Your thoughts define me

So I had this amazing experience the other day..... My wife took my little daughter Haven shopping for the first time and let her pick out her own dress. When they returned I was in my room reading in my favorite chair. I heard my little girls feet run up the stairs to her room above me. I could tell by the commotion that she was either wrestling a alligator or that she was changing into her new clothes with the fury of a four year old. Then I heard her little feet come back down the stairs and she burst into my room. Without any words she ran and stopped in front of me wearing the new dress she had picked out. This was one of those moments when time also seemed to stop in front of me. As she stood still and time stood still, I realized it was one of the greatest moments I would ever have as a Father. She was waiting to be defined by my voice. Her little heart was like clay waiting on my thoughts to shape her. So with everything inside me I looked deep inside her and said "Haven you look more beautiful right now that you have in your whole life."

Everyday for the next week Haven would put on her new dress and come find me. No matter what I was doing she would pause before me and wait for my voice to tell her again that she was beautiful. It was like her little heart was saying over and over to me "do it again daddy.... tell me who I am."

Identity is discovered through the voice we listen to. We have all been created to be defined by a Fathers voice. Every girl is made to hear those words, "You are beautiful" and every boy is designed to hear the words "well done." My words over Haven are but a shadow of the radiant thoughts that the Father in heaven has for her. Until we each have an encounter with our Father in heaven like my daughter had with me, we will spend our lives broken in search of our identity.

The Father is sitting in His favorite chair, just waiting on us to burst into his presence and say "Daddy, do it again, tell me who I am."