The Ride of Your Life

photo credit - flickr photo by waffler

A few years ago, my husband and I took a much needed break from our beautiful and wonderful responsibilities and spent a day acting like kids at Disney World.  If you have never gone to Disney World without your responsibilities, I highly recommend it.  We had the best time…after I got over the guilt of being there without them!  Since, it was just the two of us, my husband managed to persuade me to ride all the big rides.  Usually, I am hanging back with the small ones while he and our oldest daughter have all the fun.

We waited for what seemed like hours to ride the Rockin’ Roller Coaster. We spent most of the time in the queue enjoying the loud 80′s music and people watching.  When we approached the platform to board the ride I asked the attendant naively, “Does this ride go fast?”  Without missing a beat he said, “Not really.”

Now some of you are smiling. Because you have been on this crazy ride.  ”Not Really” went from 0 to 60 mph in about 5 seconds.  We hit the first turn just as Aerosmith cranked up and the lights went to pitch black. Needless to say I screamed the entire time.  I think I laughed some, too.  When we were finished I looked at the attendant and said, “You lied.”  He only smiled that Disney smile and said, “Yes, but wasn’t it worth it?”

This was a thrill ride in every way.  When it was all said and done, it was worth it.  And my husband had a great laugh at my expense.  We will never forget it!

Recently, I have begun a thrill ride of another nature.  Our oldest daughter (yes I have 4) is turning 11 at the end of the month.  She is in the 5th grade and the changes are many.  For the past few years, we have felt like we were  in that queue…winding, turning, waiting for something to happen.  And now, we are on the platform and about to get in the car.  I’m looking up and asking, “Does this go fast?” And the answer that comes back to me is not a lie…it is a firm “You betcha!”

Since I have not been on this ride before as a mother, it feels as though I am riding at 60mph in the dark.  Just when I think I can catch my breath we bolt off in another direction.

Physical changes.

Emotional drama.

Spiritual passion.

Relationship questions.

Each one of these things is bigger than life for my pre-teen.  She lives passionately and is a deep feeler and thinker.  I, well, not as much.  I am learning that it is OK that I am not just like her.  I am learning that each day will bring another challenge.  I am learning that I need encouragement {that is where you come in} to have the faith to stay on the ride of my life. The point is I am learning and still have so far to go.

But, while it is coming fast and crazy, we are having a lot of fun too.  She has one foot in womanhood and the other is still firmly planted in her girlish ways.  Some days I don’t know if she will ask me a really deep question or if we will have a puppet show after dinner.  The only thing I’m sure of is it is going to be unpredictable most days.

I love who she is becoming and where we have been.  I know some day we will arrive back at that platform and she will be transformed.  My prayer is that we will both be smiling and say, “Yes, but wasn’t it worth it!”

Looking Forward,
Posted in encourage | 6 Replies

Bringing Up Girls :: Book Club {post five} & Giveaway!

Reading these chapters encourages me to continue on my intentional parenting path and to look to the Lord to guide me and my family …

Chapter 15 :: Consequences
I’ve gotta admit, this chapter is pretty dismal.  I’ll bullet point a few frightening stats for you:

  • An alarming number of girls harbor deep-seated anger that has turned inward, leading them to starve themselves even to the point of death; secretly binge and purge; take prescription medications and illegal drugs; dull their senses with alcohol; cut and pierce their bodies; permanently ink themselves; engage in things like prostitution, pornography, stripping, violence, bullying, sexual aggression, lewdness, and crudeness; and even attempt suicide, which has spiked in recent years.  Self-hatred is the cause.
  • Promiscuous girls are four times more likely to experience depression than those who were virgins.
  • A full 14.3 percent of girls who are sexually active report having attempted suicide.  By contrast, only 5.1 percent of sexually inactive girls have attempted suicide.
  • About 19 million new cases of STDs occur each year among all age groups in the United States.
  • By age twelve, 12 percent of students had already engaged in vaginal sex, 7.9 percent in oral sex, 6.5 percent in anal sex and 4 perfect in all three types of intercourse.
  • U.S. health officials estimated in 2007 that one-quarter {25%} of all women in this country between 14 and 59 are infected with a virus that causes warts and most cases cervical cancer.

Dr. Dobson states, “one of the most important questions I will deal with in this book … given the fact that casual intercourse and other forms of sexual intimacy are wreaking physical and emotional havoc among teens and young adults, why are they not being warned of the consequences of promiscuity?”  He goes on to say, “It is my guess that the message is not getting out because it is politically incorrect.  Anything that smacks of morality or Christian ethics is offensive to the liberal community.  Meanwhile, young people are falling into the same snare that entrapped their parents when they were young.”

