A Love Note for You, Daughter…

A girl never outgrows her need for her dad. Even if she’s grown and married. Even when she’s a mom.

Even when I’m old and grey (oh yeah, I am), I will still want my dad’s love and adoration.

Are you still seeking the approval and love of your father? So many of us are. We want him to be proud of us, that we would achieve what would finally make us enough.

I believe there’s a hole in each daughter’s heart that can only be filled by her daddy’s love.

You may be spinning your wheels, striving and trying to get your dad to pay attention, and he never has. He’s too busy.

Or you’re not the favored daughter. Your sister has always been dad’s favorite, and you’re well aware that the prime spot in dad’s heart has been taken for years.

Maybe your dad was never present in your life, and you’ve vowed you don’t need him, yet you’ve filled that void with a million approvals from others, and it’s never been enough. It might even highlight how bad you’ve needed your dad, but you would never admit that to anyone, not even yourself.

It could be your dad was mean to you, abusive to you, unable to love you for whatever reason, and that hurt is real and seeping into all facets of your life. You weren’t enough to help him or change him; you wanted him to be able to love you, but he was broken in unspeakable ways.

You may always be striving and achieving and reaching for the next ladder on the rung, the next achievement, and you don’t realize it has all been in search of dad’s approval and affection.

 

Today, I want you to know, that no matter how things went down with your earthly father, your heavenly Father sees you through eyes of love and adoration.  

*You are enough.*

*You are beautiful.*

*You are a perfect creation.*

*You are lovely, no matter your shape, size, color, disability, strength, deformity, hurt, life choices, failures, successes, depression or anger. He adores you, daughter.*

*He is pleased with you. He looks at you and says “good.”*

 

I want you to close your eyes, and picture the best dad. All our pictures are different. Some are based on real people and some are based on a character on a tv show, and some are a dad we’ve only seen in our mind’s eye. Tip your face up to look at your Father. Look him in the eyes. I know you don’t want to, for you are acutely aware of all the ways you aren’t enough. Look him in the eyes and let Him really see you; He knows the real you already. He’s not going to see something that shocks Him or takes Him by surprise. Dads know their daughters.

 

I want you to keep your eyes looking at His eyes, and I want you to hear Him say to you what He has said to me too:

Beautiful Daughter,

I have your name tattooed on my hands.

You’re always on my mind.

I keep your picture with Me.

I’m a proud daddy, you know.

I know what you can do, because I’ve already seen you doing it.

I promise you…Stick with Me, kid…

The days written for you- guess who wrote them?

My love for you is bigger than the sky.

Fall into my love. Be bowled over by its greatness.

Let me heal every broken place.

I am the Great Creator, after all, and nothing is too difficult for Me.

No matter how many times your earthly father hurt you, let you down, disappointed you, your Heavenly Father is the PERFECT, FAITHFUL, NEVER-FAILING Father. You can trust his love for you. It won’t change. It doesn’t matter if you had a great day or a sucky day (or year). His love for you depends on His nature, not on our doing.

I pray today that you will- maybe for the first time- let your (Heavenly) Daddy love you. It will change you. It will heal you. Even if you thought you weren’t looking for his love, His love will come looking for you. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Let His love and approval and delight wash over you. It won’t go away. Just receive it. YOU ARE LOVED.