Her Story, My Story, Your Story

Sharon JaynesDreams of a Woman, Expectant Living, General Inspiration, God's love, Identity in Christ, Knowing God 32 Comments

 

[God said] “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” (2 Corinthians 6:18).


Once upon a time, not so very long ago or far away, a baby girl was born to parents who could not keep her. Neither parent was willing to release her for adoption, but neither was able to care for her. So while the legal system shuffled her case back and forth, the baby girl grew into a toddler in a foster home.

Her care was certainly adequate, her physical needs were met, and she never went hungry. Her clothes, though not new, were never dirty. Her toys, though not her own, were always sufficient. This little girl was not mistreated or abused, and yet, in her heart was a hollow space. She desperately wanted what she had never had—a mommy and a daddy of her own.

Only a few doors from the foster home lived a kind couple with a teenage son. The family wanted a little girl, the little girl needed a family, and the details of a trying and lengthy adoption were worked out. And while this little girl received a wonderful mommy and an adoring big brother, her relationship with her daddy was extra special.

Ashley was two-years-old when she entered his life. She was thin, pale, and clingy. By the time the adoption was finally complete, she was almost three. Ashley had never seen the ocean, eaten a Happy Meal, or slept in a bed in a room of her own. A few months after the adoption, Ashley traveled to the beach for her first family reunion.

She was overwhelmed with excitement and pride. She had received so much so fast, and it was hard to take it all in. Ashley asked everyone she met if they were part of her family. “Are you my aunt?” “Are you my uncle?” “Are you my cousin?” She ran from person to person showering hugs and kisses on her newly acquired family. “l love you!” she told them. “I love you all!”

When her new daddy took her to McDonald’s for the first time, Ashley didn’t join the other children on the playground equipment. She was too busy asking important questions: “Do you have a daddy? I have a daddy! See, that’s my daddy over there,” she exclaimed with excitement and wonder. “Isn’t he wonderful?”

“What’s your name?” she asked. “My name is Ashley JordanAmbrose, just like my daddy. I’m named after my daddy!”

Five years later, tanned, transformed, and confident, Ashley returned to the annual family reunion. This time she brought a scrapbook of pictures to share with anyone who would sit still long enough to look and listen.

“This is my story,” she would say. “See, this is where I lived before Mommy and Daddy adopted me. They picked me out special. See, this is my room now. It’s all my own. And these are my toys and my own clothes, and here’s a picture of my kitty and one of my dog and . . .”
Ashley has love overflowing for everyone, but no one is higher on her list than her daddy. He knows how to polish toenails, drip sand castles, tie hair ribbons, hold her in the night—and he calls her his little princess.

I love that story, because you see, I too have been adopted by my Heavenly Father – and He calls me his little princess. And friend, that is also true for you.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, O how I love You. Thank you for adopting me into Your family and making me Your child. Thank You for being my heavenly parent who loves me unconditionally, cares for me unendingly, and provides for all my needs. I am so blessed to be Your child.
In Jesus’s Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Look up these verses and note what you learn about being a child of God.
Romans 8:15-17
2 Corinthians 6:18
1 John 3:1

Make a list of characteristics of the perfect father. Now put a check by the ones that you have experienced in God.

Leave a comment and tell me 5 of your favorite characteristics of God as Your Heavenly Father.

Want More? 
I don’t know about you, but for most of us, life doesn’t usually turn out the way we had hoped. Broken dreams litter life. But here’s the good news! God has a purpose and a plan. HE has a more amazing plan for you than you ever imagined. If you have lost sight of your dreams, grab onto God’s hand and travel to a place you thought you’d never find. The dreams God had planned for you all along. I’m offering a special offer to my blog readers for the month of April. Buy 1 copy of 5 Dreams of Every Woman: God’s Plan for Fulfilling Your Dreams and get one free. When you purchase 1 copy, we’ll ship you 2. It won’t show up on your receipt, but 2 will show up in your package. This is only for the month of April. Only for my blog readers.

Forward to a Friend


Did someone forward this devotion to you?
Click Here to Subscribe

Comments 32

  1. Good Morning Sharon,
    I like reading your daily devotions. I just skimmed the first chapter of your book “5 Dreams” and will have to read it later tonight. I’m considering ordering, but am hesitant as I am still recovering from a painful divorce and have two daughters that I feel have missed out on the love they deserve from their daddy. Some of the quotes and stories bring tears becasue it’s what I so want for them and although they are practically grown young women, they still need that love. Although I know God provides that pure love for each of us, I’m still at the stage of fighting back tears and sadness with this situation. I will commit to read it tonight and then determine if I’m ready to order. I know God is using you to speak to women and I will prayerfully consider it.
    Thank you, your new friend,
    Gloria

  2. Five of my favourite characteristics of God as my Abba Father.
    1. Blessings through boundaries
    2. Restoration through healing, just because God can.
    3. Strength provided when I turn to Him.
    4. Peace in the knowledge of God being in absolute control.
    5. Contentment because I have no needs with God as my focus.

    “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil.4:17

    Ruth.

  3. 1. Peace giver.
    2. Always available to talk to and to pray with.
    3. Provider of all things I need.
    4. Kind and gentle.
    5. Loving even when I make big mistakes.

  4. Here are my fav five characteristics of my perfect Father:
    1.) Unconditionally loves me.
    2.) Listens to me.
    3.) Forgives me when I do wrong.
    4.) Wants the best for me.
    5.) Always available for me.

