Letters to MacKynzie: Recent Episodes
Kacie Bryant
Originally intended as letters to my seven year old daughter, this podcast uses passages from the Gospel and life experiences to empower, motivate and inspire women of all ages.
“For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them. ”
— Psalm 139:13-16 My Dearest MacKynzie,
Middle school was a very confusing time for me, as is with many kids as they are trying to figure out their place in the world. My body resembled that of a stick bug. I had zero curves and unusually long arms and legs that seemed to jet out from my body like a mangrove. At the end of my limbs were huge hands and feet. I outgrew my mom’s shoes before I reached puberty. Despite my lanky body, I was amazingly good at sports. Most of the time, I preferred hanging out with the boys because I had more in common with them than the girls. I lived in a ball cap and cut my hair short. I was the last girl in my class to shave my legs, only because I was made fun of repeatedly in P.E. class. I remember sitting in my room asking God to magically turn me into a boy. I hated my body so much. I wrapped my chest with ace bandages and wore very tight sports bras. To this day, I have not shared with anyone how deep the feelings went. Later in middle school, I surrounded myself with girls that had similar feelings. This was the first time I drank and smoked cigarettes. It seemed like they too were trying to bandaid the dark feelings inside and we would sneak around to desperately fill a void. Little did I know at the time, that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. It wasn’t until after I got married that I learned God is intentional and the way I was created was not an accident or a mistake.
As I went into high school, my body started catching up with the size of my feet. I found friends that knew Jesus and introduced me to him. Though I was still not ready to build a relationship, I knew he was there. I started dating boys and wearing makeup. By the time I graduated high school, I was content with who I had become. To this day, I still hate putting on makeup and fixing my hair. My nails are always a mess and I’ve worn high heels twice in 10 years. I’ve come to realize that it is completely ok. I am still a beautiful woman in my own way. Beauty is not defined by the media, social platforms or Hollywood, it is defined by our creator.
Though difficult, I share this story because I know there are a lot of girls that can relate. If I grew up in the world we have today, I probably would not have a daughter to write these letters to. I would have been told in middle school that I was born in the wrong body. ‘Professionals’ that I trusted would have encouraged me to transition so I could be happy. I would have taken life altering drugs that deepen their pockets. They would have me hooked for years to come. This makes me grieve deeply for our world. I could not imagine life without my husband and my children. This is a perspective we are not allowed to discuss. I am not denying that a very small percentage of people are born with body or gender dysphoria and I am not downplaying the seriousness of those feelings. But, I think there are a larger majority of children and teens that can relate with my story. Sadly, the opportunity to blossom into a fully developed woman is stripped from them before they even have a chance to bud.
My loving advice to you. First, remember that it is completely normal to go through times where you don’t feel comfortable in your body. Got created us intentionally and called it very good. Second, do not be afraid to speak up on this topic. We must start discussing both sides of the story and questioning what the long term effects will be. As Christians, we must share the blessing of Psalm 139. We do not always know the plans that God has for us, but he does. We must refuse to go along with the trend that is sweeping over our kids and teens. the Bible says ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it’. It is our job to lead and protect our children, they are the most vulnerable. If this letter has an impact on one life, the struggle that I went though as a child was all worth it. I just hope this reaches one teen or one parent that can relate. God takes ugly experiences and creates beauty from them I’ve seen it happen over and over again. It is time to transition, but not in the way of the world.
Live to inspire others. My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
Me in middle school:
“Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her rejoice who gave birth to you. ”
— Proverbs 23:25
My Dearest MacKynzie,
There is a current trend that I see consuming my social media and friend circles like wild fire. Mother after mother telling a similar story. The latest video I saw was a mother singing to an Alanis Morisette song, replacing the words with challenges of motherhood (poopy diapers, no time alone, messy house, etc.). At the end of the video, she stood behind her adorable, smiling, happy child and flipped him off. This video reached thousands of people and the comments exploded with laughs and affirmations.
In this crazy world of online expression for view and likes, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest trend without taking some time to sit back and think about the impact it has on your mind and soul. Especially when you feel like you can relate. The culture is changing more and more because of this type of mindset. Babies and kids in the world are seen as a liability, even to the point where it justifies and even celebrates the murder of them simply because they are seen as an inconvenience. I know it seems like a wide gap between making a funny video and abortion, but this is a toxic way of thinking and there is a slippery slope between them.