Lastly, are there things in your past that you’re praying your daughters don’t repeat?  Have you shared those things with your daughter?  If not, why?  Think it would be hypocritical?  Dr. Bush {who Dr. Dobson interviewed} says, “I think it is appropriate to admit that they made mistakes too but that God has forgiven them {parents} and they have forgiven themselves.  They can empower {their children} to abstain.  The studies show that mothers and fathers have a greater influence on the behavior of teens than anyone else, even when teenagers don’t appear to be ‘getting it.’”

Chapter 16 :: Good News About Girls
The good news is that there are millions of teens who are not sleeping around, are not using illegal drugs, are not binge drinking, are not at war with their parents, and are not failing in school.  These are the wonderful kids who are loved at home.  Many of them are deeply committed to Jesus Christ and aren’t afraid to share their faith.

Dr. Dobson shares that when he was sixteen, his parents sold their house and moved seven hundred miles away to protect him from the negative influence of some friends.  It cost his father professionally, but he never looked back.  Talk about sacrifice!

Here are a few “good news” facts:

  • 52 percent of high school students are still virgins.
  • Many girls appear to be realizing that sex without commitment is utterly empty.
  • Among teens who reported that they had engaged in intercourse, nearly two-thirds stated that they wished they had waited longer before becoming sexually active.
  • Overall, a majority of sexually active boys and nearly three-quarters of sexually active girls regard their own initial sexual experience unfavorably.

Couple of things to note:

  • Parental closeness was pivotal, but it resulted less from family activities and “lectures” than it did from parents’ regular involvement in their children’s lives.
    • “My mom works two jobs but she always calls when I come home to see how my day was.”
    • “When I go on a date, my dad doesn’t say ‘How was what’s his name.’
  • Now more than ever, parents should invest themselves in their children, building bridges to them stone upon stone and precept upon precept.

Dr. Frank Luntz wrote a book titled What Americans Really Want … Really.  And here are his views on six {summarized} parental behaviors that are most likely to help – or destroy – your own children:

  1. Having dinner with your children.
  2. Taking your children to church or synagogue weekly.
  3. Checking your child’s homework nightly.
  4. Demanding the truth from your children – and getting it.
  5. Taking your children on vacation for at least a week at a time.
  6. Encourage them to participate in team sports.

Chapter 17 :: Charming Your Daughter
This chapter is short and the sweetest ever!  Dr. Dobson shares a story called “The Charm Bracelet.”  It’s about a sweet sixteen gift a girl receives from her parents … a charm bracelet … made up of beautiful {and valuable} gems.

As a girl she’d been told she couldn’t date until she was 16.  Now that the day is here, she can’t wait to discuss it with her parents.  As her parents give her the bracelet, they explain that it’s symbolic of her and her purity.  “This will guide you through your dating relationships.  Your mother and I can only tell you what’s right.  We can’t make you believe it for yourself.  Hopefully, this will.”

And when it comes to dating … there’s only one rule … “whenever you give {an} action of love – a kiss, an ‘I love you,’ a hand to hold – you also have to give the recipient the gem to match.”

“But Daddy!  These are insanely expensive!  I can’t just give them away!”  And her dad chuckled softly.  “Baby, your purity, your heart, they’re far more valuable than a few little rocks.  If you can’t find it in your heart to give away your charms, I don’t think you should be giving away the things they represent.”

{chill bumps anyone?}

Turns out … after dating a few boys … she was able to give the bracelet, in its entirety to her husband.  And now?  Their daughter wears it.

Chapter 18 :: Puberty and Adolescence
Aaahh, puberty.  Doesn’t seem that long ago, does it?  And now we’re up to our ears in it!  Dr. Dobson discusses some technical and medical terms, but again … I’ll bullet point a few important things for you:

  • Puberty comes on like a house afire.  The girl enters a period of intense physical, emotional, and neurological transformation.
  • So she doesn’t worry herself sick, it’s very important to prepare her for puberty and adolescence.  Not only should they come to understand the approaching physical changes, they should also be informed about the wildly fluctuating emotions that will accompany this time of life.
  • Moms and dads should understand that the hormonal barrage that initiates puberty is highly traumatic to the female brain, and it can throw a girl into complete disequilibrium until she begins to adjust to it.
  • For some girls, the return to equilibrium can take five years or longer.
  • What does a girl need from her parents when everything has gone topsy-turvy?  The answer, in a word, is more attachment, not less.
  • There is no room in their relationship for an out-of-control, screaming, confused, and scared adult.
  • At the time puberty is causing girls to pull away from the people they love, other forces inside them are creating an inexplicable longing for connectedness.
  • Overreaction becomes an everyday event.  Heaven help the mom or dad who tries to convince a sobbing girl that “it’s no big deal.”  They are wrong.  Everything is a big deal.

