several cups, a couple tablespoons, a teaspoon, and a little pinch.

On Wednesday, I celebrated my 21st birthday.

Here's 21 lessons I've learned in these 21 years on earth. From friends, from family, from the children, from strangers, from Jesus.

*Adding this in after I finished writing the post. This might sound a bit different from what you normally read in this space. My dear friend said it best when she said, "You just wrote like you talk. I really wish more people could hear your tone." So for those of you who don't know me well, I'll try to describe my tone to you. Several cups of love, a couple tablespoons of awe, a teaspoon of wit, and maybe a little pinch of determination.

My 21 pearls of wisdom to you, friends.

In random order.

1. People are hurting. Err on the side of kindness. Kindness makes a difference. When you tweet, when you post a status, when you blog, when you visit family, when you send a text, when you change a diaper, when you're in traffic, when your dog pees in the house, when you have zero words for the exasperation you are feeling: Be kind. Play nice.

2. Just because you're a good student, a good writer, a good house-keeper, a loving wife, a long-suffering husband, a conventionally pretty or handsome person, a hard-worker, a wonderful nurse/dentist/mom/dad/teacher/lawyer/artist, or ______ or _______ or _______, it doesn't make you better than anyone else. As soon as you possibly can, get over yourself. Value others for who God created them to be and take joy in putting Him on display.

3. You can never ever eat too much avocado. ever.

4. The Bible. It's majorly confusing and deserves diligent time and attention to understand well. It's beautifully rich and life-changing. Study it. Often. By yourself. and with others.

5. Seek after God's best for you and ask Him to equip you with the tools to live to your absolutely fullest potential.

6. Read.

7. Embrace vulnerability. There is so much beauty in being raw.

8. God absolutely loves poor people, mean people, sick people, displaced people, emotionally abused people, mentally-ill people, train-wrecks, immigrants and lesbians. You should to. And it should be tangible.

9. Dream big. So so big. But don't step on others trying to achieve it.

10. It's better to just fight than to be passive aggressive. Sometimes, you just have to embrace tension and step into it together. (right, bec? :))

11. Look people directly in the eyes and say hello or smile. Or go really crazy, and do BOTH! Seriously. It does wonders.

12. Children are the most vulnerable population on our planet. We have the huge opportunity to honor them, protect them, and love them. In my humble opinion, this includes children who are not yet born. All children should be protected. Loved. Cherished. Valued.

13. You're not likely to flourish without taking some risks. You jump, I jump, Jack.

14. Whether it will take five minutes or five years, decide that you will forgive those who have deeply wounded you.

15. There is a place for rebuke. We don't like to think so, but there is. Though so so hard to give out, rebuke is absolutely necessary and quite effective when given in love.

16. Great leaders, great visionaries, great change agents always have accountability. Don't let yourself hide away where no one can put you in your place when you act like a crazy, wild mess. Allowing yourself to be disciplined and shaped and sharpened isn't cowardly. It is so so very brave.

17. How you treat those who can do nothing for you says a lot about your character.

18. Ask God questions. It's allowed.

19. Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no." What if we were forced to follow through on everything we said "yes" to? Everything from lunch with a friend to staying married even while unhappy? Would we think more clearly about what we agreed to if our lives depended on our follow through? Let your "yes" be "yes". If you agreed to it, promised to it, then do it. Oh. and also? You might need to say "yes" less often.

20. Audibly thank God. Acknowledge his artistic expressions, moved mountains, and perfect heart.

21. You are loved. You are seen. You are known.

...and there we go. done.

21 lessons in 21 years.

Really excited for this year and the dozens of lessons that await.

A big thank you to all of you that have journeyed with me!

Much love,
Lyss