August 7, 2020

Dear Lyka,

What is up? I hope you are doing well and are healthy! As I write this, you are in a world where there is a pandemic going on (COVID-19). You are currently in CMHA’s Rehab and Recovery Program working on recovery. You get to pick songs for Prayer Meetings, YSG sessions, and Praise + Worship services at church (livestreams). You’re about to start the second half of your Computer Science degree. You desire to learn music on your own. And yesterday, you just finished reading the Bible after 6 years! Woohoo!

I just want to congratulate you because you’ve come so far these past years. By God’s grace, you worked so hard on your recovery. It may not feel like much, but remember how full of shame, exhaustion, and hopelessness you were toward the end of 2017? God delivered you through that. You’ve been through medication changes – from 9 pills to 2. You’ve been through many psychiatric appointments. You contemplated so much on whether or not you’re on the right path. And yet God brought you through that.

As I write this, I feel like I’m behind in life. Maybe you do too, maybe you don’t. If you do, I want you to remember that even though you may feel behind or feel you’re slow, you will eventually get to where you’re supposed to be. Just keep at it either way. It’s gonna be tough for sure so remember to hold on to God. Chop a little each day, and pray for it!

I’m learning to love God and love myself. How can you love others when you don’t love yourself? So yeah! I hope you’re growing more and more in dependence on God. I hope that you’re living in a healthy way. I hope that you’re more forgiving of yourself when things don’t go according to plan. I hope you’re living wisely and leaving the final issue to God as well as the whole issue. Honour your father and your mother. Respect yourself. Listen to your body. Stay hydrated. Love unconditionally.

Lyka, you are a daughter of God. You’re a miracle. You are determined and you are strong. You are blessed with resilience. You are so beautiful. You are fearfully wonderfully made. You are loved.

May God’s grace and love abound in your life.

Sincerely,

Lyka M. Sal-long