when insecurity has you ripping yourself apart

Please don’t tell me you’re not worth anything. It’s a ridiculous lie. I mean, I guess there’s a lot of darkness out there that wants you to believe it, but only because it’s not true. You’re loved, you’re important, you matter, and if you only knew, you would be invincible.
            Think about it.
            You are separated from every other species because you’re here to live, not just exist; your purpose goes deeper than just reproducing and carrying on your races’ survival. You are an intricate mosaic of God’s majesty and power. His love for you is thrumming inside your heartbeat, the warmth of your skin, the rhythm of your lungs. You are your own artifact of everything you’ve been through. You are the reason that somebody out there smiles. Everyone who knows you has a little piece of their story in you. You’re here to feel the sun on your skin and the breeze through your hair, to get that awe when a baby holds onto your finger instead of your whole hand, to feel small when you stand beside the ocean, to have your breath taken away when you look up at a sunset, to laugh until you’ve forgotten why it’s funny, to cry when you need to, and stand up and go on. You began way before you were born, in the sparkle of your parents’ eyes when they said “I love you”. You’re special and individual. Your handwriting, the things you think are funny, the sound of your voice when you’re talking about something you’re passionate about, the way you write out your grocery list, the songs you identify with, the way you walk, everybody’s favorite thing about you—it’s all unique. You’re a 3D piece of art walking around, just waiting for some artist to capture part of you in a poem or story or song...but they won’t be able to capture all of you, because you’re deeper than words will go. You are an adventure story, still being written.
            You are more than what people think of you. More than your history, more than your family. More than your imperfections. You are more than just another number to add to the statistics. You are not defined by your problems. You are not defined by what the media and the culture say you should be. You are everything you aspire to, everything you dream of, all your embarrassing secrets and 11:11 wishes. You are beautiful. Every bit of you. Even the parts you want to change. Even the scars and the mistakes, and the things you’re ashamed of, the things you try to hide…All of it, because it’s all a part of you. And the God of all creation sees behind the masks you put up, the person you try so hard to act out so people will think better of you…and He loves you. So incredibly much. He knows you better than anyone, and yet He loves you more than anyone could even try to—more than everyone’s love combined. He IS love. And here you are, living, breathing proof of His love. You’re here to learn to love Him back with every fiber of your being.
            Hey, you know somethin’? Just stop for a second and listen to me:
            You’re alive.
            Don’t you dare give the darkness one more moment of you feeling worthless. Don’t let yourself believe you’re anything less than incredible. You are so loved, you have no idea. Thousands of people every day get struck with tragedy and trauma and loss and death, and today, you aren’t one of them. Tomorrow isn’t promised, so don’t waste today. Here you are, living. There are so many reasons to love being alive.
            So live.
            Soak it up.
            Breathe it in, deeply, and then love it out.
            Hug tight and sing loud.
            Drive with the windows down and the music up.
            Dance in the open spaces, and don’t you dare let the fact that you don’t know how to dance stop you.
            Don’t ever skip a chance to laugh or make someone else laugh.
            Share your happiness, make it contagious. And when you’re hurting, hold on, and let the people you love hold onto you.
            Channel your pain into something constructive. Make it beautiful. Get it out of you and onto a page.
            Make the world your canvas. Write your name on the hearts of everyone you know, and make it a beautiful autograph. Give them something to remember. Everyone is part of everyone else’s story. Make yours a good part.
            Tell people your favorite things about them.
            Make sure all the flowers know how pretty they are.
            Spend your time making things beautiful, even if nobody thanks you.
            Don’t stop caring. Even if nobody sees it. Even if nobody even cares that you care.
            Drop your agenda and go stand in the autumn wind.
            Don’t hesitate to go underwater in the swimming pool, even if it’ll mess up your hair, and even when your mascara isn’t waterproof.
            Write letters by hand, and call people every now and then, because that means a lot in a world of peeps who only email and text.
            Pour yourself into everything you do, and absorb it—make amazing memories, and let your heart be the treasure box to store them in.
            Hold onto everything that makes you feel alive. Embrace the feelings, and let them in, even when they hurt, because feeling is living, and the pain makes the beauty worth it.
            Dearest, it’s going to be so worth it.
            Be strong.
            Live.