"Don’t be so judgemental. Just because someone doesn’t look the way you think they should, doesn’t mean their heart isn’t closer to the Lord than yours."
"Don’t bother what other people think about you. God made you the way you are and if you are doing your best to do the right thing that’s good enough for Him so it’s good enough for you."
"Your worth is not in what others think of you, but your worth is in Christ, he knows your heart."
"Think before you speak. Be careful not to offend because you think you’re right."
"Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble."Proverbs 21 23 (ESV)
"Stop trying to impress God by your good Christian life, or despairing over your bad Christian life … He saved you by grace … we can never impress Him … It is not His part and my part … It is all His work!"
"Slow down. Enjoy and appreciate ‘the thing’ rather than looking for the ‘next thing’."
"Really commit to my spiritual life early, learn to read and pray. I feel I always put off proper study and good habits thinking I’d have more time in the next stage of life- which I found out wasn’t true!!! (Also don’t try to fit in with the crowd! They really do just drag you down!)"
"Sometimes being busy is not always a good thing. Falling into the trap of being too busy with spiritual service is that motives or personal faith can be lost. Make sure you spend alone and personal time with God yourself. Not just using spiritual service to make up for that."
"Don’t just know the lyrics to hundreds of hymns & choruses but learn the verses from the Bible too."
"Share your faith as often as you can."
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."1 Peter 3 15 (NIV)
"Don’t be so up-tight! Accept that you can’t control every aspect of your life and rest in the fact that you have a great big God who is in total control and knows what is best for you."
"Be quicker to get alone with God. Scheduling the time the sit quietly, and learning to speak firstly to Him of what is in your heart, before any other."
"I wish I had developed good habits with reading and praying when I was younger. You always think it’ll get easier when you get older but that’s not true! On that theme I would also say don’t assume that older people have it all sorted. I used to find that discouraging when I failed and others seemed to have their spiritual life in perfect order. I don’t really want to write this next one on here as my parents will feel vindicated but I would have to say to my teenage self, 'Listen to your parents, they’re not as stupid as you think.'"
"Enjoy silence and just be in Gods presence! I’ve always just had music, tv, films, ministry in background when I’m doing anything but it actually just prevents you from thinking, reflecting and speaking to God."
"STOP and LISTEN to God. To not always rely on church teaching (conferences/books/articles etc) to hear what He has to say and to, instead, get alone with Him and make time in this hectic, busy life to listen quietly for His guidance and wisdom."
"Spend time getting to know God, studying your Bible and keeping watch over your heart; everything you say and do flows out of your theology and what you choose to think."
"Draw on the experience and knowledge from the people around you - don’t be scared to ask questions because you might look less ‘clever’ or ‘spiritual’. And also to really search and study the scriptures, don’t be content with ministry from the platform or in a book - get to know the Bible for yourself and your faith will be so much stronger for it."
"Invest time learning practical skills related to home making and also to look for older Godly women to teach you what loving a husband and children looks like."
"I got married older and I couldn’t believe how incredibly unprepared I was for what God calls me to be as a married woman. I wish I had studied Titus 2:5 when I was younger."
"Live by grace. Don’t fall into the trap of always trying hard to be the good girl and doing what you think is the right thing. Learn to rest in God’s grace."
"Don’t let the mistakes you made in the past hinder what you do in the future’ The devil tries to remind you of things you’ve done and tell you you’re not good enough to do profitable things. I remember someone who had a very chequered past telling me that he was haunted by memories of things he done and so often hesitated before doing anything for the Lord because he felt he’d let him down so much when he was younger. We must remember God forgives, even when we find it hard to forgive ourselves."
"I made very stupid mistakes as a teenager then thought there’s no way back so just go for broke and ended up more miserable.. I wish I’d realised that while sins have consequences there is always always forgiveness and restoration if you genuinely repent. Not always from other Christians sadly but always from your Father."
"I would tell my younger self to be less critical and narrow because the world is a big place. To live under wide open skies, generous and gracious to all, embracing and encouraging them with an open heart. Short version: Be open."
"Live for eternity; you’ll be there before you know it. God still speaks! Get to know His voice. Nothing WORTH doing will ever be EASY."
"I still have a lot to learn, but mine would probably be to tell myself not to carry the weight of an unforgiving heart and feel the relief!"
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."Ephesians 4 32 (ESV)
"Looking back I think that I would use a quotation from Elizabeth Elliott, which says, ‘Sometimes life is hard and you can only do the next thing. Whatever that is, just do the next thing. God will meet you there.’"
"Regular rhythm of personal bible study and prayer is the key to keeping on the path that pleases the Lord. Only on His path will you find purpose and significance. 'Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.'"
"Don’t be so anxious. God is both sovereign and good no matter how circumstances appear."
"I think advice from my teenage self could benefit me now as really our Christian life is not always a climb upwards. But I’d say to learn about God through His Word and only then see Him displayed through His people. I think I took a lot of understanding about who God is from Christians which can give a skewed view of His perfect love and grace towards us. But in His Word we find the true character of God!"