It’s not just mothers. The trend for young people seems to be moving more toward the decision to not have kids. Many young people like the idea of not having the responsibility of raising another human. Instead they choose to spend their time doing what they want to do. Similarly, their mindset is that having kids is a liability… something that takes away from the quality of their life. I do recognize that not all people are intended to raise children. I’m talking specifically about the trendiness and popularity and glorification of being kid free.
I’m not denying that motherhood is hard or that I crave a glass of wine at the end of a long day. As mothers, we give up a lot of ourselves to care for other human beings that are rarely helpful or grateful. Most kids are messy and loud and whiny and needy. But this trend is very toxic. Motherhood is a blessing, not a curse. Behold, the children are a gift from the Lord, a reward. As a follower of Jesus, I will choose to rejoice over every messy moment. I will choose joy even when it is not easy. I will gladly take on the gift of raising another generation to be good leaders that are loving and kind and generous. Becoming a parent has opened up so many things to me. Spending 11 years without a moment of quiet time in the bathroom changes a person. My bank account, home decor, hair color, laundry pile, refrigerator and back yard all look completely different than they would without kids. I have learned to be more patient, caring, giving and less selfish. My heart is full of love for two beautiful little humans. I get to watch them learn and explore and experience life. I get to help lead them and mold them. They are my biggest responsibility but also my biggest reward. I could not imagine life without my children.
There is a difference between a mom sharing her honest struggles as a parent with those closest to her versus blasting it out on social media for likes and laughs on the expense of her child that has no idea he or she is even doing anything wrong. This may seem innocent. But the devil is great at using seemingly unimportant small things to turn our minds away from the good things God wants for our lives.
My loving advice to you. We know as Christians that most of our lives are lived swimming up stream. When and if you have children, I ask you to join me and be intentional about lifting our children up instead of taring them down. Our kids have enough going against them already as they battle the things of this world. We are their parents, their protectors. That is our mission. You cannot shoot a broken arrow. Please reject the toxic trend of victim mommy mentality. Choose to instead, celebrate the beautiful messiness of motherhood. Surround yourself with other moms that can help you when you struggle and in turn lift them up with they feel like they are drowning. This is our most important assignment. The world needs confident kids that feel supported by their parents, not more viral feel bad for mommy videos.
Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. - Psalm 127:3
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. - Psalm 127:4
Live to inspire others. My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ”
— Ephesians 5:15-16
My Dearest MacKynzie,
Every spring I stand in the front yard and glare at our home. An entire year has gone by and you can see it by the shape of the shrubs. They remind me of when my beautiful little girl wakes up in the morning after a good night’s sleep, with curly cues and wild hairs sprouting out of what once was a beautifully groomed base. Instead of grabbing the hedge trimmers and chopping away without a plan, I take the extra time and look at the big picture and how it all ties in together. Sometimes I start with a little trim, take a look and then realize that it needs more pruning. It always amazes me how, when taken care of properly, a plant that looks dead during winter can sprout back and look more beautiful than the year before.
Each year we go through a similar process sometime between new year and spring. We stand back and take a look at our life and all of the pieces come together to create a landscape. There are always some bushes that we’ve let grow out of control. Typically it is in the form of overeating, working too much, fear, anxiety, laziness or an overabundance of screen time. These little branches that were once manageable take over the front yard and hide the beautiful flowers that will soon be in bloom. If we don’t take that time to be intentional and put the work into trimming the bushes, we miss the beauty that lays behind the layers. The days are evil and if we live unwise, weeds will consume us.
So, how do we use spring time to brighten up the landscape of our lives?
1) Make a choice to take off the cruise control. Sure, it’s easier to continue on the path you are headed. Gliding through the routines you’ve put into place, the obligations you’ve committed to seeing through, even spending time on the yeses that should have been nos. The first step is to make a commitment to yourself that you will no longer be on autopilot. Yes, I will make time to clean up the yard.
2) Take a look at the entire picture, then start off with the areas that are the easiest. When I’m cleaning up my yard in the spring, I start with the leaves. It takes very little thought to clean up leaves. When the job is complete, I am motivated to continue because I see progress and transformation start to take place. I'm sure when you are looking at the big picture, there are some areas that you can clean up in your life that are simple, easy and don’t take much effort. Start there.
