I want to be just like you when I grow up!

Seeing your zest for life, the way you chase after what you want. The way that you assess the circumstances and situations around you and work out how to make your plans work in the best possible way for everyone involved. The way you look out for your siblings, always making sure that they have all they need and no one gets left behind. The way you worry when they are hurt and do everything you can to make them feel better.

The way you always text to check in with me and keep me updated on what you’re doing. The way you always make sure that you text me “I Love You” at the end of our conversations. The way you put up with my singing, my quirks, my craziness and never tell me to stop being me. The way you smile when I’m being weird, laugh when I’m being crazy and chuckle along with my jokes, even when they aren’t really funny. You sometimes join me in all the silliness too.

The way you can always manage to craftily manipulate me to get just a few minutes more on your device, and how you bribe me by making me lunch or a coffee. I love that you can’t seem to lie, your tells are written all over your body like neon lights.

I adore how you always step up when your Dad is away for work. The fact that I know that I can count on you when we have plans. The way that you bring me coffee every morning when Dad’s not there, and how you make sure to kiss me before you go somewhere and always come over for a hug when we meet up in public.

The way you love it when I call you my “man-child”. How you always want to be a part of the “grown-ups” conversations and always have something worth-while to include. The way you believe in yourself, your confidence in who you are, your eagerness to learn more and how you always get in and help everyone out.

I love that although you are only 15, you already know what you want to do with your life and you pursue your dreams with everything you have. How you are “all in”, all the time. You are so fiercely independent but you still eagerly fill me in on all the important details of your day.

The fact that you love God with all you are and are not ashamed about it. You are passionate about what you believe, and know when something just isn’t quite right and you take action to make things better.

You came and sat with me and your Dad in Church the other day and I felt so proud to stand between the two tall men in my life and to worship God alongside you. I couldn’t hold in my tears of gratitude as you raised your big hands and long arms in praise right next to mine. I felt like God was smiling down on us and whispering in my ear, that I might just have done something right.

As we walked out of Church, you were a few paces in front of me and I watched and heard as almost everyone you walked past had a greeting for you. Your light certainly shines bright. At the door, the lady farewelled you and then turned to me with the biggest smile. “Oh, that’s got to be your son” she said, “‘cos he has that gentleness and kindness that shines out of him, just like you!” And if that wasn’t the biggest compliment I’ve heard, wow! Yep, my eyes were really leaking then.

The thing is, I can’t really take too much credit. God made you the exceptional person you are today. He formed you in my womb with a promise that you would be a gift, a treasure and a blessing. From the moment you were born, I knew He was faithful, and you were truly special. As you grew, you kept surprising us with your soft heart and beautiful spirit. We shouldn’t have been surprised, knowing God’s hand on your life would be evident, but we were, continually and utterly.

My prayer for you today is that you never change who you are! The essence of you, your spirit, your tender heart, your gifting, your calling, your character, your personality – they are truely wonderful. So please, never let anyone tell you that you need to change and that you are not enough. Because, son, man-child of mine, you are!

You are enough! You are unique, incredible and significant. You continually blow my mind in the best possible way. You are better than you give yourself credit for. You are wise beyond your years. You are always willing to change, adapt, learn and grow. You are loyal, supportive and encouraging. You are humble, generous and kind. You are more that I could have ever hoped for in a son, and I hope that one day, I can grow up to be just like you! I love you, my son in whom I am well pleased!