Daughters of God

Last blog I talked about males...our need for fathers...our need to grow ourselves up into more than just little boys in men's bodies - but into true men, men who use our strength in good ways, who use our gift of courage to step into the darkness of evil for the sake of justice, mercy and righteousness, who connect intimately and appropriately with our sisters, God's daughters, in order to have dominion over the earth.

In the last month, it is these daughters of God who have been on my mind. Maybe it is partly because of tutoring - where we have over 10 little sisters who come regularly to hang out and learn...what is it that when I walk in the door of our Jefferson Room, what is it that causes three or four of these young ladies to come screaming across the floor, to leap up on me, to grab me around the neck, to hold on to my arms, to hug me and to basically not want to let me go? One of these dear little sisters of Jesus comes to church every week and holds my hand and sits close during worship and you can sense that her feminine heart is looking, longing for the masculine soul of a father.

Maybe it is partly because of the young adolescent females I see strolling daily in front of our church...many times naively dressed in ways that if they knew what guys were thinking - they wouldn't dress in those ways anymore...and listening to the often disrespectful comments from the young men and wondering where the dads are to stand in front of their daughters and look at the guys saying, "This is my daughter. You can't talk about her like that. If you persist, you will need to answer to me."

Maybe it is partly because of the young women in university Christian campus groups from around the country that I am privileged to speak to about Jesus - and then connect with over coffee or in a small group - who begin to open up to me with stories of hurt and fear and insecurity...with an intensity that suggests they are speaking these words and feelings to a safe, older brother for the very first time. Some of the older sisters tell me they long to be married, long to be connected to a good man who is safe and respectful and courageous and walks with God and has eyes to see their true beauty - and they ask me with hurting hearts, "Kevin, where are the real men?"

Perhaps it is partly because this summer I am watching Caroline, the last of my three little girls go off to college ten hours east - while my middle daughter Leigh Anne travels two days drive out west to enter graduate school...and I am wondering in my spirit - "Will there be good men, safe men, to be there for them, in partnership, in relationship...to talk with, to share with, to do life with...to carry out God's design for His children having dominion over the earth?" Will there be a man, or men - as a brother or brothers...possibly at some point as a husband...to take over for me, a strong man who has loved his daughters, who would die for his daughters in the name of Jesus Christ?

I can't answer that question. I can only continue to get my arms around as many young men as God gives me time and grace and direction - and ask my Father to help me pour the strong love and character of Jesus into their spirits - so that there will be a next generation of the sons of God to stand alongside the daughters of God - to do battle on our planet for the souls of men and women who hang in the balance.

In the meanwhile, I want to say to the daughters of God - young and old - know that you are His precious little girl. Know it. You are created fully in His image. He loves you with all of His heart. He gave you to men because it "was not good for a man to be alone." You have a great gift from the Father for bringing deep relationship to the earth...to men...to families...to the church...to corporations...to the neighborhood...to the brokenness of our planet. And know that He has given each of you another precious gift - He has imprinted you with His beauty. You don't need to become beautiful. You ARE beautiful. God says that it is so. Don't doubt it. Hear Him whispering to you this day - in all of your uniqueness - "You are my beautiful daughter. I made your shoulders, gave you your nose, your hair, your eyes...KNOW that you are beautiful in My sight - and use your gift to invite the world - especially my sons - into intimate relationship with you, with me, and with one another...for the sake of my Kingdom."

I pray, dear sisters, that God will give you good men, good fathers, good brothers, good husbands to partner with for the sake of Jesus Christ. But in the meanwhile, don't wait. Don't wait. The world can't afford for you to wait. Go out and be the strong and beautiful and relationally gifted daughters of God that you are. Bring your passion and compassion and strong hearts for relationship to the table in every situation in which God places you...bringing His healing to the brokenness in our world.