3) Don’t feel like you have to do it all at once. Trim a little then stand back and take another look. Sometimes when you trim a branch, you see a flower that you never knew was there. Take some time to admire the flower and enjoy the process and the progress. A lot of time when I stand back and look at a project like cleaning my house, I immediately get overwhelmed because every room is a mess and there is so much to do. If I instead focus on one room or task at a time, it makes completing the entire project much more manageable. What one area of your life can I start with?
4) Use the right tools. If you tried to cut each branch with a butterknife, it would probably take weeks to prune a single bush. The beauty of life as a Christian is that we don’t have to use a butterknife and do it all with our own effort. When we are working in alignment with God’s plan, that butterknife turns into a powerful electric hedge trimmer. All we have to do is guide it along the bush and it does all of the hard work. Trying to do it all by yourself is like shoveling with a fork . Take some time to pray for God’s wisdom, strength, peace and courage as you work through some things that are challenging and may not even seem impossible.
5) Have a plan. If you go into this job without a plan, several things could happen. First, you could start off in a sprint and burn out before you even complete the first task. Second, you could find yourself cleaning up the neighbors yard instead of your own. Third, you get discouraged because you have no way to measure progress. The process of cleaning up the landscape in your life could take 2 weeks or it could take 20 years. Honestly, when you think your finished, it’s probably time to start all over. But, the more you practice living off autopilot, the easier it will get. Start with a plan on what steps you will take that will make you closer and closer to loving your yard again?
6) Find accountability through someone willing to speak truth in love. Cleaning up the yard is more fun with two people, even if one is just sitting in a chair sipping on a lemonade. You don’t have to go on this journey alone. You might be surprised at how supportive the people around you are when you are willing to open up about your plans. This person can help encourage you when you feel like quitting and give you an outside perspective. Just make sure this person has a solid foundation because if they are struggling with some of the same things you are, you may pull each other down instead of lifting each other up.
Live to inspire others. My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses’ chair [of authority as teachers of the Law]; so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them. The scribes and Pharisees tie up heavy loads [that are hard to bear] and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger [to make them lighter]. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their tassels long. They love the place of distinction and honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [those on the platform near the scrolls of the Law, facing the congregation], and to be greeted [with respect] in the market places and public forums, and to have people call them Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi (Teacher); for One is your Teacher, and you are all [equally] brothers. Do not call anyone on earth [who guides you spiritually] your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not let yourselves be called leaders or teachers; for One is your Leader (Teacher), the Christ. But the greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.”
Matthew 23:1-12 AMP
My Dearest MacKynzie,
We are living in a world full of leaders that live lives similar to how Matthew describes the scribes and the Pharisees of his time. World leaders down to a local level, people in power are making decisions that have a huge impact on the people they are called to lead. They claim these rules they impose are necessary and good, yet they themselves do not lead by example. They claim to follow Jesus with their words, but do not follow him with their actions. They sit on a throne and care more about their social media popularity and filling their pockets with earthly possessions than genuinely serving in the best interests of their people. We see in the Bible that the devil has used the same tricks for thousands of years.
‘Do not call anyone on this earth Rabbi (Teacher) or Father. The one that is your teacher and Father is not on this earth.’ God is our Father and we are to obey him above all men, even the men in leadership.
Many Christians cower behind Romans 13 (which by the way is mostly referring to paying taxes, not about blindly following tyrannical authority). It says ‘Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God [granted by His permission and sanction], and those which exist have been put in place by God. Therefore whoever resists [governmental] authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who have resisted it will bring judgment (civil penalty) on themselves.’ - Romans 13:1-2 AMP
We can’t follow Romans 13 without putting it into context and also considering this. Paul set an example that we must submit to those in authority in all matters that are NOT IN CONTRADICTION with the will of God. Do not use Romans 13 as an excuse to be complacent because it is easier. God calls us as Christians to do hard things. Standing up against tyranny and other matters that do not align with God’s word (even if it goes against the authority he has put into place) is what God calls us to do. Matthew says we will be hated for following Jesus because this will not be popular.
My loving advice to you. We can’t go into battle against ungodly practices and fight with the same weapons as the enemy. This means we hold ourselves to a completely different standard. We must study and know how to go into battle with the armor of God as mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-18.
1 Peter 2:9-12 says “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges [those dishonorable desires] that wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the [unsaved] Gentiles [conduct yourself honorably, with graciousness and integrity], so that for whatever reason they may slander you as evildoers, yet by observing your good deeds they may [instead come to] glorify God in the day of visitation [when He looks upon them with mercy].”
