“Daddys got you”. Three words that inspired me to have courage. To trust that however scarry the jump, my daddy was waiting at the other end. His strong arms waiting to catch me. Giving me the faith to take the leap into the unknown waters. “Daddys got you”. The words that gave me the bravery to climb up onto my bike, now without training wheels. My daddy was so patient, following behind me, for what must have been hours. His neck tie across my chest, and under my arms. He stayed with me, promising not to let go until I was ready. He never did break that promise. Because my daddy had me. “Daddys got you”. The words he spoke as he crawled on his hands and knees. Carrying me, and two of my friends upon his back. I remember thinking that he was the strongest man in the world… I still think that today. I grew up in a home that loved Jesus. I remember waking up as a little girl early in the mornings, sleepy eyed. As my daddy layed hands on me and prayed, before heading of to work. I grew up knowing that I was loved. I grew up with a righteous man of God as my earthly father. A man who is always striving to better lead his wife, and his family. I grew up with a daddy who would hold my hand. A man who would take me out on “daddy-daughter” dates, to show me how a man should treat me. On one date he took me to the alter of our church. With tears in his eyes, he presented me with my purity ring. “Daddys got you”. The words spoken to the depths of my heart, by the King of Kings. My Lord and my God. He was calling me to Swaziland. I was leaving everything I’ve ever known behind, if only it was for three months. He was calling me to be only his alone. To be in a place where I had only him to rely on… But you know what. That is the most beautiful place to be. My heavenly father is my strength. He is my song. He is my beloved, my comfort, my hope, and my love. Here in Swazi. I have very little. But I have everything I’ll ever need. I have my heavenly daddy, and he will forever have me. I am forever thankful for the family here on earth that God has placed me in. I’m also extremely thankful for my new family of 15 others, who serve along side of me here in Swazi. I’m thankful for my daddy. For him having the trust in the Lord to send his firstborn daughter into the bush of Africa, to following the calling Jesus placed on my heart to love on his orphans and widows. “I don’t have boots on the ground there” Is a phase my dad tells me, to remind me that he can’t be here to come to my recuse at the blink of an eye. But my dad knows that God goes before me. He knows that God loves me even more than my dad could ever dream of. So I go out and serve these precious people of Swazi, with other words that my dad speaks over me: “march on princess. March on”. Cause my heavenly Daddys got me.
