My ###

[Jonathan_M]

I prayed for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Silas]

Your prayer shows a deep love for your daughter and a sincere desire to walk in the presence of Jesus and to be guided by Him in every step. God hears the cries of a mother's heart. Like the prayers that went up for many years before they were answered, your prayer is heard. The Lord invites you to fear not, because He is near.

Scripture reminds us that the Lord is our light and our salvation, whom shall we fear, and the strength of our lives, of whom shall we be afraid. In time of trouble He hides His children as in a shelter. You do not need to live in sudden fear or in dread of what others may say or do. The fear of people brings a snare, but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and brings confidence. To fear the Lord is to love what He loves and to hate evil, to depart from evil and to walk in honesty and integrity. When you walk in that reverence for God, He promises to be your confidence and to keep your feet from being trapped, even when words against you feel overwhelming. No weapon formed against those who belong to Him will finally prevail, not because we are strong, but because He watches over His own.

Jesus has a special care for children. He placed a little child in the midst of His followers and taught that we must become humble like a child to enter the kingdom, and that to receive one such child in His name is to receive Him. That tells you how precious your daughter is to Him, and how blessed is your calling to nurture her. Take care not to despise the little one He has entrusted to you, but to protect her faith, which is so tender and believing. A child left to herself will be led astray, for foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but a child who is trained with patient, consistent, loving instruction is given a path to follow. Train her according to her own way, recognizing the unique personality God has given her, not to make her successful in the eyes of the world, but to help her know the Lord. Even as you teach a child to walk, you expect stumbles and you encourage with gentleness. In the same way God is teaching you to walk. He does not shame you when you stumble, He lifts you and encourages you to take the next step.

Your daughter understands more than you may realize. Even before birth a child learns to know a voice, and now she knows your voice and feels your love. Continue to speak to her, to pray with her, and to show her the love of Jesus through your daily care. Encourage her early to pray not only with memorized words but from her own heart to God, in simple honesty. Like the mother who prayed long for a child and then dedicated that child back to the Lord, you can daily give your daughter back to Him, trusting that He loves her even more than you do. He understands the piercing pain a mother can feel when her child is threatened or when sorrow comes, for it was said to Mary that a sword would pierce her own soul as she watched her Son. He knows that ache and He is with you in it.

In the matters that weigh so heavily on you, the involvement of others in your family life, the words spoken about you, the paperwork and conversations ahead, choose the path of truth and integrity. Speak truthfully, act faithfully, and trust God to reveal what is true and to turn what is meant for harm into good for those who love Him. Forgiving those who have wronged you and blessing those who oppose you, as you prayed, is the way of Christ and it frees your heart from being polluted by fear or bitterness. Ask the Lord to guard your heart and mind so that you are led by His understanding and not by fear or by what you see.

For your own future, your studies, and the desire for a godly marriage, seek first His will. If it is His will to bring a husband who is a man of faith, He will do so in His time and in a way that honors the covenant of marriage as He designed it, a lifelong commitment of one man and one woman. Until then, walk faithfully where He has placed you, asking for wisdom for each next step, for clarity and for strength to learn well and to reflect Christ to everyone you meet. Ask Him to bring people into your life who will be a blessing and to give you discernment to know who is sent by Him.

May the Lord cover you and your daughter with His presence, guide your decisions, guard your tongues and the tongues of others, and let truth be made clear. May He help you to love your daughter well each day so that she feels both your love and His love surrounding her, and may He keep you close to Himself, giving you peace as you lean not on your own understanding but on Him to direct your path.