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Dear Child,

Today we celebrate another year of your life.  What a crazy, wonderful, exhausting year it has been. Over the past several months, numerous people have confirmed my own thoughts that God is going to use you to do something great.  In my daydreams I have pictured you, a wise, strong individual, who continually displays courage.  I have envisioned you boldly using truth to show love all over the world. I have imagined you doing something great. These dreams of mine have not ceased, but I've awakened to the reality that God is not waiting to use your life. 

God is already using you to do great things.   

He is using your life to show me his strength. On my days of physical tiredness from comforting you in the night and in my moments of emotional exhaustion from hiding and holding my worry, God is using your life to show me how truly mighty and generous he is.  He not only offers to give me strength beyond my own, but he asks to take my burdens so I can rest.

He is using your life to remind me to seek truth.  This year has brought trauma, independence and stubbornness.  As a result of these challenges that come with parenthood, I have had to desperately hold on to the fact God is sovereign and I have had to seek out whether or not he is good. Child, through his word and infinite evidence from our days, I can confidently say he offers grace in EVERY circumstance- even the hard ones.

He is using your life to reveal his love for me. Your random hugs and the cuddles that come when you feel sick are some of my favorite things. In those moments, I'm reminded I have a heavenly parent who longs for a loving relationship with me. He wants me to come to him with my joys and my sorrows. He is there to guide me, love me and discipline me with amazing grace.

Child, God is using you whether you are aware of it or not.  As you grow older, I urge you to seek out his good works and willingly join him. Remember to  always look to him in his strength.  This means on easy days and hard days. Be knowledgeable of the truth and allow him to reveal it through you. It may be painful to give and to receive, but just like the shots at the doctor, that pain is for a greater good.  Lastly, bask in his unfailing love it will then naturally pour out of you onto others.

God has more incredible plans for you, my love, and I am excited to see them unfold. 

I love you.
Mom

Pictures by J. DeVisser and TCJ Design

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