  5. Five characteristics of God as my Father:
    1. He is so very patient with me when others all around me give up on my impatience.
    2. His generousity to me is astounding because I so don’t deserve it but I’m so grateful.
    3. As a teacher/mentor, He reminds me that I should always seek Him and His ways first.
    4. Forgiviing me without hesitation feels me with the deepest warmth because It reminds me He will never turn His back on me.
    5. Knowing that He is concerned about what concerns me makes me cast my cares on Him more quickly as I grow.

  6. 5 characteristics of my Heavenly Father

    1. My covering
    2. Deliverer
    3. Peace
    4. conforter
    5. my BEST FRIEND.

    God has been more to me than I have ever imagined he would be. When I need a pick me up or a good laugh, he steps in right on time with the comedian act. God constantanly shows up in my life and points out every good characteristic I posess within me. Thank you so much for your bible studies.

  7. Loving, protective, giving, defender and ever-present in my life, other than Jesus Christ, I only know a hand full of others who have and still do. That story is also mine in part, instead of the father God provides a spouse who acts and talks like Him!

  8. Five of my favorite characteristics of God as Father are:
    1. Loving me unconditionally – no matter what I’ve done He loves me. He will never love me anymore or any less. He simply loves me. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
    2. Faithfully forgives – if I confess my sins to Him He is faithful and just and will cleanse me from my sin and purify me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
    3. He is gracious and merciful. Grace is giving me something I don’t deserve and Mercy is not giving me something I do deserve. His mercy and grace are amazing. He is a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. (Nehemiah 9:17)
    4. He is patient and doesn’t give up on me. He doesn’t get frustrated with me or yell out in anger or frustration. He faithfully and patiently works with me, in and through me, to make me the person He wants me to be. He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion. (Philippians 1:6)
    5. He delights in me. The Lord my God is with me, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in me, He will quiet me with His love, He will rejoice over me with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17).

  9. I love reading your devotions, It just so inspirational to me. I am college student and it is hard to read but I love checking my emails just to read your devotions. I pray I put them to practice. I am just renewing my journey with God. This gives me great and more and more joy.

    Five Characteristics of My Heavenly Father
    1) He Is So Beautiful
    2) His Love Is Unconditional Love
    3) His Great Affection
    4) He Is My Heartbeat
    5) He is the best Father anyone could ask for.

  10. Five of my favorite characteristics of God as my Heavenly Father.

    1. Unconditional and sacrificial love
    2. Discipline
    3. Comforter
    4. Provider
    5. Will never leave nor forsake me

  11. Five favourite characteristics of God as a father

    1) Protective
    2) Understanding
    3) Encouraging
    4) He will never forsake us in our weaknesses
    5) Faithful

  12. I know my God is my Heavenly father with these five characteristics.
    1 He does not rebuke me in anger
    2 Anytime i call on Him, He answers.
    3 He strengthens me every morning.
    4 Direct my path.
    5 He provides all my needs.

  13. Five Characteristics of God:
    1. Holy (Can not lie, Keeps His Promises, Faithful)
    2. Almighty (Ruler, Redeemer, Righteous)
    3. Eternal (Forever and Ever, Amen!)
    4. The Great I AM (the Only God, the True God)
    5. Loving (Jesus Christ =Salvation)

  14. My five favorite characteristics of My Heavenly Father are hard to choose because He is so wonderful in every way possible!! But I feel these five are the tops: 1) He is always with me. 2) He never fails to do what He says He will do. (Anyone else will be God never will.) 3) His Love is an eternal love – it will never end. He loves me so much that He sent His ONLY son to redeem me from my sins so that I could be His child. Human love is never guaranteed – it can go away but His love never fails. 4) He protects me. It never fails to amaze me when I am riding in a car and see how close we come to being involved a really close brush with severe injury and even death. But it is like God’s hand is put between your car and the other car to shield you from harm. 5) He never brings anything into our lives but what He gives us the strength to go through the experience. It may be a hard lesson He wants to teach us or it may be He wants to use us as an example to teach someone else but His strength is there no matter what. (I am facing that with a brain tumor which did not respond to gamma knife radio-surgery as the specialists felt it would. Now we wait to see what God plans to do!)

  15. Unconditional love, forgiveness, patience, he trust me, and he is my rock. Father of the fatherless. My strength, and my peace.

  16. Thanks Sharon for the reflections based on the Scriptures.
    Below 5 characteristics God fulfills as a perfect Dad for me:
    1.He smiles with “that kind’ of bright eyes, full silent smile to me. Numbers 6:22-27 (Amplified Bible)
    2. He handles me with care. He’s caring, even in small things I need.
    3. He’s always there for me in such special and loving way when I do need him and turn to him. Jeremiah 29:11-13
    4. He’s thought about everything to make it safe for me and to make it a wonderful place to live: nature is perfect, I love it!
    5. He’s always watching me. He watches out for my safety.

  17. Five characteristics I love about God are
    1. He Always forgives me
    2. I can totally trust him
    3. Loves me unconditionally
    4. He sees me as worthy inspire of all of my mistakes
    5. He knows all of my needs

  18. Five characteristisc I love about my Father, God:
    Unconditional love
    Trustworthy
    Forgiving
    Honest
    Faithfulness

  19. Hi shoron,
    A friend introduced me to GIG two weeks ago. I’m from Jos,Plateau state of Nigeria. I thank God for the insight he is giving you. I bless his name and bless you. Thank you for all the lessons and insight i get from your sharing. God bless you. Comfort

  20. Barb Maxwell – South Dakota ……….Praying for mother’s young and old! We all have those days when we are “circling”! Please Lord, we need you to keep us going on the right path!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *