Monday, July 11, 2011 - Daily Encouragement

July 11, 2011
More for My Girl
Lynn Cowell
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe..." Ephesians 1:18-19a (NIV)
More. More than the empty promises from boys. More than the masked protection of makeup. More than the false assurance of outfits.
More. It's what she wants for her daughter. She wants her girl to grow up with courageous confidence and without raw regret.
Even though my friend practically grew up under a steeple, during her teen years the truth that Jesus was crazy about her slipped through the cracks of her low self-worth. She turned to easy choices laid out by friends and gave away so much of herself in hopes of finding love.
But the more my friend gave, the emptier she felt. Eventually she lost hope and wondered, "Is there such a thing as lasting love?"
This is the opposite of what she wants for her own daughter. Yet, she sees things in her girl's life similar to her own teen years. Chasing after attention. Wearing layers of makeup. Flirtatious outfits that draw others' eyes. Her daughter is turning to everything and everyone to fill the hole that only God's love can.
I want God's best for my girl, too. And if you have a daughter, I bet you do as well.
The question is: how do we give our girl the assurance she needs? How can we help her find the confidence to make wise choices that lead to God's best for her?
I've found that it's important to start by praying verses like today's key verse, asking God to enlighten the eyes of our hearts. Then we will see the hope Jesus calls us to and we can share it with our daughter.
You see, as we possess the confidence that comes from knowing we are loved and accepted by the Lord, our daughter will take notice. When she sees her mom live out of the hope and love of Jesus, our girl will discover that she too can make choices based on His love for her and seek the hope only He can give.
When we need to make hard decisions, we can turn to Jesus for understanding and courage, modeling an example of confidence for our daughters. As moms, we can take them further on this journey of growth by asking them to pray with us, read His Word with us and speak hope to others with us. They will see how to transition from simply reading the Word of God to applying it and living out its truths. They'll witness firsthand what it means to view this world, themselves and others from His perspective.
When our girl sees His incomparably great power working in us, filling our hearts, it makes God's promises believable. As we find our fulfillment in God's love for us, instead of looking to someone or something else to fill us, our daughter will see a life that blossoms with purpose.
It may not be immediate. In fact, it could possibly take years for her to want what we have. But we can trust in the goodness of our God. He wants more for our girl, too!
Dear Jesus, I am desperate to see my girl walk in the freedom that comes when her heart is filled by You. Fill my heart, Lord, so I can model this fulfillment. Help me turn to You. May my daughter see me run to You first and may she run to You too! In Jesus' Name, Amen.