Fight against the urge to become a keyboard warrior. Honor God with your behavior but don’t be scared to ‘raise a respectful ruckus’ like Allie Beth Stuckey says often. Like the verse says, practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do, though it is very tempting. Fight this battle with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, spirit and prayer. Whatever you do, don’t sit back and become complacent. You are called for so much more!
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
— James 1:2-8
My Dearest MacKynzie,
We recently went on a road trip around Tennessee. All throughout the trip, navigation was the key to getting us from point A to point B . Even if we knew our destination, we would never have made it without the subtle voice in the background guiding us turn by turn. No matter how lost we got, all we had to do was open up the navigation and within seconds, we were no longer lost. We never doubted its accuracy. We relied on the fact that turn by turn, we would eventually get where we wanted to go.
This is a great description of how God wants to help us navigate through life. He puts aspirations in our head, desired destinations for all aspects of our existence… family, career, friendships, serving, financial, etc. Then he will quietly whisper to us how to get there, turn by turn. If we are not hearing God’s voice, his availability is not the problem. The problem is that we try to get there on our own or we have the radio so loud that we can’t hear.
My loving advice to you. Even though we can’t see the entire map and how all of the turns lead us to where we want to be, we must trust that if we listen to his voice, we will eventually get there. We came across many unexpected obstacles while we were traveling. That quiet voice helped us navigate through traffic, detours and accidents ahead. We did not know at the beginning of our trip what we would encounter but we knew that we would eventually run into something that would slow us down. James says ‘Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness’. When (not if) you run into road blocks or construction, the voice is always there to guide you through. It doesn’t help the situation to sit there and cuss or throw a temper tantrum. Enjoy the ride and have joy the entire trip, even through the inconveniences.
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
My Dearest MacKynzie,
As I read through the Bible I realize that it contains so much timeless wisdom, specifically in the parables. I think it’s amazing that stories from so long ago can still apply to our life today and I can’t help but think that maybe they were written specifically for us. As we get consumed with issues from our world, God will speak to us through the words and stories in the Bible. We have heard the parable of the talents many times but I think now more than ever, we can rely on it to lead us through. Here is a reminder of the story:
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The ending sounds a little harsh, especially when we look at today’s culture. What is popular in the world is often a contradiction of the lessons we learn while reading the Bible. As you read back on this letter, you will have memories of 2020 and 2021. There has been more anger, fear and confusion in the last year than I’ve seen in my whole lifetime. I think if we are not intentional during times like these, it is easy to get lost in the world’s perspective and lose the wisdom taught to us through Jesus. Our eyes have been opened to so many things but are we seeking God to give us the solutions instead of the world?
Among the many hot topics trending on social media, systemic racism and social injustice is often at the top. We have our own thoughts and opinions about the topic, but what does God say?
As I reflect on this question and dig deeper into the parable of the talents, I realize a couple of things. The first is that the story does not say that the talents were given to the servants to keep, only to manage. Secondly, the master cared deeply about their stewardship. Thirdly, he did not give the servants equal amounts. ‘To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.’
Our current Vice President posted a video that illustrated how we all start off in different places. According to the video, it is our job as a society to make sure that everyone starts at the same place (with equal amounts of talents) so that we can end up at the top together. At the surface, it sounds great but I can’t help but believe that is the world’s perspective, not God’s.
I think back on a visitor we had for several months. This 18 year old kid was funny, smart and had so much potential. We invited him to live with us to get him out of a bad situation in Nashville. During this time, he went through several jobs and did very little to pull his weight around the house. Every time he quit a job, it was always someone else’s fault. All of his life people had been telling him that he was oppressed and needed assistance to get through. Even though I saw much potential in him and knew he could change the world, he was set on his perception that he was a victim because he was only given one talent so he took it and buried it in the dirt. I think back on that situation and I am sad that I could not help him realize that he has one talent to do great things with.
Instead of giving people the same amount of talents (money, things, skills, abilities, experiences, etc), shouldn’t we be encouraging people to take the talents they’ve been given and empower them to appreciate what they’ve been given and help them steward it well? I believe this is one reason that most people end up broke shortly after they win the lottery. Their mind is set on worldly ways of stewardship, not God’s ways. We are taking talents from the good and faithful servants and giving them to the wicked and slothful servant… that’s backwards. If we stop enabling and start empowering, I believe that is where real change will happen. Making sure that everyone starts off with the same amount of talents so we can all end up at the same place is not realistic and it is not God’s plan for us.
