Daughter of the King

I was not popular in high school. I had bad teeth and a hopeless fashion sense. I was a part of a specialty choir that dressed up in Victorian frocks and sang Christmas carols around town. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but it didn't necessarily scream "cool." My friends and I did things like race cantaloupes down driveways for a good time. I had a tremendous group of core friends that made me feel loved and safe, but in the grand scheme of high school, I was a shy, introverted honor student that lacked self-confidence.

I've come a long way since then. Not only did I fix my teeth and learn how to dress, I also found my voice as I transitioned into adulthood. I slowly realized it's OK not to follow the trends. It's OK to be artsy. It's OK to have a few really awesome, genuine friends than a lot of fake ones.

I'm bringing up this subject because my daughter Adele is starting kindergarten this year and will soon start navigating the real world. A conversation I had with a friend the other day sparked these thoughts that follow. I confided with her that despite all of my personal growth since high school, sometimes doubt can creep in. I can run into someone from high school or be met with a new challenge and suddenly, I feel like that awkward girl again. I think to myself how did I land such a super hot husband? How am I fit to serve in the way God is calling me? How can meek, little me raise three strong kids?

These thoughts are fleeting, but they grab at me. When talking with my friend, she told me she often feels the same way and she asked me, "Are you ever scared Adele will feel how you felt?"

The truth is I do especially now that's she's starting public school. I've always told myself I'd make sure she would get braces. I'd make sure she knows how to style her hair. I'd make sure to give her every opportunity to find a sport or activity she can excel in. I'd volunteer in her classroom and be on the PTO. I'd do everything I could to make her feel loved and valued. Then as I was thinking about all of this, I realized something. None of that really matters. It's all secondary to teaching her to find her value in Christ.

Christ loved me when I was a nerdy teenager and he loves me today. Christ had a plan for me then and he as a plan for me now. Christ loves Adele and that's all she needs to know as she begins to find her place in this world. Of course, I want her to find her niche, make friends and know that her parents love her, but above all of that, I want her to learn how to be a woman of God. That's where she will ultimately find her true worth... that's where all of us can since we are made in his image (Genesis 1:27). And whether she's a star gymnast, a quiet poet or a struggling student, God loves her and has a plan for her life according to his will. It is my sincere prayer Adele learns to find peace with that and finds confidence in knowing that she is a daughter of the King.