Daddy Issues

So, I was minding my own business at the grocery store the other day when People magazine invaded my mental space. I’ll admit that it was Beyonce’s baby bump that initially caught my attention, but after wishing her a hearty congrats, I turned my attention to the more deserving cover story.

“The Children of 9/11” recounts the journey of 10 children born shortly after their fathers died that September. In the article, the children and their moms share the challenges and changes they’ve experienced as they’ve attempted to rebuild their lives over these last 10 years. While most of the moms have remarried, each child maintains a connection to their “first dad,” as some of them put it. Several of the families commemorate 9/11 in some way and each of the families offer striking examples of how to carry on “even in the face of unthinkable loss.”

I could barely stand to read the stories—“He was working overtime to earn money for the baby,” “There are no pictures of me with my daddy,” “I think he would have liked me.”   They tug at my heart, not just because of the tragedy surrounding their loss, but because I have felt the pain of not knowing my father and having him pass away while I was still a child. I suppose I also realize that we’ll never know if those dads would have loved, supported and nurtured those children in the ways a father should. I certainly hope that would have been the case, but the prevailing condition of the American family causes me to question. My prayer for them is that they’ll discover what I’ve come to know about how our Heavenly Father fills in the gaps when our earthly fathers have died or are simply deficient. It’s that idea that fuels my posts this week, and I believe you’ll benefit from them even if you have a great dad who has been with you all your life.

I hope you’ll hang out with me while I explore a few daddy issues and discuss how God fathers our hearts. First, join me today in praying for those who were directly affected by the events of 9/11 and if you experienced any loss that day, know that we’re praying for you as well.

Anitra Elmore is your server this week! Find out more about her here and don't forget to sign up for updates by email or RSS before you go.