"May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace." Psalm 144:12 (NLT)

Where did the time go? I remember like it was only yesterday…the dark-haired little princess dancing on top of the coffee table, star-studded sunglasses gracing her face, singing as though she was the next "American Idol."
Now, she's a beautiful young lady in the making, grinning at me from the dressing room. Her smile still says, Look at me, Mommy, don't I look pretty? And she does, in so many ways. Her beauty is more than just physical. I see a tender heart that is learning who she is and becoming who the Lord made her to be.
Vickey Courtney says, "Girls who are 'sugar and spice and everything nice' are made, not born." This is so true. Girls today have so much pressure on them to be this and do that; attempting to please the ever-changing culture around them. They often find themselves caught between the daytime world of school and evening world of family. Their desire to be accepted is deep and very real. They want to know that they are valuable; that they have worth.
Maybe that is why God created mothers - to be the conduit for the power of God's truth to be given to the next generation. It is our place to teach our daughters exactly how He sees them. To be the voice that says, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." (Song of Solomon 4:7, NIV). When they are looking in the mirror picking themselves apart, we can pour into them God's Word. Psalm 45:11 "The King is enthralled by your beauty…" (NIV).
"Enthralled" means captivated. They are desperate to have someone say, "You make my head spin" and who better to say it than their Creator who is flipped-out over them! As I think about today's key verse, "May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace," I am reminded that pillars are not found in the wild. Pillars are not born. Pillars are formed. Carefully, an artesian chisels away at the stone little by little, creating a masterpiece. You can be the artesian in the life of your daughter. Don't be afraid. The Master Artesian is your teacher. You can be the one that the Lord has appointed to take the rough piece of stone and carve it into the graceful pillar, fit for a palace.
Dear Lord, this task seems too big for me. Raising a daughter that glorifies You could not possibly be more contrary to our culture. I do want my daughter to be like a graceful pillar; a graceful pillar that brings You honor. Show me opportunities today where I can lovingly speak that Truth into her life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Resources:Secret Keeper Girl: 8 Great Dates for You and Your Daughter by Dannah Gresh
The Mom I Want To Be: Rising Above Your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future by T. Suzanne Eller
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Application Steps:One way that I pour into my daughters is to have special days with them. On these dates, we do fun things: at-home facials, day at a tea room, a special shopping trip. During these dates, I incorporate a lesson that teaches them one of God's truths. Secret Keeper Girl is filled with these types of dates. It is a perfect way to build memories and relationships too!
Learn who you are in Christ. Study scriptures that teach these truths. As you learn them for yourself, it will give you a fresh revelation to share with your daughter.
Begin a Gather & Grow group with Proverbs 31 Ministries for teen girls. Be a part of forming not only your own daughter, but the many girls today who do not have a godly woman in their life.
Reflections:Do you feel comfortable having conversations with your daughter about the Lord, or do you need a little help with some conversation starters?
Find another woman who has a raised a godly daughter and ask her for wisdom on this.

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Power Verses:

Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." (NIV)
Song of Solomon 4:7, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." (NIV)
Song of Solomon 2:16a, "My lover is mine and I am His." (NIV)
© 2009 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.