A letter to me 25 years ago, from me. Inspired by the new book Graceful
by Emily P. Freeman.
Hey girlfriend.
How are you doing? It is me, or rather you in 25 years. Just think Back to the Future and we will be fine. I’m writing you this letter because I am reading a book that I think you would love. It is written by a girl who is an awful lot like us. In fact, she grew up in Columbus. But the good news is she moved away before she went to East High School, so it is totally okay for us to like her. She has a lovely way with words and I know they would speak right to your heart.
The name of the book is called Graceful and it is all about letting go of your try hard life. Don’t you just love the title? Wouldn’t it be awesome if people said that about you and me? Instead, they say things like…
good girl
smart girl
nice girl
church girl
And we spend a whole lot of time trying to live up to what they think and say. The truth is, I know you are tired of trying to be the person they think you are. Since rebellion is not really your thing, you keep doing what is expected.
So back to my friend Emily. In her book she says, “The energy it takes to live for you is killing me—to see me through your eyes, to search for myself in your face, to be sure you are pleased with me. I want you to always be pleased with me,” (Graceful, pg 20). See, I told you she was a lot like us!
What about God? How does He want us to live? Listen to how Emily puts it:
“There is a different way to to live, a way that is full of grace and mystery, a way that cannot be outlined or studied for or figured out. Life isn’t about trying hard to be good, it’s about trusting God to be graceful in us,” (Graceful, pg 13).
Girl, you are graceful. God says so.
You are “specially marked by God’s divine grace,” (Graceful, p14).
Can you wrap your home-permed head around that fact? You are specially marked by God with grace. He sees you and He whispers…Graceful. Amazing, right?
Check this out. I found this verse in Ephesians 2:8,9:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And it is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” (ESV).
See, since you can’t read all of Emily’s words, you will have to go straight to her source. God tells us that we were saved by grace. And we move on from there. You don’t work toward grace. You move from it. You are grace(ful) from the beginning of your relationship with Him. And the sooner you believe that, the easier life will be for the both of us. This is the game changer for all of us good girls. You can’t get more graceful than you already are.
So, let it go of the fear of failure that dominates your life. Forget trying to please everyone and be all they think you are. Instead, lean heavy, into the arms of God who has marked you with grace and calls you His own. The One who calls you Graceful is ready to wrap you up in nothing but love.
And breathe deep all that is Graceful.
LYLAS,
Me
To get your copy of Graceful: Letting go of the Try Hard Life, click here.
***I’d love to give away a copy of this wonderful book. Tell me what you think of when you read the word Graceful…
I’ll choose a winner from the comments left below. Winner will be posted Friday.
(I was given a copy of Graceful for the purpose of review. The fact that I love it is because I’m a huge fan of Emily’s and a good girl in search of daily reminders of who God says I am.)
{Want to write a letter to your teenage self? Link it up with Emily over at Chatting at the Sky on Friday. Details are right here.}
When I think of the word Graceful I think of someone who walks in the confidence of knowing they aren’t perfect but well loved for exactly who they are . . .and that bleeds into all the ways they live their life. Love these letters, enjoyed yours. The picture is awesome. Makes me want to pull a few of big hair photos out too. 🙂
Oh the LYLAS! I had totally forgotten about LYLAS! You were so cool (still are 😉
The funny thing is a week ago my daughter was reading LYLAS as a word and she said, “What is lylas?” I had the joy of explaining it to her!
When I think of graceful I think of “full of grace”. Being graceful is a lesson I’ve been learning about a lot lately (and I’m not talking about being able to walk down the hall, the stairs, across a room, etc in heels) I’m talking about being full of grace, especially with my family so that they in turn can be graceful toward each other and others.
I have no idea what LYLAS means…care to (gracefully) enlighten me? 🙂
Blessings!
Faye
LYLAS = Love Ya Like A Sis 🙂 I signed all my letters to my best friend this way in high school!
I had to stop and think about LYLAS. The things our brains put away when they no longer matter to us. 🙂
I’ve been reading about this book a lot recently. Would love to have a copy.
When I think of graceful, I think of anti-clumsy. Ie: Not me!
So appreciate your post…could have been me writing it (only not so eloquently!). Graceful to me represents everything I’m not, yet everything I wish I could be. While I “know” I’m saved b/c of His grace, I equally “know” that I’m not worthy of it and could never be. He’s teaching me to extend that grace to others (I’m the critical type, sadly), but I’ve closeted myself from receiving that same gift. Quite the work in progress am I!
Loved the letter to your self-it would truly have been great to “know then what I know now.”
Thanks for the reminder to offer ourselves grace, just as Jesus already has done.
Emily also has a book called “Grace for the Good Girl” which is for the slightly older good girl! It was a life changer for me!
Oh my gosh…
LYLAS….Yes!
So awesome Stacey!!
Love the Dear Me letters! Especially yours. LYLAS!