Well … I could go on, but I’ve gotta end somewhere.  This was a long chapter and it had a lot of useful information on what’s physically and hormonally going on inside our girls.  Once again, I urge you to read it.

So, how ’bout you?  Are you getting as much as I am from this treasure of a book?  Like I said, with all those alarming statistics, I’m more thankful than ever that I’m teaching my girls they have a heavenly Father that loves and cares for them … and to seek Him first.

And now … are you ready for some fun?!  We have a 7-CD abridged set of “Bringing Up Girls” to giveaway!  And all you need to do to win is leave a comment.  You can also tweet, facebook, or blog about the giveaway … just be sure to come back and leave another comment saying you did so.  This giveaway will close on Sunday, September 5th at midnight {CST} and a winner will be announced here at 10:00 am {CST} on Monday, September 6.

Please join me again on September 16 for our last discussion of Bringing Up Girls, when I’ll review chapters 19-22.  And if you’re joining us for the first time today, be sure to catch up on our first, second, third, and fourth discussions.

Books sited in these chapters:

  • Unprotected:  A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals how Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student :: Dr. Miriam Grossman
  • Hooked:  New Science on How Casual Sex Is Affecting Our Children :: Drs. Joe McIlhaney and Freda McKissic Bush
  • Sex and the Soul :: Donna Freitas
  • What Americans Really Want … Really :: Pollster Frank Luntz
  • The Female Brain :: Dr. Louann Brizendine
  • Preparing for Adolescence :: Dr. James Dobson
  • Girl in the Mirror :: Dr. Nancy Snyderman
Posted in bookclub, resources | 24 Replies

Praying We Will Be Moms of Purpose

I don’t know about you, but lately I have found myself in constant motion.  I move from one thing to another – one need to another – until I collapse into bed each night.  Life is moving dreadfully fast. Wasn’t it yesterday that my oldest was sitting in the shopping cart gazing into my eyes?  Now she stands toe to toe with me and meets me eye to eye.  So how in the world do we stop even for just a minute or to and be moms of purpose?  Here are a few of my thoughts and my passion for this prayer:

  • Get serious and specific in your prayer life.  Write it down. See a character isssue in your girl that needs correction? Find a verse and pray it for her and over her.
  • While you are on your knees ask God to give you ideas to be a mom of purpose.  Ask Him to give you a creative spark to really reach her heart!
  • Ask other moms – how to do you  purposefully train your girls?  What have you done that has worked?  I truly have no original ideas!  Yes – I copy other mom’s amazing works and I am proud to say I do.  If you find something that you think will be great for your daughter – use it!  And thank the mom you copied.  She will be flattered, I promise!
  • Get to the heart of your girl – ask her!  “When do you learn best?  What do you still not understand.  How would you like to spend time with me?”  This will save you a bunch of time and heartache later and avoid you being purposeful and her just missing it!
  • Start simple – it does not have to be elaborate or expensive.  Regular tea time each week just to get some face to face time will work.
  • Since I have four girls and get quite overwhelmed I have assigned each of them 1 day per week.  I try my best (though sometimes the day gets away from me) to focus on that girl that day.  For example, my 2nd oldest always struggles on Monday.  I have to remind myself all day, “Monday is not her day.  Give her grace.  Give her grace.  Meet her where she is.”  On this day, I try to give her some special mommy attention.

The bottom line is this my sisters: pour out your heart to the Lord.  He knows you and He gave you your girl(s) for a reason.  He has charged you with training her up in the way she should go.  This happens ,for the most part, as you go throughout your day.  You can truly seize teachable moments all day long.  But, there are times when special purposeful training is necessary. Our heart behind this September focus is that you will be praying and asking God to show you how to be a mom of purpose for your daughter.  We don’t want to look back and “wish we had been a mom like that.”

