My first assignment as a Compassion blogger is to write a letter to my childhood self. I'm a little nervous about this, but I'll try to be honest.
Dear childhood Cathy,
You often sit alone at lunch break and ponder. Others mock you and tell you your weird, your too quiet, your ugly, your stupid. You don't know how to stand up for yourself, so you just sit under that large oak tree and ponder. You know God loves you, but no one at school is showing you.
I want to tell you, that you are special, you are unique and loved. I'll play with you at recess and laugh with you and have fun. I'll try to bring out the gifts God has given you. Your quiet spirit, your deep sympathy, your loyalty. I won't make fun of those qualities, but try and help you embrace them.
I will talk to you about your identity. That Jesus is all you need and hope that you believe it in your deepest heart. I know you are just starting to believe that now, as an adult. Your teens will get better and you'll grow as an adult, but when you hit your 40's you will have trials that will show you God is all you need. He is the one who will be there for you, trust Him.
There are children all over the world who need to be encouraged and shown the love of God. Will you think about sponsoring one of them? Speaking into their lives and helping them with the essentials of life?
Thought provoking, Cathy. Thank you sharing in such a transparent way. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you. I'm hopping over from the IP link up. I can see that little Cathy there in my mind's eye, and I just want to protect her and all the little kids from that pain of not knowing who they are nor their true value to Jesus. I'm so glad you know him now and that you are passionate about others knowing him too through Compassion International too. A great ministry.
Jennifer Dougan
www.jenniferdougan.com
Cathy, I felt like your childhood self as I read this. Children so need encouragement and maybe that is why I became a teacher of the younger elementary age. I loved them dearly. I still do even though I am retired. Thanks for your caring and tender heart...for sharing too.
ReplyDeleteCaring through Christ, ~ linda
Hi Cathy, I found you through Fellowship Fridays :-) I wish my childhood self received this letter! I sponsor through another organization, but I pray that this touching post will encourage others to become sponsors. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteSweet letter...wishing I could give that little girl some kind words and maybe a hug. I'm here from Barbie's.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting. It is amazing the things we discover the longer we live. What a blessing for those like you who come more and more to the realization that God loves you for who you are. So many "ugly ducklings" turn into swans. I love that. I'm glad you discovered Spiritual Sundays and shared this with us there.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Charlotte
Such a beautiful letter. I often felt like you as a young child. My husband and I are praying about sponsoring a child through a different organization. There are so many children that need help. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI wrote a letter my sophomore year in high school about what I wanted my life to be like in 10 years. It helped me define the kind of man I wanted to marry - and it became a kind of contract. It made a huge difference in my life.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet, encouraging letter to yourself. I bet there's a lot of encouragement, too, in what you experienced in your 40s:) Thank you for sharing. BTW - I have a honey bunch and heidi book, too. I love old books and their stories of hope prevailing!
A beautiful letter to your childhood self. Bless you for your heart to sponsor a child through Compassion. I hope every child is sponsored. I just returned from Guatemala and I believe God is calling me to contribute to one of the ministries I spent time with. But I will be praying for the many who are writing for Compassion and for these children. Stopping by from Barbie's.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you.
Thank-you all for the kinds words! It wasn't an easy thing to write about. Nice to see so many with a prayerful heart about sponsoring!
ReplyDeleteAlso thank-you all for taking the time to stop by and comment. : )