day no. 13,517: to dads of daughters

Mark Driscoll sent this out in an email today with specific respect to his 12 year old daughter. I hope and pray and aspire to be this kind of dad to my daughters Penelope and Laurelai and any other girls that may be granted us to raise.

1. The world is a dangerous place, and a daddy is commissioned to protect his daughter from harm.
2. By providing for her practical and emotional needs, a daddy creates an environment in which his daughter can flourish.
3. A daddy provides appropriate male affection that helps safeguard a girl from seeking it elsewhere.
4. In loving her mom, a dad sets a pattern of what a healthy relationship should look like.
5. Since they are both called “father”, a daddy can help a girl understand the love of her heavenly Father.
6. In a world filled with confusion and manipulation, a daddy can help a girl understand her true identity and value. 
7. By having fun with his daughter, a daddy nurtures a relationship in which she wants to spend time with him.
8. By being a teacher to his girl, a daddy can help her navigate the practical issues of life.
9. As her first pastor, a daddy introduces his daughter to Jesus, the Bible, prayer, and church.
10. By knowing and encouraging his daughter, a daddy can help her be secure in who God made her to be. 
11. By acknowledging his own faults, flaws, and failures, a daddy helps his daughter learn how to be honest about her own struggles. 
12. In accepting his daughter as a gift from the Lord, a daddy sees her as a treasure and helps her to also see herself as a treasure.