GaryMo Monday - My Prayer for My Daughter

This is #2 in my series of GaryMo Mondays, writing on the 20 topics that Gary would like us to write about. So, here goes...

A couple of days ago, I wrote about the big questions that my daughter had about God. Our time together exploring those questions and reading the bible together has been heavy on my heart since that day. I've been praying for all sorts of things with regards to my daughter.

I pray that she keeps asking questions.
I pray that she gets the answers she needs.
I pray that she always knows that it's okay to have those questions.


But mostly...

I pray that she knows the love that God has for her no matter what questions or doubts she may have.

And I pray that she gets a little taste of that love and how BIG it is...from me.

I didn't have a very close relationship with my dad growing up. It wasn't entirely his fault. He worked in the construction industry and was up before dawn and usually home after dark. I really only saw him on weekends and like most boys, I had stuff to do on weekends. Baseball, skateboarding...girls. The usual.

So, we didn't spend a lot of time together. We didn't talk about things other than sports or cars. Girls...not so much. Certainly never God. I don't even know if my dad believed in God. I'm pretty sure he wasn't a follower of Jesus.

I talk about my dad in the past tense because I haven't seen or heard from him in about 20 years. He and my mom divorced when I was 27 and he pretty much divorced me, too. I have no idea where he lives or if he is even alive. He has never met my wife and I'm quite sure he doesn't know he has a granddaughter.

I could look for him, I suppose. But, I won't.

I just don't want to be like him.

I want to be the father to my daughter that is ALWAYS there for her. That will talk with her about anything she wants to talk about...dolls,video games, fairies, boys (as my stomach churns)... and God. I want to sing songs with her and dance with her and go to all her talent shows and, and, and...

So, I guess my prayer for my daughter is that she has the father that I feel like I never had. And by the grace of God, I pray that I can be that father. And I hope that by being that kind of father, my little girl will get just a small sense of the love that our Eternal Father has for her.

Are you convinced of the Father's love for you? What shows you the love of the Father?