My loving advice to you. Instead of looking for handouts, more things or more money, thank God every day for what you’re been given and make the best of it. Life is NOT fair. Paul was in prison with nothing after being beaten and his reaction was to praise God, ‘rejoice in the Lord always’ (Philippians 4:4). What an amazing example of how we can live our lives. Don’t ever play a victim no matter what your situation or the cards you’ve been dealt. Instead take the talent(s) you’ve been given and steward them well. Love people unconditionally but do not enable. It sounds easy when life is rainbows and butterflies but can you do it when you are facing real challenges like Paul?
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
- Love Jesus
- Love all people
- Love yourself
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
— Romans 8:5-6
When you read the title, you were probably thinking this was going to give you a couple of tricks to clean out your house or reduce debt or unclutter your garage, in a round about way this letter will help with all of that. Sit back and put your big girl pants on because this is so much bigger than organizing your junk drawer . If you work to implement these three things into your life everyday, you will be transformed. There is so much information out there.. more than ever in history, yet so many of us are dying inside.. slowly every day. We are busy and overwhelmed with life. Our closets are filled with clothes we never wear. Our schedules are filled with things we do out of obligation and not passion. Our garages and our minds are overflowing with junk. Focusing on these three things can help us get back to what God wants for our lives. It will set our minds on things of the spirit and less on the things of the flesh.
- Love Jesus
Even if you are not a follower of Jesus, don't believe he even exists or have no idea what that even means, this is for you. There are many passages in the bible that give us good direction on how to behave. Whether we believe in him or not, following them will bring us joy and fulfillment. Starting with something as simple as reading through Proverbs will give you a big start on how to simplify life. Jesus was a kind person who treated everyone with love and compassion. If you learn more about Jesus and how he lived, you will start to look more like him in every aspect of your life. When (not if) you are feeling lost, anxious, angry or overwhelmed, I encourage you to look to Jesus. The more you study him and get to know him, the more you will see a refection of his love that fills your heart, your mind and your actions.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
— Matthew 22:37
- Love all people
Black, white, yellow, purple, gay, straight, tall, short, republican, democrat, city, country, rich, poor, angry, happy, grumpy or bashful. It is not our place to judge anyone for anything. We must love others, even when it is difficult. Several of my letters dig much deeper into this because, for me, this is one of the hardest things to live out every day. I want to snap back and argue when someone doesn’t agree with me, because I am always right of course lol. If people don’t see things my way, I judge them and kick them out of my life. I look down upon their faults and sins and weaknesses. We must intentionally fight against the judgement, blame and accusations that arise in our mind because God calls us to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’… that’s it… period. It doesn’t say to only love those like you or those that you enjoy being around or those that are nice to you or those that agree with you. We are all sinners, not one of us is perfect. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ is mentioned several times throughout the Bible (Leviticus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Romans, Galatians, James) because God cares about this.
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”
— Leviticus 19:18
“Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ”
— Matthew 19:19
“The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””
— Mark 12:31
“And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” ”
— Luke 10:27
“For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.””
— Romans 13:9
“or the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ”
— Galatians 5:14
“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.”
— James 2:8
- Love yourself
Often times the way you treat others is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. If you are a joyful and confident person then you will most likely bring joy and confidence to others. If you are bitter and depressed then you will bring drama and depression to others. Technically this should be number 2 because I believe that in order to love others well, you must first love Jesus and then yourself. I believe the best way to love yourself is to affirm God’s love for you. He loves each and every one of us so deeply. He is a father to a precious little daughter. Even when we make mistakes and can’t even look at ourselves in the mirror, he is there to look deep into our eyes and welcome us back into his arms. You are never too dirty, too full of sin, too broken for God. He wants a relationship with us. He wants us to call on him in times of trouble. He wants us to look into the mirror and see the beautiful creation that he has made. He wants to use us to do great things in the world. He wants us to see the beautiful, unique masterpiece that is inside us. If loving yourself is hard, I encourage you to spend some time in a quiet space, reading what God says about you and asking him to pour joy into your life. I believe another way to love ourselves is to be grateful for who we are and what we have, put down our phone and stop comparing. Instead of coveting our neighbors cars and houses and families and good looks, take some time to write down things that God has blessed us with. Every day we should wake up and thank God for the good things he’s given us. That one task alone will bring transformation to your mind.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you. ”
— Psalm 139:13-18
My loving advice to you. Nothing else really matters in the is world. When you focus on these three things, everything else will fall into place. To simplify your life, make loving Jesus, loving others and loving yourself your top priority every day. Spend time to get to know Jesus, his character and his love for us. Be intentional about loving others, even when it is difficult. Stop arguing and judging and trying to win. Love people where they are, in their mess, simply because that’s what God does for you. Be grateful for the things you have and the masterpiece that God created in you. Do not throw that masterpiece in the trash, put it into the world for people to see.
