I Bet She’ll Be Pretty

People say to me....“One day, when If you have a daughter, I bet she’ll be pretty.”

Hmm...Pretty what? I say...

Pretty bold??

Pretty loud and brave??

Pretty smart??

But they just mean her face-and they hope she behaves.

But I hope my daughter doesn’t do as she’s told.

As long as she’s safe, I hope that she’s bold.

Pretty wise.

She questions the world.

She’ll fight as she’ll stand.

She knows she has powers great as any man.

She’s sporty.

She’s kind.

And inquisitive.

And changes the world each day.

She has so much to say.

Or creative.

When she becomes a teen, I know the world will seem tight…

but a small box to fill, then she’ll be right.

Being a woman doesn’t mean knowing your place.

And I hope she is happy and fights for her choice.

Yes, I hope my daughter uses her voice-to speak up for what she believes in,

for what she knows is right,

for what she knows is fair,

to call out what is wrong,

to cling to what is true.

I hope she uses her voice to defend the underdog,

to challenge injustice,

and to stand unshaken in her convictions.

I hope she knows her beauty doesn’t come from her face.

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What I Hope For Her:

One day, if I have a daughter, I hope she learns the things I had to fight to learn.

I hope she laughs too loudly in rooms that try to quiet her.

I hope she knows the difference between the rooms she’s merely invited into

and the ones where she is truly welcomed.

I hope she wears what makes her feel like sunshine,

and never second-guesses her light

just because someone else couldn’t handle her brightness.

I hope that when someone calls her “too much,”

she can look them in the eye and say,

then go find less.

Because she isn’t built for small minds and small spaces.

In fact, I hope she takes up space-the kind I used to shrink out of,

the kind I used to apologize for.

I hope she never mistakes being chosen for being cherished.

I hope she knows that real love will never make her question her worth.

It will never ask her to become less

just to be more palatable.

I hope she knows no is a full sentence.

And I hope she learns to stand up for herself-because that took me a long time to learn how to do.

That she can walk away without guilt.

That she cries when she needs to,

and allows herself to feel every God-given emotion

without shame.

I hope she never labels herself as “too emotional.”

I hope she finds magic in her reflection-

not only when she’s dressed up for the world,

but in those quiet, messy, beautiful mornings

when it’s just her.

I hope she never settles for attention or shallow comfort.

That she never believes she’s too much,

or not enough,

or too complicated.

Because what’s meant for her will always be hers.

She should never have to chase what God already set aside for her.

I hope she never forces herself to be someone she’s not,

stay somewhere she doesn’t want to be,

or feel something she doesn’t.

I hope she never apologizes for being genuine.

That she always stays true to herself.

Because the right people will love her for it-

and if they don’t, they were never her people to begin with.

I hope she knows she deserves to be the main character-

the star of her own story.

Never a supporting role in someone else’s life.

Never a second choice.

I hope she takes pictures,

records videos,

and captures the moments-

because one day they may be all she has left.

I hope she learns that life is full of dual truths,

and that growth means holding them both at once.

That perfectionism is a lie,

and grace is the greater gift.

I hope she knows that worth is not earned by productivity.

That flaws don’t erase value.

That even when she messes up,

she is still worthy of love.

I hope she knows that sometimes,

the hardest moments will teach her the most about herself.

I hope she gives herself grace.

That she remembers we are not just humans doing-

we are human beings.

And it is okay to just be.

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The Legacy I Want For Her:

I don’t want her to suffer like I have suffered.

The legacy of girlhood does not have to be one of pain.

I want her to know that her voice matters,

that her strength is holy,

that her softness is not weakness,

and that her worth is already sealed by the One who made her.

And one thing I know for sure: she will grow up anchored in unconditional love, because I will never let her forget what it feels like.

Yes, she’ll be pretty-but more than that, she’ll be bold, radiant, and whole.

Because I believe in a better world for her-

and I will never stop praying it into being.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” – Proverbs 31:25

Kristen, Unfiltered Xo 💋