The Words of my Daddy

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!"  I don't know if you remember this little chant, but when I was growing up, kids used to say this to each other often.  I remember saying it, and having it said to me.  And, it was always in the midst of some fight or disagreement.  Yes, in my childhood we said it a lot growing up, but is true?

As I think back, I see there were key moments in my life when people spoke things to me that changed me and changed my life.  I imagine those people didn't even realize it at the time, but what they said impacted me so much that it changed the direction and course of my life forever.  I am sure if you think back, you could say the same thing.  Because yesterday was Father's Day, I was thinking about my dad.  I am sure he doesn't even remember this, though maybe he does.  And, I've never told him this, though I've shared it with numerous other people.

I was probably four years old, or maybe three, at the time.  I don't remember much from when I was that age, but I do remember this.  My daddy was tucking me into bed one night.  Now, I always slept with a lot of stuffed animals.  My daddy always teased me and said that he couldn't find me in the bed with all those stuffed animals.  He'd give one of the animals a kiss, pretending that he thought it was me.  He'd do that over and over again, and I would just laugh and laugh, because he couldn't find me anywhere in my little twin bed with all those animals. 

Well, this night after going through that little routine, he said it was time to say my prayers.  My prayers went something like, "God bless this person" and "God bless that person," which was also our routine.  But, this night my dad told me something different.  I think I said something about not knowing what to pray when I prayed to God, and he said, "Nikki, you can tell God anything you want.  He loves it when you talk to Him about anything.  You can just talk to Him just like you are talking to me, and tell Him just what you would tell me."

Now, that seems like a small thing, but actually it was huge.  Everyone has a perception of God.  Everyone has a way that they view Him, rather they are right about that or not.  And, the way that you view God matters so much.  Do you think He is a good and loving God who cares deeply and intimately about you, or do you think that He is a cold and hard God, who is ready to punish you if you make one wrong move?  I think the first thing about the God I serve and love, and one really big reason was from my daddy telling me that when I was such a small little girl.  You know, little girls believe everything their daddies tell them, and I was no exception to that rule.

It changed me.  It changed how I interacted with God then and throughout my whole life, because all of sudden that night I had a view of God the Father.  A Father who cared about every little detail of my life, and wanted me to share all my thoughts, hopes and dreams with Him.  Abba Father (Daddy-God).  The Bible calls Him that, but lots of people have never viewed God as a loving Daddy who wants them to run and sit on His lap and tell them about their day. But, from that moment on, that is exactly how I viewed God, as a Heavenly Father full of love, compassion and care for me.

I am so thankful that my dad spoke those words to me that night.  From that point on, I talked to God just like I would talk to my best friend.  I didn't really know Him, and I hadn't accepted Him as my Lord and my Savior (didn't even know that I could do that).  I never heard Him speak back to me throughout my years growing up, but I would sense His presence.  And, what I did know from what my daddy had told me was that God cared about me and wanted me to talk with Him.

Words.  They matter.  What you say to someone matters.  What you say about yourself matters.  There are numerous places in the Bible where it talks about the power that is in our words.  Power in our words?  What?  In Proverbs it even says that the power of life and death is in the tongue, meaning in what we say.  I think most people don't really think their words amount to much, that it really doesn't matter what they say or don't say.  Yet, according to the Bible, the opposite is true.  What you say matters so much that it affects life and death.  That's pretty amazing!

So, Happy Father's Day, Dad!  There is no other dad I would rather have than you!  I'm so thankful that God chose me to be your daughter, and I'm so thankful you spoke those words into my life so many years ago (Hmmm, what would it be?  Thirty-six or 37 years ago now, and yet I still remember that moment and those words.).  You set a correct view of God for me that night (and I have shared that story numerous times when sharing about the love of God to other people), and for that I am forever grateful!  Love you bunches!