Do you know anyone who’s a Daddy’s Girl? It’s not that their dad is playing favorites. There’s just a special bond that forms between some fathers and their daughters that nothing can rival.
I was a Daddy’s Girl.
Oh how I loved my daddy and wanted to be just like him. I can’t even begin to describe the devastation of finding out at age 13 that he was dying of cancer. Why would he leave me? I thought I was special. I thought we were special together. I couldn’t understand.
Life went on. One of the hardest days in my mid-twenties was when I realized I had lived more of my life without my dad than with him. My heart sank as a cloud of darkness smothered me. It was so unfair. It was so sad. It was so lonely. Who would help me? Who would give me advice? Who would love me and cherish me no matter how bad I messed up?
No one I knew.
I’ve been told that when children face trauma or start down the paths of addiction, there’s a part of their brain that stops developing. To some degree, feelings and emotions can be stuck at that age for the rest of their life. Sometimes I wonder if that’s what happened to me. Is that why I still long to run to my dad in excitement and jump into his arms? Why I still picture climbing up in his lap? Why I still wish for the safety of his strong arms as we rock in his recliner? Why I still smile when I think about how he danced me around the room as I stood on his feet?
There are still days when I miss him terribly. Days when I need him here. Today is one of those days.
But my daddy is gone. He won’t be coming back.
My heart will always have a special place reserved for him. Tears will probably flow at times like this for the rest of my life. You may have experienced the loss of someone close to you. You may have similar feelings. You may wonder if you’ll ever be able to let go.
Take comfort that death is not the end to life. For those who know Jesus, our joyful reunion in paradise is just a matter of time. We don’t have to forget those who’ve gone before us. But we do have to continue down our path of life.
The greatest blessing in my life is the relationship I now have with my Heavenly Father, God.
Yes, sometimes I’m still immature. Yes, sometimes I whine and complain and stomp my feet when I don’t like what’s happening. But He never stops loving me. I’m His beloved daughter. He always helps me. He gives me advice. He loves me and cherishes me no matter how bad I mess up.
And my Father loves you the same way He loves me.
He anxiously waits for us to wake up every morning so He can spend time with us. Even when we forget He’s there. He calls us, over and over again. Even when we don’t call Him back. He blesses us with special gifts. Even when we don’t give anything to Him. He forgives us when we disobey and hurt Him. Even when we don’t ask. He finds us and wipes away our tears. Even when we hide from Him. And every night He watches us sleep and quietly sings over us.
God is our Father in Heaven. He loves us so fully that we can’t comprehend. And yet, we give so little of ourselves back to Him. Let’s bless God today. How? By running into His arms with excitement and climbing up in His lap. By talking to Him. Laughing with Him. Telling Him we love Him. Asking Him to shine His light of hope into our dark days. Oh how happy it makes Him when His children come to Him!
Rejoice, sweet Sister. We’re beloved children of God. And we’ll always be Daddy’s Little Girl.
“But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 (NLT)
May I pray?
Father in Heaven, sometimes it’s hard to understand how we can be Your beloved children. And then we realize that’s what it means to have faith. To believe. Thank you for Your unfailing love. Thank you for the many special things You do for us every day, even when we don’t acknowledge them. Help us to come to You today and share sweet and tender moments. And please comfort those who are sad and lonely. May they feel Your presence and find peace knowing they are Daddy’s Little Girl. Amen.
Q4U: What is one small way you can bless God today?