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”
— Proverbs 19:11
My Dearest MacKynzie-
No matter what I try, laundry seems to be a never ending chore in our household. As you and your brother have gotten older, you’ve taken some of the responsibility but somehow I still end up spending hours and hours each week gathering and spraying and washing and folding. One thing that drives me absolutely crazy is when layers of clothes are taken off together so they have to be peeled apart before they go into the washer. Half of them are turned inside out in the process and have to be flipped back right. The dad of the household (not saying any names because I’m not one to snitch) is the one that leaves the most of these layered laundry gifts. He works outside a lot in the winter and wears 4 or 5 long sleeve shirts at a time and takes them all of together at once and throws the into the basket. Often times I stand in front of the washer grunting and pouting about having to spend an extra 5 minutes in the cold garage pulling the shirts apart. The dialogue that goes on in my head is exactly this: ‘I’ve asked him 100 times to take his shirts off one by one, how disrespectful of him to not think of me. I work and I slave and he doesn’t appreciate anything that I do for him.’ In other words, my first reaction is to take it as a personal attack on me. He works long days in the freezing cold to provide for our family and all he is thinking about when he gets home is getting comfortable. I take it personal and complain about standing in a cold garage for 5 minutes. We do this a lot don’t we? Someone snaps at us because they have had a really long day or they are going through a tough time and our immediate reaction is to fluff all up and get offended. God calls us to be better than that. He challenges us not to respond in anger, but instead respond in love.
“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many”
— Hebrews 12:15
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Most of the time when someone gets angry at us or does something that we think is disrespectful, it is not a personal attack on us. It is a reaction to something that they are personally going through or a perspective that they hold that is different than ours. It’s our narcissistic human reaction to put our ourselves in the middle of the narrative, making the story about us. This does not help or solve anything and it is not how God is calling us to respond.
My loving advice to you. Put yourself in your shoes. What I mean by that is to decide ahead of time that you are not going to be a person that reacts in anger. You will make a choice to not get offended. You are instead going to be a person walking in love and grace and compassion for those around you no matter what comes at you. Nice people are easy to love but what about the depressed, angry people that need our love the most?
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.”
— Proverbs 23:4
My Dearest MacKynzie,
We all do it. We plop into bed at the end of a busy day, mentally and physically exhausted. All of the unfinished tasks on our to do list fill our brain.
So much to do and so little time. Team mom needed for baseball, sign me up. Volunteer needed at the kids school, got it. Extra serve time at church, check! After all if I don’t do it, who will? Errands and lunches and driving and bills and cleaning and hosting and feeding and driving and helping and laundry…then cleaning again. It makes my head spin just thinking about it.
A couple of nights ago I opened my bible to my favorite book, Proverbs. I love that it tells us exactly what to do. The Kacie version of Proverbs 23:4 says do not wear yourself out trying to get rich. Money can disappear in an instant and then all you have is exhaustion. It got me thinking about the way we live our lives. I fell into the trap, complied with what I thought was the social norm, filling my schedule and saying yes to almost everything. After all, staying busy means that I am am getting stuff done and going somewhere in life right?
Somehow our culture has turned busy into a symbol of importance and success. In the meantime, we are missing out on the wonderful things in life... the things that really matter. And for what? Money? To impress others? To make others happy? To feel important and accomplished?
We are so busy, but what are we actually accomplishing? When was the last time you noticed a beautiful sunset, sat in silence or read a book out of pleasure and not obligation?
A couple of months ago, I decided to no longer use the word busy in my vocabulary. It’s weird because I’ve noticed that people automatically throw it at me... ‘how have you been, busy?’ Why has it come to this? When did this become an acceptable, and almost expected, way of life? Busy is not peaceful or productive and it is not how God wants us to live our lives.
