Daughters

How you view yourself affects how you live.  Identity changes you and shapes your choices: the identity bequeathed to you by your mom and dad, an identity accepted and normalized.  In spite of years of negative programming, a new identity can be forged.

I heard recently about two middle aged women, living in two different states in disparate situations but with at least one common theme:  each is convinced that she is trapped and stuck.  Each has been beaten down by life, physical struggles, abusive husbands or apparent impossibilities.  When a woman believes the lie that all she deserves is abuse, mistreatment, neglect, or that she is not good at math, or is unable to take risks, make changes, or take ownership of her life, she remains trapped.  So today, each of these precious daughters is trapped in dark, hopeless places.

Neither seems to know how much the Father loves and longs for them.  Neither knows how valuable she is or how unique and beautiful she is.  Neither seems to have embraced the truth that she can have a bright new future.  Neither has embraced the truth that she is called to come out of the darkness into the marvelous light of value, dignity, purpose.  A woman who believes she is special, worthy of love, protection and acceptance, will not stand for abuse and will have the inner "chutzpah" to stand up and draw appropriate boundaries.

May they one day discover the Father who accepts, adopts and chooses women and men to come out of darkness into His marvelous light. May each of my daughters find security in the Father's love, embrace her true identity as chosen, called and valuable, worthy of love, protection, acceptance, encouragement. ©2010 Ray Woolridge