My Daddy

by: Lysa TerKeurst

Do you ever have those moments when deep in your heart you wonder, who am I? Do I really matter? Is God pleased with my life? Is He pleased in the way I am fulfilling my roles as a wife and mom?

Most days I click right along and these questions don't demand my attention. But then something happens and they rush in to the forefront of my thoughts. Someone criticizes me. One of my kids gets in trouble at school. I forget to do the laundry my husband needed. I meant to have a quiet time but got distracted. A friend lets me know her disappointment in me.

It's in these stinging times that I'm forced to remember not to define myself by the circumstances that come my way, but rather by God's truth.

I am a child of God. I am loved. I am significant. Not because of who I am but because of Whose I am. Not because I never fall flat on my face, but because when I mess up I know Whose face to seek. God is tender and loving as He corrects me, assures me, and shows me where to go from here.

As a small child, I wanted nothing more than to have my Daddy assure me of his love and affirm my worth. I remember standing beside his chair, twirling around, while my heart cried out for his attention. While my earthly Daddy didn't notice me, my Heavenly Daddy did. Throughout my whole life, God has brought experiences my way, that if I'll notice His hand in it, reveal the depth of His love for me.

Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Billy Graham crusade in New York City with Billy's daughter, Ruth. Ruth and I have been friends and prayer partners for several years.

We met and instantly bonded at a women's conference where we both spoke. To me, she is just Ruth; my friend with whom I laugh, cry, pray and experience life. I often forget about the celebrity status of her family.

But at the crusade, there was no forgetting. Famous people were all around us as we made our way through the crowd to our reserved seats. My 11-year-old daughter Hope, who was with me, kept exclaiming, "Mom, there is Amy Grant and Vince Gill! Mom, there are the Clintons who used to live in the White House!" I just played it cool, but on the inside I was as amazed as she was.

I also kept wondering, "Who am I? I don't belong here with all these famous people." But as the questions and doubt started to creep in, Ruth handed us badges to wear around our necks, allowing us access to a private seating area. All the famous people had them on. However, our badges had a gold star on the bottom corner. I quickly realized the meaning of this gold star as we walked past the famous people and sat with the Graham family. We didn't just have special seating passes. The gold star meant we were part of the family.

I sat down and wiped away the tear that started to make its way down my cheek. I looked up to Heaven and winked at my Heavenly Daddy who once again reminded me of Whose I am. His voice was so tender and sweet, as He once again whispered, "You are mine and you are loved."

During this month when we celebrate fatherhood, don't forget to celebrate God being your Heavenly Daddy. Look for His activity in your life and listen for His sweet reminders that you are His and you are loved.

Rejoicing in His amazing love,
Lysa