The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
A girl begins life with one wing when her father is not involved to give her the care she needs. If he does not show love for his daughter, affirm her beauty, and guide her, she will by default, look elsewhere.
She will turn her hopeful eyes and starved ears to one of many males who not only easily identify insecure girls and women, but who specifically target them. Their motive may be selfish and unloving—easy sex and an ego boost—or more sinister, luring the girl into prostitution or sex slavery.
She is prone to be used by men, discarded, feeling unworthy of love, and the lies of the enemy will grow and twine around her heart, drawing her into depression.
But there is a higher power and a greater reality always at work. God’s love.
Daughter, Jesus loves you. He wants you so much that He suffered torture, ridicule, humiliation, and death for you. He knows you need Him—his healing when you recognize you’re broken. His waiting ear when you finally break down and utter pleas mixed with desperation and hope, emotionally bankrupt. He is your bridegroom, and He came to rescue His bride from the evil one. Once you are His—and only you can decide this—He will never stopping rescuing you, never stop loving you.
Your pain will be different. You will realize that your old nature—bound up in sin and dysfunction—will need to die in order for your new nature in Jesus Christ to live, breathe, and grow. And grow you will! You will mend, and the Lord will give you beauty for your ashes. “To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory” (Isaiah 61:3).
You are accepted. Once Jesus is your savior, God welcomes you joyfully into His house. Forever. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
You will reign with Christ as an heir to everything that belongs to the Father. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs–heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).
You have a purpose to find and fulfill. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
You are given access to the Throne of Grace, and the God on that throne wants to always be in fellowship with you. “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).
You will experience trials because your faith will be tested and refined to the glory of God. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
When these truths about who you really are become the material of your heart, the thirst of your soul, and the matter of your mind—you will indeed have the power of knowing how much you’re loved.
There’s so much inner peace and strength gained from knowing that God loves us greatly, that Satan fights us on this at every turn. He’s always trying to make us question God’s love and God’s faithfulness. Run to the Word and to your Lord, especially when you hurt. You will be stronger and the Lord will begin to perfect you in love.
When was a time that you strongly felt the love of God?
What a powerful metaphor – “starting life with one wing.” A friend of mine has a lesbian sister-in-law whose partner and she have adopted three daughters. The oldest exhibits the “father wound” signs already at age seven, and my friend was saying how there are guys out there who predatoraly study these girls and learn how to lure them. It absolutely horrified me. Your article made me think how with single moms, we need to come alongside their children and have trustworthy male role models in the church take an interest in and spend time with them. It can make a huge difference in revealing the Father’s heart. Dynamite article!
Emily, thanks for your comment. When you mentioned this little girl of lesbian mothers, my heart went out to her, then recoiled at the thought of men preying on her, or on any of our *children* for Pete’s sakes. I know we need to pray for the predators, too, but sometimes I just want Jesus to speed up His return so another little girl does not have to experience another second of sexual violence.
For anyone interested in supporting girls and women in this situation by ISIS, please consider donating to PreEmptive Love at http://www.preemptivelove.org
I will be praying for this seven-year-old daughter, and the other daughters, missing their father.