Dear Sisters!

I'm begging every young woman to read this... simply begging you. I want to begin by saying, you're beautiful. Don't ever think differently, don't ever let anyone tell you differently. This world tears us up so much. It builds up an expectaion- physical, emotional, mental, spiritual- that we don't really need to live up to in order to be the women of grace, honor, and beauty we're called (by God-- for our fellow humans, our future world, and our very beings) to be.

This womanhood is not built up by trashy clothes (no matter how "sexy"), self-disrespect, record breaking amounts of dates, playing the field, guys staring at us, fitting a "scene", "expressing ourselves", destroying ourselves, obsessing over ourselves, obsessing over guys, disrespecting guys, feminism, anti-feminism, boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, sports, bodies, fatness, skinniness, grades, "our" future, careers, jobs, hobbies, lust, greed, talents, gifts, curses, or any other carnal, human thing I could list.

This womanhood is built upon so much more. It's built up by the things we never really think about-- the things that could forge us into masterpeices if we'd only look past our "modernized", independant, flashy, "womanly" acts.

Our womanhood can only be built up by integrity, accountability, love, grace, valor, looking people in the eye and telling the truth about ourselves (happy or sad). We become better women everytime we refuse to use a guy; everytime we decide to encourage him, rather than make out with him.; everytime we look for the good in him, and realize-- just as we could be more as women, he could be more as a man.

Our womanhood is built up when we treat fellow women with deep respect; When we hold each others' hands rather than pointing a finger; When we sooth fears, rather than spread rumors or tell lies. We become better women when we are passionate about the lives we live-- not just things within our lives, but the fact that we have one to live.

Dear sisters, be more. You can, and I encourage you to. Seek the beauty that is in you. Strive to be honorable, graceful, confident, selfless, and open... because that's how we were meant to be.