Let me ENCOURAGE you along the journey.
Dear Friend,
Welcome! First and foremost, I want you to know that You Matter, You Are Loved, and You Are Enough! You matter because you were fearfully and wonderfully made. You are loved because Jesus first loved you. You are enough in Christ, who can cover any shortfalls that you have, and be your strength in the areas that you are weak.
Second, never let anyone or anything stop you from blooming. There is something great inside of you that other’s need. So, dare to JUST BE YOU! Not a copy or replica of someone else - authentically you. Don’t rob others of the blessing of you. You just may be the answer to their secret prayers. Show up each and every day.
Third, every day that you wake up is a gift - that’s why they call it the present. So, I challenge you to make the most of every day and to make your dash count. We are all gifted a certain amount of time on this side of life, and how you spend it matters. When it is all said and done, will you have accomplished everything that you were sent here to do?
Finally, remember to Love God, Love Yourself, and Love Others - Always in that order. Matthew 22:37-40 states that we are to “love the Lord God with all of our heart, and with all of our soul, and with all of our mind. This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like unto it, thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets.” That means that this is the foundation of everything that we do. To first love God. From there we must love our neighbors as ourselves - you can’t love anyone else, if you don’t first love yourself. Spend time getting to know God and spend time getting to know yourself. That way you can freely pour out to others without becoming depleted in doing so.
Always,
Tonia D Benas