(This post was written by Matt Grimes, Middle School Ministry Pastor)

We have come to the end of our journey in discovering some key ingredients for raising our little girls.  These 5 ingredients are not exhaustive, but are critical.  We began with being involved in her life, then discussed honoring and respecting her mom, next we dealt with the importance of treasuring every moment, and then discovered the power of praying for her every day.  As we wrap up this week, our final ingredient is a very important one. 

Ingredient # 5:  Be her hero.  Every girl dreams of their hero who will save the day and protect them.  It is in almost every chick flick out there, and every girl ooo’s and ahhh’s over it.  They want a hero, and God has placed us in their lives to be their hero.  They need us to protect them from the dangers that are all around them.  To pick them up when they fall down and comfort them.  From day one our daughters need to feel safe and secure in our arms.  It not only helps them to develop a sense of security and confidence, it also points them to the God who can be their true hero even when us earthly dads fall down and fail them.  The most important thing in our daughter’s life is that they see God as their ultimate hero.  That they run to God to make sense of their lives, to be their peace, shelter and comfort.  The only way for that to happen is for us as their dad’s to be a physical representation of this to them here on earth.  If you have a little baby girl, hold her and hold her often.  Don’t leave everything up to mom.  Whisper each day in her ear that you love her with all that you have, and will do anything to protect her.  Remind her that you will always be there for her.  If you have a toddler, tuck her in at night and read a bed time story to her.  When you tuck her in remind her that you will always be there for her, and that she can trust you no matter what.  If you have a teenager, hug her and hug her often.  Remind her every day how beautiful she is.  She will blush and be embarrassed, but don’t let that stop you she needs it.  Hug her in front of her friends, especially those pesky boys.  It will be a reminder of how great your love is for her, and the standard he will have to live up to if he ever wants to be her future hero.  Bottom line, our little girls need a hero they can believe in, and we get to be that for them.  Our prayer is that through us they see God and trust Him as their ultimate hero.