To my son on his 16th birthday:

Amazing!
I can't believe how fast you've grown from a sweet little boy into a man.
Watching you grow into a man was different somehow than watching your sister turn into a woman. Maybe because we women don't change as much.
But you have.
I used to have a hard time telling the two of you apart on the phone, but that only lasted for a short time. I remember when your shoes became bigger than mine, and I could no longer steal your old T-shirts.
I always thought you'd grow up to be just like your dad, for some reason. Able to fix any mechanical thing, strong as an ox, quiet, and reserved.
But you grew up more like me: curious, optimistic, compassionate and loving. You have many other qualities too. You have such a mature patience and peacefulness about you at such a young age. I have admired that in you for a long time now. It took me years to develop that peacefulness, and here, you just have it. I like to think that perhaps it rubbed off on you, but I know better. God gave it to you. He gave you some real gifts you can treasure. He gave you these things for reasons unknown to you or I, but in time, God will show you what they are for. I pray that you never develop any sense of fear in your life, so that you can live the life God called you to live.
So for your birthday, I pray that God will be with you forever, blessing you and prospering your work for His kingdom. I pray that His love will fill your heart, mind and soul, and that in everything you do, you feel the presence of God. I pray that God will be gracious to you and fill your life with His blessings and favor. And may His peace be with you forever. Amen.