Experiences, both good and bad, have made me the person I am right now, and I love the person I am right now. I love who I am. I love the good parts of myself, my strengths, and I love the bad parts of myself, the weaknesses.

I am grateful for the life I’ve lived. The opportunities and choices I’ve been given in life, all the moments of truth, all the turning points, all the side roads, all the easy ways and the hard ways, all the rough paths and smooth walks.

It’s so often I’ve felt alone in my life. It’s been so much of a feeling that I’m on my own, even when I’ve had friends and family and peers all around me. But now I know I was never alone. God has been there right alongside me, within me, and all around me in every moment whether good or bad, even though I didn’t know He was there most any those moments at the time. But I know that now.

I know I’m blessed. I know I couldn’t have done it on my own even if I was really on my own. I know there’s not much in life I can do on my own.

I’m thankful for God’s grace because I’ve definitely screwed up in my life many times. I’ve made all kinds of mistakes. I’ve done bad things. I’ve let bad things happen I might have prevented or stopped or at least not go unacknowledged. I’ve made some good decisions. I’ve had some successes. I’ve grown. I’ve accomplished some things. But I know that I have also screwed up.

Yes, I’ve made my share of dumb moves but it’s true that the lessons I’ve been taught and the wisdom I’ve been given are more important than the feelings of regret and guilt and remorse and pain and suffering that I feel due to my own memories. I cannot change what has happened in the past anymore than I can change what happens in the future. I can only operate in the right now. I can accept that right now I need to love myself, care for myself, look out for myself, and make sure that I appreciate who I am.

I am a product of everything that has ever happened to me in life and even what has come before me. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Deuteronomy 31

“6. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 41

“10. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Proverbs 3

“5. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

6. in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Psalms 34

“17. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

18. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

2 Corinthians 12

“9. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

10. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 1

“3. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

4. who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 4

“16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

17. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

18. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

1 Peter 5

“7. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

9. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”