Your daughter needs God. And she wants you to be the one to show her who He is, what He is like, and what He thinks about her. She wants to believe that there is more to life than what she sees with her eyes and hears with her ears. She wants to know that there exists someone who is smarter, more capable, and more loving than (even) you. If you are a normal, healthy father, you should be glad that she wants to believe in someone larger, because you know all too well that many times you will fail her. You forget her recital, miss games because of business trips, or lose your temper and say painful things to her. You are just a normal, good-enough dad doing the best you can. You need to have someone behind you, someone your daughter can turn to when you’re not there. You both need a bigger, better father on your side. (Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters, by Meg Meeker, pp. 176)
When I came across Shane and Shane’s amazing new record and title song The One You Need and watched their video…it left me in a tearful and emotional place.
I’m the father of a four year old girl that I absolutely love and adore with everything that I have and all that I am.
And yet…everything I have to offer her, and everything that I am to her…at the end of the day is just not enough.
There has to be something more for her in this life…and so when I read the lyrics of the song I found myself resonating with it and saying, “Yes, yes, yes.”
Meg Meeker in her amazing book, Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know — and in her chapter Teach Her Who God Is talks about the importance of fathers teaching daughters about who God is. (By the way, this is the best book on fathers/daughters and one I can’t recommend enough)
Shane and Shane’s lyrics reminded me as well that as a father my most important role is to teach my daughter who God is….end of story.
Hey, hey, sweet daughter
I am so proud to be your father
Each day’s like a gift from God.
Hey hey sweet daughter
There’s no music like your laughter
And your smile is like a rising sun.
You know I love you from the start
So come in close take my hand
While daddy shares his heart.
I wish that I could be your everything
Be the one who give you all the things you need
Sometimes I am gonna let you down
But there is a way if you just believe
He’ll be your hero like He’s always been for me
Daughter Jesus is the one you need.
No matter what you walk through
He will always love you
Just the way you are.
for there’s nothing in this world
There all for my baby girl
Until be happy ever after.
The history at your life still untold
I pray the King of all the universe, will make your heart His home.
(Chorus)
Who will never leave spending it all alone
All in your where you came fight to Lord.
Shane and Shane have been so kind to offer up their new album to 5 commenters on this blog post. Here’s how it will work:
Leave a comment below answering the question:
What do you think is the most important piece of advice that a father needs to know about raising a daughter?
You have till this Friday (August 19, 2011) at 12pm Central time to post your comment and then I will randomly draw five commenter’s names and contact you with the code for a free purchase of their new album. So don’t forget to put your email in the comment section below.
And in the meantime….if you can’t wait to see if you win, check out their new album or connect with the guys online.
