To My Students

This all went a little too fast, I think. I feel like I didn’t get enough time to say everything I needed to say — to tell you everything I wanted to. If I had a few more sermons, I would tell you about grace again. I would tell you that nothing you do can ever separate you from the love of God. I would tell you that the secret you’ve been keeping for years and years cannot keep you from God's grace. God loves you always. You can’t mess this up. I know you want to, because you’re not sure you want to fall into that much grace and deal with the changes that will come with following Jesus, but it’s important that you know how much God loves you, and how much mercy he has for you. Jesus is worth it. 

I would tell you again that spending time with Jesus is the best way to learn about your own identity. You will not know who you are until you spend time with him. Quiet yourself down, invite him in, listen. Read your Bible. Practice what you learn. Talk to God throughout your day. The more you know about him, the more you will know about yourself, and the more confident you will become in the things he’s set out for you to do. You have important things to do in this world, but you won't know what they are until you settle into your identity, and you won't know your identity until you settle into a rhythm with Jesus. 

I would tell you, for the four-thousandth time, that you need to get prayer. I would tell you that healing is found in community, and that you need to open up to someone about all the stuff that’s going on in your life. You need to get prayer for your depression. You need to get prayer for the weight you feel from your parent’s divorce. You need to get prayer for that secret you're keeping — the stuff you're watching or the wounds you’re covering up or the thoughts you’re having. You need to get prayer because having someone pray for you is the beginning of everything. When we seek the Spirit in community, we heal. And if there’s anything I’ve learned these past few years, it’s that we all need healing from something, even in middle school (especially in middle school). 

I would tell you to get involved in a small group. I would tell you that of course it will feel awkward at first, but that once you get to know each other and maybe do a few service projects together, you’ll be thick as thieves. You’ll have inside jokes and you’ll laugh and you’ll get to seek God and learn how to follow him with people who are also your friends. I would tell you to encourage your small group to serve together. This is where best friends are made, and it’s also where you’ll experience the Kingdom of God and realize that life is so much bigger than the messiness of your family or the drama your friends are experiencing at school. Be the one that pushes your small group to change the world together.

I would tell you to love the outsider. I would tell you to stop freaking out about what everyone else thinks of you and be friends with the people who are overlooked. They're usually better friends than the popular kids, anyway. Choose to get outside of yourself and pray for people when they are hurting. Choose to sit next to the girl who needs a little extra love. Choose to be like Jesus. Choose him because he’s worth it. I think the Velveteen Rabbit puts it nicely: “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” Be the kind of person who doesn’t need to be carefully kept. Get your hands dirty. Love people well. Be loved. Be kind. And don’t be friends with the people who don’t understand. If they call you names for loving people, they aren’t your friends. Don’t be afraid to stand alone. Don’t be afraid to stand up for the things that actually matter. 

And again, I would end on grace. For the days you fail to stand up, and the days you forget to spend time with Jesus, and the days where you just feel like a royal screw-up — you can always go to Jesus. No matter how bad you feel, no matter what you’ve done, you can always, always go to Jesus. He’ll welcome you back with open arms every time. He’s worth it, you guys. He’s worth every piece of your heart. He’ll teach you to be strong and soft at the same time. He’ll teach you how to lead. He’ll teach you what your passions are. He’s good. He’s really, really good, and he’ll walk you through everything you go through, even when you’re mad at him. He’s incredibly patient. Don’t give up on him. And even if you do, he'll never give up on you.

I love you all with every piece of me. You’ve helped me become more of myself, and I will keep you with me always. Thank you, for letting me love you, and for loving all my fur off and making me real. Most people won’t understand why I loved a bunch of middle schoolers so much, but I know, and God knows, and that's enough. I love you forever. 

Laura