Day 1 - You Fear the World, Don't You?

Letters to my teenage self 

A Devotional for Trauma Survivors 

Day 1 

Dear teenage self, 

You fear the world, don’t you? You think everyone and everything is out to get you. That is a lie that is cemented in your head, and it will not leave you until you decide to look up. No, not at the sky – at Jesus. It is hard to look up, isn’t it? It requires bravery.  

There is so much that you are allowing to hold you back. You feel out of control, but you have more control over your life than you think you do. I challenge you today to be brave and to look upwards to the sky. Soak it all in – the colors, the vastness of it, the way you feel small and insignificant. Sit with all of it for a few moments, and then I want you to consider an unfamiliar perspective – you are deeply, passionately, unconditionally loved by Jesus Christ.  

Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: 

Forget your people and your father’s house. 

Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; 

honor him, for he is your lord. 

+Psalm 45:10,11 (NIV) 

The LORD (Yahweh) is calling you to Himself. He desires to heal you and offer you a new life. Will you listen to Him? Will you let Him in and allow Him to love you? Pray with me.  

Heavenly Father, I am scared to heal. Painful chaos is my normal. Love and kindness feel strange to me, and I am not sure if I can trust those around me who say that they love me. I am having trouble taking You at Your Word, but I am at the end of my rope. This pain is too great, Lord. Please take it from me and lead me gently into healing. I am scared, but I know that You only want the best for me. Give me Your faith so that I can trust You more and lean into Your healing and Your love. In Jesus’s Name. Amen.  

Stay tuned for another episode. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.

 

 

 

Daily Devotions - Letters to My Teenage Self

One of the greatest aspects of Christianity is Jesus' ability to take any amount of darkness and pain and immediately speak Light into the darkness, healing the pain. With just mere Words from Jesus, entire lives are transformed. 

Because we walk with Jesus and are called to be His hands and feet and offer the same encouragement to others that we receive, I've decided to take this platform and transform it from something that merely shares my own experiences, to something that shares God's Word each day while encouraging growth and a personal relationship with Jesus. I pray that this finds the people who need it the most and that it encourages you to dig deeper into your walk with Jesus. 

If this is the first time you've ever considered a walk with Jesus, please allow me to introduce you to Him. He is a God of absolutes. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. His desire is never to harm you. He always loves you. He always desires the best for you. He will always tell you the truth. He will never lie to you. 

Jesus loves you so much that He humbled Himself, and came to earth, born of a Virgin, from Heaven. He spent roughly 33 years on earth ministering to us, showing us how God desires us to live while abstaining perfectly from sin. Though He knew no sin, He became sin when we accused Him of falsely claiming to be our God. He took our verbal abuse, our insults, our physical torment, and our ultimate punishment - death, and died upon the cross. Three days later, He proved to the world that He conquered death by rising again. He now resides in Heaven but will come again in Glory to take all of us who believe in Him and call on His name for salvation, to Heaven to live in eternal Glory with Him.

If you recognize your sin, the burden of it, and want to lean into a deeper relationship with Jesus, I encourage you to reach out to Him now, praying aloud: 

Jesus. I want to know You. I don't want to live without You even one more day. Please forgive me for all that I have done and said against you. I need You. In Your Name, I pray, Jesus. Amen. 

I also encourage you to memorize the Lord's Prayer. It contains everything you need for a complete prayer each day. 

Our Father who resides in heaven,

Holy is Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power, and the glory,

forever and ever.

Amen.

Stay tuned for another episode. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.

Pictures of my teenage self 

1998-2001