"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)

I remember like it was yesterday...the dark-haired little princess dancing on top of the coffee table, star-studded sunglasses gracing her face, singing as though she was a rock star.

Where did the time go? 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, and it makes me long for her to learn who she is in God's eyes. There is nothing more that I want than for her to become who the Lord made her to be.

Vicki Courtney says, "Girls who are 'sugar and spice and everything nice' are made, not born." This is so true.

Today's key verse says the same thing a bit differently. It reminds me that pillars are not found in nature. 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, with the Master Artesian as your teacher. You can be the one the Lord has appointed to take the rough piece of stone and carve it into the graceful pillar, fit for a palace.

But it will take time, prayer, grace and patience.

Our girls are under so much pressure to be this and do that; striving to please the ever-changing culture. Caught between their daytime world of school and their evening world of family, the push and pull can often bring confusion.

What our girls long for is to be known. To feel like they matter. To believe someone sees them as valuable and significant. Maybe that is why God created mothers — to be the conduit for the power of His truth to our children.

It is our place to teach our daughters exactly how He sees them. We can be the voice that says, "...out of all creation, [you] became his prized possession." James 1:18 (NLT) When looking in the mirror picking themselves apart, may they be reminded of God's promises and prayers we have spoken over them.

Dear Lord, this task seems too big for me. Raising a daughter that knows and trusts You is contrary to our culture. I want my daughter to find her fulfillment in You. Show me opportunities today where I can lovingly speak Truth into her life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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Related Resources:

Do you have a young woman in your life who needs to know God's perspective of her? His Revolutionary Love by Lynn Cowell empowers young women to discover God's love in a way that builds confidence, enabling them to make wise choices.

His Revolutionary Love DVD and CD are a great resources to share with your daughter, small group or Sunday school.

Stop by Lynn's blog today where she is sharing specific ways that you can be used by God to be an artesian your girl's life. She is also giving away a copy of her DVD Revolutionary Love.

Application Steps:

Learn who you are in Christ. Study scriptures that teach these truths. Lynn shares some of her favorites here.

Ask the Lord to show you a young woman whose life you can make a difference in. Consider giving her a copy of His Revolutionary Love. Invite her to lunch and share your story of finding Jesus' love.

Plan a "Revolutionary Love" conference at your church or community group. Or start a Radical Revolution group for teen girls. Lynn offers a free leadership guide on her website as well as one-on-one advice as you get started!

Reflections:

How would my life be different if I'd known, and believed, the unconditional love of God as a teen?

Power Verses:

Isaiah 43:1-4, "...Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end — Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you." (The Message)

© 2011 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.