So if busy is not the answer than what should we strive for? The opposite of busy in the thesaurus is lazy and idle.. that doesn’t seem Godly either. How about this: peaceful, calm, collected, restful, still. It’s priceless to see the look on someone’s face when they ask you how you’ve been and you say ‘still’.
My favorite new word is ‘simple’. The past couple of months have been transformational by just incorporating that word into everything I do. Meals = simple, Home decor = simple, wardrobe = simple. It’s amazing how uncluttered my brain has become after uncluttering my schedule and my space. Sometimes I catch myself going back into that old cycle and have to take a breath and set some priorities. Saying yes to everything will no longer be a pattern in my life.
Let’s work together and support each other in this area of our lives. Let’s encourage each other to fill our days with more intentional, simple things that bring us peace. From now on don’t use busy as a fill word to push by the conversation. Busy is a bad word.
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”
— Mathew 12:25
My Dearest MacKynzie,
We are going through a crazy time right now. When I flip through the Bible, I see many stories about the devil using people and groups of people to do evil things. In all of these stories, through faith and obedience of Christians, God does miracles. He used regular people that are broken, no different than us, to change the world. Looking at Hebrews 11, the Bible gives us several examples; Noah, Abraham, Moses, Gideon, David and more. David did some pretty awful things in his lifetime yet God still used him. When evil shows its ugly head in this world, will you burry your head in the sand or take a leap of faith and do what God is calling you to do as a follower of Jesus? God’s word also says that if we stand together, we can not fall. There are many parts to this complex, but simple, calling. Let’s get into it.
Will it cost you? Most likely, yes. Noah was laughed at and mocked while he was building his arc for the flood. God spoke to Moses and asked him to leave the comfort of his house to endure pretty crazy things. As a Christian in the world, you will also be laughed at, called names, mocked and endure some pretty crazy things. God promises us that we will be rewarded for being obedient. Standing up for your faith will also make you a stringer, more confident and a leader that will inspire others.
Will it be tough? Most likely, yes. In the honeymoon stage of becoming a new believer, it is easy to fall into the misconception that following Jesus makes your life easy. In reality, it is quite the opposite. Christians go through trials and tribulations just like the rest of the world. Often it is even harder because we are swimming upstream, against the progressive ways of the world. Following Jesus also reveals how broken our world is. As someone that is called to love people, it is tough to watch others fall but standing together does not mean that we should give up our faith and follow what’s trending. We must be firm in our belief so that we can stand up together.
My loving advice to you. It is built into us as humans to want to please others and fit in. Do not let the fear of being made fun of, shunned or mocked get in the way of standing for what is true. Do not apologize if you’ve done nothing wrong. Take time everyday to ask God for guidance and clear direction in your life. Be kind but bold. Listen to the words God speaks to your heart and do not be afraid to act on them. We must all stand together with confidence for the truth of God’s word, that is our foundation. We must wake up everyday as a unified army and put on the full armor of God as it says in Ephesians 6:10-18. Jesus says ‘He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.’
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
“Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. ”
— Proverbs 29:11
My Dearest MacKynzie,
2020 was supposed to be a great year for us. Along with most of the country, we went into it dreaming about the lavish lifestyle the year would bring. Living the American dream, I transitioned from a full time job to spending my days running a local business. This was a big step for our family.
Here we are, eight months into the year and month by month, the dream has been taken over by dark clouds. Everywhere we turn there is anger and fear. Riots and intense debates about masks flood our social media and dominate our conversations. Family and friends are turning on each other in anger and frustration.
There are a lot of people in our country that are acting like fools and it saddens me. Businesses and individuals are being slandered and bullied. My partner and I were called racist from a post that was taken way out of context. Angry messages filled our inbox with some of the most hateful words I have ever heard. People were quick to jump on a narrative and lash out before they knew the facts. The worst part was that they didn't even care about the facts. Their only desire was to to push their own agenda no matter what it takes or who they hurt, and to do it out of anger….this is foolish!
I felt an array of emotions during this time. Fear because I was scared my business would go under. Anger because none of this was fair. Sad to discover first hand how nasty people can actually be to one another and feel justified.
My first reaction was to lash out in defense. With every mean comment my face got hotter and my heart beat faster. It is easy to let this emotion spin out of control. Instead of reacting immediately, I looked for wise counsel. Usually in life what is good for you is the hardest choice. Sitting on your booty and watching Netflix is much easier than exercise, pizza for dinner every night would be a lot better than chicken and vegetables, the list goes on. Reacting out of anger is easy, reacting out of a place of calm and composed is hard but I guarantee you it is much more effective.
