Everyone has someone that they look up to. Most often that person is someone older--a parent, an older sibling, or a teacher. It's unusual to think that it's possible to look up to someone younger.

Like most people, I have someone I admire.

However, I am a bit peculiar in that the person I look up to is my sister--who is two and a half years younger than me. I know this is strange. But I look up to my younger sister in a lot of ways--the most blatantly obvious way being height. This is merely a physical example, but it's a good place to start. There are a lot of things about my sister that I aspire to be.

My sister is very strong-willed. While she may be a bit indecisive at times, when she has her eye set on something she wants, she goes after it. She is stubborn about it too, but sometimes a little bit of stubborn is necessary to getting the job done.

She isn't afraid to speak her mind, even when the truth sometimes hurts. I think this quality is a necessity in our overtly accepting society. Being confident in what you believe and not compromising that for anything is a trait that is far too difficult to come by today.

She still has a lot to learn, but so do I.

She is open to learning and isn't afraid to ask questions when she doesn't understand. She takes every challenge thrown at her and works through them. This is something that is often overlooked but deserving of full recognition.

She has one of the biggest hearts of all the people I've ever known. She is compassionate, loving, thoughtful, and intentional. She seeks after the Lord with her whole heart, and this is not something to be taken lightly.

A lot of the things in this letter I've never told her. But life happens, and then it's over in the blink of an eye. So, I want to be more intentional about telling those I love how I truly feel. I want to make up my mind about what I want and go after it. I want to be honest, even when being honest isn't always the easiest. I want to learn and grow and face challenges head-on. I want to be more like my younger sister.

So, to my younger sister. I hope this letter serves as an encouragement to you. I love you more than I have the words to say. I've been so blessed to watch you grow, and I'll continue to root for you in all that you do.

With love,

Your big sister