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A Daddy & His Girls

I had dinner with some good friends one night this week at their house, and their precious nieces were present as well. These girls are both under the age of 5 and could not have been more fun.

After they gave me a tour of their rooms and introduced me to their stuffed animals, I had the privilege watching them interact with their daddy when he came home. They began squealing as soon as they heard his car hit the driveway, and they attacked him as he walked in the door. He, too, was excited to see his precious daughters. They clung to him for a while, and then all three of them rolled around on the floor, laughing and giggling. Then they played what I later learned is a common game at their house: chasing their dad around the house in a circle, running laps and squealing with delight.

Later, the girls put on a "show" for us, which consisted of jumping around the living room dancing wildly to Christian music. They were completely free in their dancing, swinging arms, legs, heads! They were totally unaware of how silly they looked to us adults.

I felt like God was demonstrating the concept of childlike dependence and the sweetness of relationship between Him and His daughters in very blatant ways that night as I watched the family interact so sweetly. The girls obviously had a deep love for their daddy, and they were thrilled to be in his presence. He also loved, loved, loved his girls. Then, they were totally carefree in their actions as they danced - completely unaffected by who was watching them.

I want to bask in the love of my Father the way the girls did - I want to be so excited to spend time with Him that I have a literal urge to squeal! I want to find my time with Him so valuable. I also want to live unhindered by the eyes and ears of others. I may not express it by dancing around the living room, but I want to express it by living my life in confidence of my Father who created me and sustains me. I want to make decisions and live confidently because of my Father's love, not because of anything circumstantial or temporary. Also like the girls, I want to depend on my Father for everything and not rely on my own limited knowledge or abilities.

Spending time with these girls rejuvenated me and inspired me to relax, trust, and choose to thrive because of God's love for me. I want to do what 1 John 4:16 says, one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

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