First, I want to remind you that anger is not a sin, it is an emotion that God gave us. It is a powerful tool that helps motivate us to bring about monumental change. God’s goal is not our comfort, it is to build our character. It is how we respond in our anger that shows our true character.
The Bible mentions anger several times and gives us wisdom on how to handle our anger.
“In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, bot only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ”
— Ephesians 4:26-31
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. ”
— James 1:19-20
“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
— Ecclesiastes 7:9
I believe that true change comes when we are intentional about recognizing our anger and redirecting our reaction to it. Just because things don’t happen like you plan, does’t give you permission to act like an idiot. Do not give the devil a foothold. Reacting in anger and rage does not produce the righteousness that God desires. It may make you feel better in the moment, but it will not produce the results you desire either.
My loving advice to you. Do not react to anger with anger. Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Remember that fools give vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. Instead take a breath, recognize your anger, compose yourself and be calm. There have been many people in history that have created change by reacting to their anger with composure. One of the greatest examples is Martin Luther King Jr and his followers. They were angry about the way blacks were treated so they calmly and peacefully protested, dressed in their Sunday best. That is to be admired and respected. The people trying to create change in our world today have it all backwards. They will not get the results that they desire because they are acting foolish.
This advice goes way beyond what we are facing in the world today and can be applied to almost any situation in your life where anger arises. Do not let it reside and consume you. It is in the quiet that we can hear Gods voice, not in the noise and chaos. Be intentional about how you respond when you are angry and remember to always love and forgive one another no matter what because that is the example that Jesus set for us.
My love to you and my prayer for an amazing life! Live to inspire <3 to create!
The purpose of this letter is to inspire my daughter MacKynzie to live a prosperous, God loving, joyful, legacy building life. Who knows, it may help you too. Please ‘like’ if you found this letter useful and please ‘share’ if you want to help inspire others. You never know who is watching ;)
It is so easy to look at the people around you and feel like you are failing at life. Kacie Bryant sits down and gives you a look into her own struggles of not feeling good enough. Listen as we break down the walls of comparison and start living a life you can love.
Sometimes we are so busy living life that we forget that it is not a race to the end, but a journey. Let's slow down and enjoy living.
It is rare that instant is a good thing. Even though it takes time to reap the benefits of hard work, persistence pays off.
Take it from Loo, life should not always be so serious. Unconditional happiness is possible, even when you spill roaches in your car!
In a season of being down and out? There are many pages to the book of life so keep on reading!
Perfection is an illusion like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The faster you run towards it, the further it goes.
There are so many times in my life where I look back and wish that I would have heeded counsel before making a big decision. But keep in mind that all counsel is not created equal.
How can you love all people and why should you love those that you feel are not worthy of your love?
There is a whole big world out there. The way we do things in our little bubble is way different than many other places. There are so many ways you could benefit from exploring and experiencing other places and people.
The problem is that we are losing the desire to think for ourselves. We are getting our information from the wrong places, bombarded daily with thousands of commercials geared toward making us feel and think a certain way.
Receiving is uncomfortable and vulnerable. Of corse we like getting gifts and complements but how can we get better at receiving without feeling awkward and guilty?
If we dig deep, we all have things that we are passionate about. Start by finding something that sparks a flame in your heart and work towards developing a career around that passion.
Our culture is so backwards. We reward and encourage laziness with never-ending unemployment benefits, welfare, credit cards and bankruptcy.
I struggle with this everyday. It is easy to indulge in the drama and negativity that surrounds us on social media, in social gatherings and on the news.
Our culture and commercials all around us tell us that we need more 'things' to be happy. This is not true.
I was never the smart kid in school. I guess you would call me the jock. Is there a secret to becoming smart?
A dead end does not mean that you've failed. It means that you've gained some experience so keep on going!
Always dance, sing, laugh and play link no one is watching. In the end, what people think doesn't really matter.
Because of our culture, we've created this obsession with losing weight and looking a certain way. What is the magic skinny potion?
Who you spend time with will help you develop your personality, give you strength to make it though hard times, and make you a better person within.
Sometimes you accomplish more by accomplishing less. Please do not lose your love for beautiful things and take time to appreciate all that life has given to you.
It's hard to swim upstream. When everyone around you has credit cards, mortgages and care loans it is easy to jump in and go with the current.