Dear Woman, I’m Proud of You

Somewhere out there lives a woman who needs to hear this: I’m proud of you.

So here you go—this one’s for you.

I’m proud of you for untangling yourself from the heap of blankets and planting your feet on the floor even when the day promises to be a heavy one.

I’m proud of you for tiptoeing forward when the forces of this world relentlessly shove you back.

I’m proud of you for taking the long, slow, obstacle-ridden road instead of the short, comfortable one because you know it’s the right way to go.

I’m proud of you for speaking goodness and truth even when it’s not well received, and for staying silent when you’d rather speak harshly and haphazardly.

I’m proud of you for letting go of the things you so desperately want to hang onto because you know there are better things waiting for you on the other side of that release.

I’m proud of you for lifting someone else up when it would be easier to tear her down.

I’m proud of you for reaching out when it’s uncomfortable and awkward, when you’re beyond tired and wonder if the effort even matters.

I’m proud of you for rising above the fear of rejection and making the phone call or sending the text when you know a response is unlikely.

I’m proud of you for living by the light of faith even when circumstances appear darker than you ever thought possible.

I’m proud of you for clinging to hope when the world screams nothing but hopelessness.

I’m proud of you for recognizing and accepting your human limitations, and choosing rest over striving.

I’m proud of you for picking up the broken scraps of your life and bravely believing that God will take them from your weary hands and mold them into something beautiful, something shiny and new.

I’m proud of you for rising slowly, for clawing your way up the walls of the pit when you aren’t sure you’ll every make it out.

I’m proud of you for bravely declaring “I’m going to be okay,” even when you’re not sure you will.

And even if you don’t believe it right now in this moment, I do.

From one broken woman to another:

You are courageous. And you are going to be okay.