Fake smiles.

Sometimes it's okay to fake things, don't worry. I get it.

It's okay to fake that you like your grandmother's new dinner recipe that she just tried which nearly made you run for the bathroom. ( Trust me, I know, my gran likes to experiment too ) It's okay to fake being brave when you have to go to the dentist or the doctor to get bloods taken or when you have to write an exam that you haven't even studied for.

Talk about one of the most scariest days of your life.

It's even okay to fake being super smart when you're in an oral exam and have no clue what's going on. But can I tell you what's not okay? When you fake your smile, when you fake being happy while you dying inside, feeling like the world is crumbling beneath your feet while no one notices. On the verge of breaking down every time you look at yourself in the mirror thinking that maybe you just not good enough, not important, rejected.

I don't know, maybe your life's just not going well right now... I have no idea. So instead, you put on a mask and pretend that everything is fine, when in reality, it's the opposite. You turn to things to try and fill this growing void in your life which is causing you to fall every day, you turn to things like alcohol, drugs, boys, food, social media... pretending that everything you are portraying on Instagram is perfect, making sure your profile is neat and impressive for people who look you up becoming jealous of the life that you seem to have.

It's okay, I understand.

When I was younger ( maybe around 12 ) I remember being so terrified of becoming a teenager, I didn't know why at the time, but I know now.

I was terrified because I was scared that I was going to turn into somebody that I'm not, I was scared of not being accepted, scared of rejection, scared of being me.

It seems silly now, I suppose, because when I look back, I still see that little girl dreading her 13th birthday. Dreading the reality that was going to hit her like a brick wall. The reality that not everyone is going to like who you are, not everyone is going to accept you, to love you... and yes, there will be rejection, but hey, Jesus was rejected.

But did that stop Him?

Did He put on a fake smile too afraid to reveal His true self? NO! He was just being Him, and didn't care what people thought. He didn't try to change it either, all He did was accept it, and loved the people in spite of their thoughts.

When you are hurting, it's okay to be sad, it's okay to be broken... just don't try hide it. All it will do is destroy you.

Take it from a girl who is broken and barely coping herself, but you know what the beautiful thing is? Because God loves us, He has put people around us when we are facing these stormy seasons, people to hug, to comfort, to cry to. I promise you, there is hope. So please, don't keep it all locked up, let it out, and from there...

Let the healing begin.