Dear friend,
I want you to know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, just as you are right now. In this moment, tomorrow, and the next thousands of days after that, too.
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Fearfully and wonderfully made, every little detail. Every freckle, every hair on your head, the shape of your nose, and the shape of your body. You are uniquely you. A masterpiece that is worth more than you’ll ever know.
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You, my friend, are NOT defined by the following things: your bank account, your athleticism, whether or not you worked out today, yesterday, or for all of the past month.
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You are not defined by your social media accounts, the numbers next to your name are exactly that, numbers. Do not give them more weight than they deserve.
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You are not defined by the presence of abs or the absence of them. Cellulite does not change your identity. You are not defined by the size of your muscles or the size of your waist.
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You are not defined by your relationship status, employment status, living status, and any other status there is.
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You are not defined by the dessert you ate that you’re regretting, the clarity of your skin, or the presence of a tan.
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Somewhere along the way, we mixed things up. Our bodies are temples that we have been entrusted with to steward well. So yes, eating healthy and exercising are so, so important. BUT, let’s stop fixating on changing who we are for the wrong reasons.
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Don’t run 5k to impress the guy. Don’t work out so hard to impress the girl.
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Run 5k because you love it and it makes you feel alive.
Work out because your body needs strength and health.
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I’m working on being unapologetically me. Unretouched. Unfiltered. Unedited. And it always feels fitting to wear @aerie when I do that.
That’s the version of you I would love to see, too. Completely real, because that’s pretty dang amazing.
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#AerieREAL #nofilter #realstagram #unedited #thisisunapologeticallyme
Him coming home from work was a daily highlight of my childhood and even to this day I smile when he walks through the door.
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He would play endless rounds of “21” with me and definitely let me win sometimes just to boost my confidence.
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He attended all my volleyball games in high school and never once made me feel bad about a loss.
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He was the first man to ever buy me flowers.
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He always tells me I look beautiful when I come upstairs on Sunday morning dressed for church. He says it with this genuine smile and it’s always followed by the sweetest hug.
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He spends time every day in his office studying God’s Word, praying, and growing in his faith.
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He has and continues to love our family with the most selfless love I’ve seen on this earth. He is patient, kind, intentional, fun, hilarious, talented, dedicated, uplifting, and super stylish.
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In the most amazing way, he has shown me every quality and characteristic that I pray for in a man. He loves God first and because of that, everyone else is loved so well by him.
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He’s the kind of man who makes your heart swell and cry happy tears because you’re just so touched by his acts of service and all the precious ways he takes care of our family.
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You are one-of-a-kind dad. I could go on forever. Thank you, with my whole heart, for every single thing you have done out of love for me, our family, and for others. I am so incredibly blessed to be your daughter.
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#happyfathersday
My mom and dad got me the La La Land soundtrack on vinyl as part of my grad gift. My mom, being the wise woman that she is, wrote one of the song lyrics on its wrapping and I think it’s the perfect thing to say:
“Climb these hills, I’m reaching for the heights, and chasing all the lights that shine.”
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I can’t believe I’m standing here today, with a Honours Degree in PR under my belt. God is so, so faithful.
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#conestogagrad
