For the Mind, For the Soul

3 Enjoyable Things About Being an Older Sister + 3 Challenging Things

 

Today we have a guest post from my friend Kelly-Anne from South Africa! She is the oldest of six girls and is expecting a baby brother soon. 

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I love being the eldest in my family of six girls, but this role is not without its challenges…

I pray that what I have to share will be a blessing to your heart and encourage you to pursue a deeper, lasting relationship with your siblings, whether they are older or younger than you, and ultimately bring glory to God by loving and esteeming those He has placed in your life.

 

Always Time for Love…

When I think of the many young ladies in this world so desperate for love, I am humbled that the Lord would see fit to give me a life of true love…
I have gained the love and devotion of five special girls, and not a day goes by without one, two or all my sisters coming to give me a hug or to tell me they love and appreciate me…this is something I’m especially thankful for!

 

A Special Place…

As the eldest, I have a definite place within our family.  This is a grave responsibility, but it is incredibly special too.  I know I’m needed, just as I need my sisters. My sisters accept me for who I am, pray that God would continue to work in my heart, and love me unconditionally.  I can’t describe the immense joy this gives me…

 

Always a Friend…

Could I ask for anything more wonderful than a friend around me each moment of the day? True, it isn’t always all sunshine and happiness, but despite the fact that my sisters are all younger than I am, we all get along very well and enjoy being around one another…  We are always striving to draw closer together.

 

Of course, there will always be challenges in every situation we find ourselves in during our lives.  But I firmly believe that when we stop and count our many blessings and shift our focus, we will realise that the things we struggle with are only temporary – relationships last much longer…

 

Responsibility…

The responsibility that comes with being an older sibling can be overwhelming at times. My sisters look up to and admire me, and I realise what a weight I carry on my shoulders – I am their role model, and how I live my life will greatly influence them in the choices they make.  This is not something I take lightly.

 

Practice Makes Patience…

Having younger children around is a wonderful way to develop the virtues you lack in your character…  For me, it is patience, and what better way to develop a gentle and quiet spirit than on a daily basis when confronted with situations that require the utmost patience!

 

Lose the Selfishness!

Most days I am available for anyone who should need me and I love this part of my life…but often it can be frustrating when sitting down to write or sew and a younger sister runs in to ask me to help her with something or other. In life there will always be interruptions, and I know that the sooner I accept and embrace this, the happier and more contented I will be in my calling.

I learn a vast deal from my sisters by simply interacting with them.  These experiences will greatly aid us in our lives as adults, and hopefully stand us in good stead in our future relationships. 

I pray that we will continue to draw closer to one another, build each other up and love unconditionally …

The joys far outweigh the challenges, and I couldn’t think of a more lasting, meaningful role I would rather be in.

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About Kelly-Anne @ Beautiful Girlhood Blog

My name is Kelly-Anne, and I am a eighteen year old daughter of the Most High King; saved by His grace and captured by His love.
It is my ambition to lead a life that would bring glory and honour to His wondrous name, and testify to His amazing goodness.

I am a big sister to six sweet girls, happily home-educated and enjoying my life as a homemaker-in training and stay-at-home daughter.
Every day brings about new challenges for me to conquer and new situations in which I may grow in my walk with the Lord… I believe He is preparing me, just as He is preparing every young woman determined to serving Him in her girlhood years, for something more beautiful than I could ever hope to imagine…

 

0 thoughts on “3 Enjoyable Things About Being an Older Sister + 3 Challenging Things

  1. Dear, sweet Kelly-Anne! So very grateful to read your wonderful post here today, and it is so nice to meet you, Rebekah! May God just abundantly bless both of you sweet, young ladies and keep you ever near His heart! Much love to both of you!

    1. Thank you Cheryl for your kind comment! It was a lovely thing to find in my inbox today. I am glad you found Kelly-Anne’s post a blessing. Hope to hear from you again in the future! 🙂 Have a blessed week!

  2. Oh, Rebekah, I loved reading your post today, and I can agree about your three enjoyable and three challenging things about being the eldest daughter. I am the eldest of four daughters, so I can attest to what you’ve said…especially since I am now a grandmother myself. Beautifully said with a heart full of love for the Lord and your precious sisters! Hugs!

    1. Hello Cheryl!
      Thank you for the kind comment! The post was by guest Kelly-Anne, and I too agree with her points 🙂 I’m also eldest, so I can relate to both of you. There are many fun things, and other challenging things about being the eldest, but there’s always beauty to it, and it’s a blessing!

      Thank you for stopping by!

  3. Hi Rebekah, I’m coming from Kelly-Anne’s blog !
    This blog post is truly so lovely, thank you to both of you !
    May your afternoon be blessed wih love,

    Daniela

    1. Thank you Daniela, so nice to have you! It was a pleasure to have Kelly-Anne over and I am glad you enjoyed her post! I hope you have a lovely day as well. I am now on spring break so I had a nice day today learning how to play tennis- but the rest of the week will consist of studying 😀

    1. I thank you Kelly-Anne for being willing to participate with a guest post- and I look forward to having you again Lord willing in the future! 🙂 It was a pleasure interacting with you and the readers of the post, and I appreciate the thoughts you shared on being an older sister and how you described it as a blessing to serve and treasure the time God gave you with your sisters!

      Love in Christ,
      Rebekah

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