Dear Amber,

I know life feels like it's falling apart, but I promise life gets better. You're struggling right now thinking "Why is all this happening to me?" but that's exactly it. It's happening to you. You're probably thinking, "Why isn't anything happening to anyone else? I'm a good person!" I know. Life feels like it's going down the drain and you're only 16. But let me tell you that everything is happening for a reason. You don't see it yet, and you won't see it for a couple of years from now. But everything will be OK. Life will get better.

School seems like it's the hardest right now, but trust me, it only gets harder. College is gruesome and you're going to feel like giving up and quitting. But you won't, because you're not a quitter. You're smart, you're talented, you're beautiful. One day you will figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life, but today is not the day. The year is not this year. It will be after you've been through some pain and trials and heartache. You're going through something right now that you're too scared to tell anyone else about. But again, everything happens for a reason.

I know you're in the middle of high school and senior year is next year. It seems scary that you have to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at 17, but I promise you will figure it out. You will pursue passions that you never knew you had. You may not be doing the most expected thing, but that's okay. That's what makes you, you. There will still be times of heartache and mourning, but you will have people by your side to help carry you through them. Please don't ever take them for granted.

You're going to lose some friendships along the way, but that's okay. You're going to gain some as well. You will find people in life that will be there for the rest of your life, and you will find some that are only there for a season. Regardless, you will meet some of the most awesome people everywhere you go. Be open-minded, even if they don't have the same interests and beliefs as you do. You're going to grow because of them.

The amount that you have grown since now is ridiculous. You will never believe where you are in life even if I told you (because you're pretty stubborn, to be honest.) I'm not going to tell you because it's for you to figure out on your own. But I will tell you that it is somewhere in your wildest dreams. Remember, God is on your side and that He loves you no matter what you look like, what you feel like, or what you do. He is the definition of unconditional love and you should try to be more like Him in every circumstance.

Remember: you are loved, you are smart, you are beautiful, you are funny, you are courageous, you are creative, you are important.

Love,

Amber