As time flies by without so much as a warning, I find that any time I am purposeful with my girls it is like taking a snapshot with my heart that last forever. That moment is etched not only in my heart – but more importantly in the heart of my girl.  May our passion for prayer this month lead us to be able to say:

Proverbs 3:1, 2

My child, never forget the things I have taught you.  Store my commands in your heart.  For they will give you a long and satisfying life.  (New Living Translation)

Looking Forward,
Posted in inspire, prayer | 10 Replies

Question of The Day

Hey MODsquad mom!  Today we are asking the question:  When you do start purity training with your daughter?  What resources have you found to help you in this journey?  Last week, Melissa shared a great post on this subject to get the conversation started.  Today, we thought we’d give you a chance to chime in!  You know the drill – add a link to your blog post or leave a comment below.  We are so blessed to have such a great community of moms to walk with as we raise our girls!  Thanks for participating today!

Looking Forward,
Posted in character, inspire, resources | 5 Replies

Scheduled Intentionality

Twenty months ago I took my oldest daughter on a mommy-daughter trip to Chicago. The occasion? Her 10th birthday. The agenda? To have some intentional bonding time while also going over some important things she needs to know before heading into this next decade of life.

Now it’s time to do the same with daughter #2 because daughter #2 turned 10 this past Saturday.

In addition to a whole host of activities and places to eat I scored through the Groupon website, we will be taking in dinner at The American Girl Place, exploring Navy Pier, and watching the Cubs v. Mets on Sunday afternoon. I took my oldest to her first Broadway show on her trip to Chicago, but I couldn’t really find anything worth seeing this time and got baseball tickets instead.

Baseball is a little more up this daughter’s alley anyway.

With this daughter, it’s really all about the intentionality. She couldn’t care less what we actually do…just that we’re doing it.

Sometimes in a family of six it is easy to get a little lost in the shuffle. Sometimes it takes scheduled intentionality to get pulled up out of that shuffle, if even just for a weekend.

But I really hope it will go beyond this coming weekend. My hope and prayer is that we usher this decade in with understanding and grace as we continue to walk this life as, yes, mother and daughter, but also sisters in Christ. Sisters who are both still in constant need of forgiveness, from each other, and from the Lord.

I hope this weekend in Chicago allows for conversations of that nature. And memories to fall back on during times of not-so-intentional struggle.

We leave this Friday and I’m really looking forward to it. Watch out, Chicago, here we come.

How about you? What are some things you do to instill scheduled intentionality in your own relationships with your daughters? It doesn’t have to be as massive as a 5-hour road trip. What do you do at home to accomplish the same means?

Posted in encourage | 7 Replies

The Daughters Do What The Mothers Did

Today’s post is from Marci at Overcoming Busy. She is sharing about the lessons our children learn from us and also the lessons we can learn from our children.

What the daughter does, the mother did.  ~Jewish Proverb

Ouch! That’s a quote that will make you think long and hard about your actions – and then pray for mercy from above!  Just last week, I heard my daughter use a tone with her brother that was more than sassy.  It was attitude.  Attitude laced with condemnation.  I called her out and we had a little discussion about her tone.  “Where did you learn to talk to others like that?  You know better.”

Then, I thought “I recognize that tone.”  My mind went back a few days prior.  We were running late.  My daughter had gone upstairs to brush her teeth.  Fifteen minutes later, she sauntered down the stairs with teeth unbrushed and somehow she had lost her shoes. I’d like to make this a story of how gracefully I handled the situation and talked to her about focus and responsibility, but that would be a work of fiction. (And I don’t like fiction. Real life is drama enough.  I don’t need made up stuff.)  I let out a condemning tirade that made my daughter burst into tears and run into her room.  That should have been enough to slap me to my senses, but oh no… I yelled up the stairs something about being late and how she wasn’t making things better.  Oh yeah.  That’s going to motivate her to get to the car.  Ugh.  I screwed up…big time.

How can I expect her to treat people with respect when she is frustrated, if I cannot?  She is supposed to be learning from me.  I home school her.  I expose her to all kinds of situations and people to learn from.  I try and keep her away from bad influences.  It is up to me to keep up those high standards in my own life.

That little experience got me thinking about other areas of my life.  Am I truly being a good example in my dealings with others, my conversations with my family, in my walk with the Lord, in my management of our household?  The greatest lessons we can teach our children are not found in a textbook. They are the lessons we live out everyday.  I want to teach my daughter good lessons.  So that my daughter does what I did.

Are there areas of your life that you need to re-examine to make sure you are teaching the right lessons to your children?

Posted in encourage | 9 Replies

The Bride Wore White

Joining us today at the MOD Squad is Melissa Nesdahl from Fill My Cup. She is sharing with us on the important topic of purity.

“Why do brides wear white?”

