{Faith & Motherhood} A Letter To My Daughter: Lessons On Stepping Out On Faith

Somewhere inside every mom is this desire to share her heart with her children. Not just the basics on life and living but the real scoop without filter. This is especially true with a girl-child because we often want to spare our young girls the negative experiences we may have had or the bad choices we may have made. This need to speak frankly to our baby girls is often born from the wish we all have to talk to and advise our younger selves. Because in a way, when we speak to our daughters, that’s exactly who we are talking to: our younger selves.

Here’s my shot at bringing the past and future together:

My Sweet MaKayla:

Many times we make things more complicated than they have to be. We entangle ourselves trying to “figure” out God’s will for our lives. We search through hundreds of self-help books and blogs for our “purpose.” And while I believe He appreciates the effort, I sometimes feel like God is shaking His head at us and saying, “Child, be still. Go with what I gave you.” LOL! Like he told Moses when he questioned how he was going to free the Hebrew people, “What do you have in your hand?” Moses had a staff and that staff was an integral tool—not the only one, for sure—used to gain their freedom.

You have many gifts, my love. And I will ensure you are educated. These, at least initially, will be the resources you will need to accomplish your purpose. Go with that.

Your steps of faith will be honored, even when you are uncertain of your direction. Sometimes we have a desire and like Abraham, we sense God saying, “Go.” He doesn’t say where… he doesn’t say how… he doesn’t say what. He says “Go.” And like Abraham, what you find is that AS YOU GO, God begins to direct your path. But he desires that step of faith. Yes, it may feel like wandering. But it is actually directional. When I look back over my life, I can actually see God at work throughout every choice and decision, good or bad. I see the theme of my life’s work throughout it all. My only hope is that you realize this much sooner than I did.

Don’t be afraid to do what God has called you to do. That fear is a hindrance. You must be willing to step out in a direction in faith.

Now you don’t step out all willy-nilly like. LOL! That’s where this other stuff comes in.

Examine your motives. Are you going somewhere because you are running away (a recurring theme in my life)? Or do you need to get away… be set apart… so that you can clear your head and hear God clearly? The hard reality is that sometimes it’s both. But you have to make sure that the larger percentage lies in a desire to set yourself apart so that you can make your next move. If you do this then each move will move you closer to your purpose.

Also, examine your efforts. Are you doing all that you can to obtain what you want? God provides for His vision so that’s often a way to tell whether or not it is within His will. What doors are opening? Which ones aren’t? Pay CLOSE attention to this.

If you don’t remember anything else, remember this: “Revelation comes after Obedience. Not the other way around.” Take the first step… out of obedience… and watch what will be revealed to you during the process!

With all my heart,

Your mother