Fatherless Daughters

They say a girl's first true love is her father, but what about the girls who don't have a father or a father figure in their lives? How do these girls grow to experience the love of a father? How do these girls grow to understand what a healthy relationship looks like? What a man loving a woman looks like? 

I just want you to be encouraged and to understand that God may have used your father to bring you into this world and then removed him from your life to protect you.  Rejection is God's protection, even when your father is the one rejecting you.  I want you to be encouraged and to understand that, no you didn't deserve to be left behind by your father, but that does not define you.  I unfortunately know how it feels to yearn for your father's love and attention, to want to do right so he acknowledges you.  Growing up with a father who was there financially, but not emotionally took a toll on how I carried myself.  I didn't understand how a man was supposed to treat a woman because I didn't have my father there on a consistent basis and my mother was a single parent.  As a woman when you don't know how a man is supposed to treat you, you settle for less than what you deserve and you misconstrue what love really is.  It seems like I was constantly on the search for love and I was always left feeling empty and disappointed.  

One day in the midst of my quest for love, I was doing my hair listening to Pastor R.A Vernon preach on tv.  He was speaking about knowing your worth as a woman.  I literally broke down in tears, at the tender age of 21, I had never known what my worth was! I get so emotional when I think about the woman I once was, even more emotional when I see other young women on the same path for the same reason...no father.  I held onto so much resentment and hatred towards my father, but it was only hurting ME! I couldn't understand at that time that forgiveness is not for the other person, but for ME! 

As I grew older and became closer to God I realized that I was carrying a large load on my shoulders unnecessarily! All I had to do was forgive my father and move beyond those circumstances instead of allowing them to control me.  There are a lot of us fatherless daughters in the world and we can either choose not to forgive our fathers and move past our circumstances, or we can choose to trust in the Lord to provide and forgive those that hurt us.  

And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:18 

We have great comfort in knowing that our spiritual Father will never leave or forsake us! We don't have to go above and beyond to get God's attention or love, He created us, He loves us just the way we are and when we make mistakes, He won't leave you.  I know its hard when you want to just be loved, but I want you to know that the love of God is bigger than ANY man's love! Seek Him instead of an earthly man, trust Him and love Him! 

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 

Ladies, I sincerely pray that you find comfort in these words, comfort in knowing that you ARE loved, you don't have to chase someone to make them love you.  You have someone who loves you no matter what you do! Always remember, you are beautiful and your circumstances, nor situations define you! 

Love you!