After saying nightly prayers and setting out dresses for a wedding the following day, I was surprised to hear Grace thinking through the details.

“White is the color of innocence,” we explained. “It means that they listened to God in their choices.”

A child appropriate answer for an adult subject: S-E-X.

Despite being one of the smallest words in the English language, it unearths massive power.  The decisions that our daughters make about sex before they walk the aisle will affect them physically, emotionally, and spiritually before they say “I do” and after.

So, how do we as mothers empower them to make right choices?

Proverbs 22:6 instructs, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Grace might only be four, but we are already in the process of training her up.   From the time of toddlerhood, girls are seeking to have their value affirmed.  Magnetically drawn to the Disney princesses, they want to feel beautiful and chosen.

Thanks to Sheila Walsh and her fabulous “Gigi: God’s Little Princess” series girls everywhere are realizing that fairy tales aren’t just reserved for others.  They are living one because of whose they are; daughters of the King.  Adding to Sheila’s message, we tell our girls that they are beautiful, that we praise God He chose us to be their parents, that they can tell us anything, and that the God of the Universe wants the best for them daily.

Reinforced value yields strong self-esteem.

Transitioning into puberty provides a God-given opening to begin training on the physical detail.  Although we look at these young girls and see a child that still needs homework reminders, they are experiencing adult changes.  Having a “safe person” to talk to becomes central in their world and if we do not establish ourselves as the “go to” person now we will miss your chance.

The onset of a period (for your daughter or a daughter’s friend) is the perfect set up to explain that menses is a part of God’s design for pregnancy.  From there, explaining how pregnancy occurs and the gift of giving her virginity to her future spouse (which means NO genital contact before marriage) becomes sacred conversation.

Established trust yields confidence that you will openly and honestly answer her questions.

Sadly, once our girls are 12 and up, peers will be engaging in sexual activity.  This is the time to establish dating rules for your home and build on the spiritual aspect.  As relationships form, the word “love” will take on new meaning.  Reinforcing that sex was created for permanent commitment and not (here one day gone the next) worldly feelings of “love” will protect them from falling to word games.   This frees our daughters from risk of disease, unplanned pregnancy, or being “the next girl,” and liberates them to enter the marriage bed with boundless joy.

Through it all, encouraging our girls to walk in confidence knowing that they are still God’s little princess will help them make wise dating choices.  If they dress modestly, they will attract men of character.  If they set clear boundaries, they will draw men of integrity.  And, if their heart is for God, they will know and desire His very best.

Appreciation for God’s design yields healthy relationships.

For these reasons, as we train our daughters up from the moment of birth to the moment they walk the aisle, let us be constantly encouraging them in the words of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things” so that when they stand before God,

Their white dress truly signifies innocence.

BONUS GIVEAWAY Melissa writes with Internationally known Abstinence Educator, Pam Stenzel.  As a mother of three and speaker to over half a million teens per year, Pam is well aware of the questions and challenges parents of this generation face.  Recently, she filmed “Parents Matter: Raising Kids with Integirty.”  The DVD contains a powerful message to empower you in teaching faith and values as well as a question and answer section, and one can be YOURS!  Melissa is giving one away at Fill My Cup so hurry over and enter to win!

Posted in character | 13 Replies

Praying For Her Hands

What is it about the handprints of our little ones that make us all weepy and sentimental?  We have a rule at our house about saving artwork from church our school.  If it is laminated or a handprint – we save it!  Everything else, well you know the drill. I know that when I see that sweet shape frozen in time,  it stirs my heart and makes me love them all the more!  This week we are praying for her hands.  Here is our focus verse:

1 Thessalonians 4:11

This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. (New Living Translation)

What exactly does it mean to work with your hands in the verse?  In simple terms, Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians to be diligent to do the work they were called to do.  As Christians, we are not released from work – quite the contrary we are charged to do everything in word or action as though we are working for the Lord Himself (Colossians 3:17).  The work we do with our hands can and should point people to the fact that we are followers of Jesus.

Now, here is the part where your prayers come into play.  What is THAT special work that the Lord has called your girl to do?  Do you realize that He has gifted her with special abilities and skills that He wants her to use for His glory?  Does she love to color?  Maybe she will be an artist.  Does she have a knack for organization?  Maybe she will use that as she manages her home and family some day.  Does she talk with her hands? {insert smile}  She may just be a teacher or missionary in the making.  As you pray for your daughter’s precious hands, the ones you have held, the ones you have wiped clean a million times, and the ones who made those crafts you can’t throw away, pray that God will begin to show her what work He wants her to do.  Pray that He will help you see the gifts and skills she has, and you will be able to call out that giftedness as well.

