is enough for you to get through the day. Remind yourself also to be patient, because your time will come soon. Don’t rush into things that you will later come to regret because it seemed like everyone else was doing it, and don’t envy the blessings of others either. Use this truth to guide you in all that you do and go through in your life.
Taking a different path led me to living a life that I didn’t even know I was worth living. Not only is there more joy in my life, but I am no longer struggling with anxiety and have emotional peace in my life. By God’s grace, I have received two spiritual gifts (and hopefully more) and I can strongly feel His presence in my life. As well as having these gifts, I am also working to be aligned with my purpose. Additionally, doors of academic opportunity have been opened in my life. I was blessed with four scholarships and I will be attending the high school that I have wanted to attend since second grade. I no longer need to prove to myself that I am valuable, because I am confident in who I am and who God says I am. In conclusion, God has not only delivered me but has been good to me in so many ways. So if you take anything away from this letter, let it be that God has never stopped loving you and that He is always there for you when nobody else is.
Sincerely,
Your future self.
Adowa Mintah – Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School – DMSF Class of 2029
Photo Credit: Kablonk Micro – Adobe Stock