Fathers Be Good To Your Daughters

A couple of years ago Tammy and I spent the weekend in ATL with my brothers and their wives to celebrate a 30th bday for Angela, Michael John's wife. We had an awesome time, seeing some old friends and spending some great quality time together. We had a great meal at the Georgia Grill (I highly recommend it. Get the lobster enchiladas. Trust me.) Later that night we went to a club to get jiggy with it 'cause Angela LOVES to dance. It was a lot of fun, but a real eye opening experience for me. 

I wasn't shocked by anything I saw, but it's sort of an out of sight out of mind thing. You get busy being an adult, a parent, etc...and you forget that this other world is out there. The details aren't necessary here, but for those of you who have either been sheltered or just out of the loop for a while like me, let's just say there are a lot of lonely, hurting young people out there.

The crowd was mostly 20 somethings, young professionals and those trying to be. Lots of young ladies throwing themselves at anyone who would pay them attention, longing to be loved, touched, noticed... A great opportunity for a young, thoughtless, careless man to exploit. Many sitcoms have even started to throw around the phrase 'daddy issues' making light of it all. But to me, a guy old enough to be many of these girls father, it hurt my heart. I thought of my girls, and prayed I would be the kind of father that can show them the love they need to know that me and their heavenly Father value them greatly, that they matter, that they are valuable and lovely and important...and that they deserve the best.

I pray that every father and every church leader would be challenged to see the young ladies in their area with new eyes. That we would be sensitive to the hearts of not only our own girls, but their friends and others who cross our path on a regular basis. That we would do our best to fill in the gaps for them and show them ALL the love that their ultimate Father intends for them. (I would encourage every father of a daughter and every pastor to read "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge and to also listen to the John Mayer track "Daughters" on the Heavier Things CD.)

Would love to hear some input from other fathers of girls? Comment away.

Comments

[Cyndy Lavoie]

Thanks Mark for this blog post. I am delighted to read your heart and readily agree with your observations. One of the most healing balms over my own life has been men not afraid of my femininity or all the best I have to offer this world. And for the gals that you speak of, to be shown they are more than the sum-total of their bodies is a profound gift. Bless You!

[David]

I've seen this as well, but from a little different perspective. Being a military policeman is a difficult profession and has a tendency to be a sort of "boy's club." Because of this, many of the females who enter this career field try so hard to be "one of the guys" that they seem to turn their backs on their femininity. I've heard girls (a term I use not in a derogatory sense, but to highlight how young these women are) use language that turns the air blue as they described the exploits of the previous weekend, and it breaks my heart.