Here is another thing I discovered this week while preparing this post.  Proverbs 31  devotes 22 verses to a portrait of a virtuous woman, and of those verses there are 7 references to her hands.  Here are a few more things from this chapter for you to pray for your daughter:

  • Her hands work willingly (vs. 13)
  • Her hands work purposefully (vs. 16)
  • Her hands work diligently (vs. 19)
  • Her hands compassionately (vs. 20)
  • Her hands bare fruit that rise up and praise her (vs. 31)

And while you are praying for her hands, be sure to take a moment to lift your hands in praise and worship to the One who holds her in His hands all the days of her life.

**The winner of the book Raising a Modern Day Princess is Marina with comment #15! Congratulations and please email us at modsquadconnect(at) gmail(dot)com with your address so we can mail it to you!

Looking Forward,
Posted in prayer, uncategorized | 8 Replies

MOD Squad Vlog: Teaching Your Daughters Modesty

This was a hard question for me. I hope that you all have great advice.

Link up your Modesty posts below or leave a comment telling us how you are teaching your daughters the principles of Modesty.

Next week link up answering our question on Purity.

Posted in modsquadmedia | 5 Replies

Raising A Modern Day Princess

We are honored to welcome author and motivational speaker Doreen Hanna to the MODsquad today. She and co-author Pam Farrel have a passion to help mothers and fathers raise girls who see themselves as daughters of the King.  In Raising A Modern-Day Princess, they not only give a step by step guide to create a fun filled rite of passage for your daughter, but they also share personal stories from other real MODsquad moms! Want a chance to win a copy yourself?  Read, be inspired, and see below for details!

The power of life and death is in the tongue and we shall eat the fruit of it. Proverbs 19:21

My motivation to create a biblically-based rite of passage came out of my deep need to be loved by my father.  I was an unexpected surprise to my 19-year-old father and he couldn’t find it in his heart to speak words of life to me for many years.

Why did I hunger for his words even though my mother lavished me with hers? Because it is in the heart of every young girl to be the apple of her daddy’s eye.  Little girls who are growing up with a healthy daddy figure most often dream of marrying their daddy.  As they grow into young ladies the boys start looking pretty cute, she still needs those words of affirmation, now more than ever, because he sets the stage for future male relationships.

As moms, during this season of their development, we need to encourage our daughter’s relationship with dad.  If dad isn’t an active in her life, find a man of character to speak into her life–like, a grandpa, uncle, respected teacher, coach, etc.

We also can orchestrate opportunities, with God’s help, for our girls to see the qualities of a man of integrity, both from God’s word (by examining Psalm 15, for example), as well as in “real” life.  Make it fun – who can find the men of integrity that surround your lives and what character qualities do they see in them.

At a rite of passage celebration, the highlight of the event is when the girl’s dad, or another respected man she has chosen, stands before family and friends, and publicly affirms her with rich words of blessing and crowns her a true modern-day princess.

I have facilitated many rites of passage in the last decade and I’ve seen teen girl’s lives, marriages, and families changed forever because the power of the tongue was used to bring life.

In closing I’d like to share a true story that validates today’s Proverb.

“Several close friends of mine attended my daughter’s rite-of-passage ceremony.  My friends and I were deeply touched, because most of us dealt with “father” issues. We later discussed how decisions we have made, would have been different if we had had a moment like this.   How many hurts could have been healed and how much stronger as women we would have been.

Many of the girls in our group had strained relationships with their fathers. For some of them it was the first time their dad had said he was proud of them or that he loved them. One father confessed and asked for forgiveness for not being the father he should have been.  Another dad thanked his daughter for bringing him back to the church.  Often, during their blessings, the men, had to stop and compose themselves because they were filled with such emotion.  Everyone who attended was deeply touched and tears of joy filled their eyes as we saw the power of the blessing!”

Thanks Doreen, for taking the time to encourage us today!  I love that this book challenges us to be purposeful in building into our daughters.  It is a fantastic resource for every MODsquad mom!  Tyndale was kind enough to offer a copy of this book to one lucky person!  Just tell us below how you are helping your girl see herself as God sees her.  We will choose one winner  using Random.org.  Giveaway is open through Tuesday at 9PM est, and winner will be announced on Wednesdays prayer post!

**You can also read more at Doreen’s website: http://www.moderndayprincess.net/

Looking Forward,
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