A Dadly Love

At this moment, my youngest daughter is waking up for the first time in New Zealand. She has endured weeks and even months of preparation, leading up to nearly 30 hours of travel to get into a God-given, otherwise crazy dream. And I love her madly. I love her dadly. I know that’s not a real word, but it is to me. It’s my word.

Emma draws authentic love out of me like bees draw nectar. It’s crazy. As flowers were designed to survive and thrive through what bees take from them and give to them, making something better than if they’d never met, so it is with me. Emma and me.

This is all about a love designed, and, for me, it’s the dadly kind of love. It’s mysterious. It’s wonderful. It’s painful. It’s healing. Frankly, I’ve become dependent upon daddy/daughter love, knowing that it all works by the design and orchestration of The Unseen Lover. He is the Mystery Lover behind it all, revealing what He is like toward us, kindly sharing the fullness of love—the height and depth, length and breadth of love with His loved creation. The objects of His love. That’s us.

This morning Emma awakes knowing she is loved, and that has been and will continue to be the prized knowing—the best knowing she has—and fruit of her days. She will meet people from all over the world today, drawn to a YWAM base (Youth With A Mission), who have also been captivated by Jesus’ love. And she will love them in ways and with a persistence and style they have never known. . .because it’s Emma’s love. That’s my daughter, and that’s my love. Love goes on far away.

I’ve got two “fortunatelies.” Fortunately number 1: I have two daughters. Ellen returns home today from college. . .and I promise not to overwhelm her with dadly love. Because love doesn’t. Sometimes, oftentimes, dadly love is just with. And that is so good. And that’s enough. I’ve learned that about God’s love—He is with me. He is with you in everything. And that’s the best of this life: with.

Fortunately number 2 (and this is a big one!): Kiwi Emma has unlimited wifi! Do you know what that means to me? Pictures. Texts. Short videos. Even Skype or Facetime. And do you know what that means? Happy daddy. It means that Dadly love goes on in New Zealand. It’s different, but it’s the same.

God loves me. God loves you. And I know He has dadly love too.

(This is a transcript of yesterday’s video, “A Dadly Love,” and is for those who might rather read than watch. To see the video, click http://youtu.be/jW_J3UkPA4U, or simply scroll down this blog.)