Dear me,

November 26, 2009.

A year ago. What would I tell myself if I had the chance?

Dear Me,

1. You have a little over a week to get to Kelsey and hug her. Hug her for as long as you can. Tell her you love her. Remember every little word she says. Don't take the time you have with her for granted. On December 5, you won't have another chance. You'll have to put on a black dress, sit in a sanctuary full of people and let go of her. Don't fight back the tears. Cry. It's all you can do.

2. You like a boy. He's older, more experienced and not the best idea you've had. His sweet words and charm take you somewhere you've never been. He changes you. Don't spend every five minutes checking for a missed call from him. He doesn't care enough to call you because he doesn't care enough about you. Don't tell him your secrets, don't hold his hand and don't kiss him. He's going to hurt you when you least expect it. Run as fast as you can and don't look back for him.

3. Take in and remember every single girls night. Take pictures in your mind of those nights spent in your pajamas baking cookies and watching movies with your girls. Patch together all of the nights at the football games, the mornings at iHop and the birthday dinners. Hold on to them. A year from now, you'll do anything to have another one of these nights.

4. Don't be afraid to admit you're wrong. You are.

5. Fall into Jesus' arms. Don't yearn for someone elses' arms to cradle you. His arms are the only ones that can hold the struggles, sins and tears you're holding on to right now. It's time you put all of them onto Someone who can hold them for you.

6. Call your bestfriend. Every single day.

7. Tell that girl sitting next to you in class about Jesus. Stop thinking it's okay to hold back the Gospel. It's never okay.

8. Drive to the beach, take off your shoes and just sit there. A year from now you won't be able to find the time to do that.

9. When you feel like laughing, laugh. When you feel like dancing, dance. Actually. When you want to laugh.. laugh until your stomach hurts. When you want to dance, dance like a fool.

10. When the night of your senior prom comes, take in every little part of it. You are lucky enough to get to spend it with the best guy you know. You'll never, ever forget it.

11. Don't strive to impress or to please people who don't care about you. It all amounts to nothing in the end.

12. When the arrogant, cocky, egotistical football player ignores you, remember that. He'll come back into your life again and you'll need to remember how he treated you before.

13. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. P R A Y. pray.

14. Take Dr. Pepper on Spring Break. Trust me. You'll thank me later.

15. Be sure to take a video of Caroline swag surfing on the mattress in the beach house.

16. But! Don't wish for Spring Break to get here faster. After that, everything flies by. Way, way too fast.

17. Spend as much time as possible with your youthgroup. Don't miss a trip, bible study or prayer breakfast.

18. Be yourself. It's about time you try that..

Love, me.