From the end of the earth, I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. -Psalm 61: 2 (a prayer of king David to God 
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When your heart is anxious or overwhelmed, where do you go to find strength and security?
Lately my daughters have developed a natural gravitation toward their father.
In some ways, it’s like they are leaving their once tightly held need for my tender, maternal arms and now they are branching out to find strength and assurance in the strong, masculine presence of their father.
I know their young hearts are finding boldness, safety, and identity in their dad’s love and discipline.
Seeing Eden with her father today reminded me of a psalm of David.
David knew his power was limited but God’s power wasn’t. He knew where to go to find unstoppable victory, strength, wisdom and goodness. And so, because of his confidence in God, he was emboldened to go forth and conquer.
Because he was trusting in a good, majestic source of power beyond himself, he had courage to rule, worship, teach and wage war with enemies that were naturally stronger than him and whom had the rest of the nation cowering in fear.
There is a deep place where we can know God as our Father. There is a sacred place where we can cry from our spirits and breathe the same intimate name by which Jesus called God, “Abba…Daddy…”
Because of the intimacy David had with God, he accomplished feats that have become timeless in their fame.
David slaid a massive giant because of his confidence in God.
God can take care of your giant too.
Are you dealing with an impossible financial situation right now?
Are you heartbroken over a relationship?
Is there a disease that has waged war against your body or the body of a loved one?
No matter what you are facing, your Father is bigger….
There is security and incomparable strength in his loving arms.
May your close connection with your heavenly Father be a source of saving power and hope to your loved ones and those around you, in the same way that David was a beacon of hope and strength to Israel.
Seeing my two daughters with my husband also reminded me of the relationship I had with my father as a girl. He made me feel safe, secure, loved and protected because of the power of his strength, his unflinching discipline and expectations, his fierce loyalty to family above all else and his steadfast diligence in providing for his family.
It gladdens my heart seeing Eden and Elena discover something of God and their own feminine souls through their transforming and blossoming relationship with their dad. 
Something deep is happening underneath the surface. Something I caught a heavenly whiff of as I snapped these shots and meditated on what it could mean for my daughters 
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“…casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” -1 Peter 5:7 AMP
These pictures of Eden and Stephen were captured during our family beach walk 
Years ago, I attended Charis Bible college and the school put on a spectacular musical about the life of king David. One of the scores is called, Whom Shall, I fear? In it, a young David boldly declares “the Lord, He is my strength, He is the stronghold of my life…whom shall I fear?” I want to share this scene with you and I pray your heart sings along in faith with the lyrics because God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore and He is your heavenly Father. To listen, click here. I do not own any rights to the music or play.
If you enjoyed this devotional, check out my book, Visions of Celestial Love (An Initiation into Healing Intimacy)
“A delightful book that reflects the praises from a heart that desires to abide closely with our Heavenly Father. Written in a style that summons us to experience a journey of deeper intimacy with a loving God. Ashley covers the foundation of the Christian faith that brings encouragement and assurance of God’s promises when faced with life’s challenges. Embracing our uniqueness and the safety of transparency before our Maker who cares about the most intricate details of our life. Yes, an invitation indeed from the One and only who can fill what are heart’s ache for.” — Jocelyn Reyna, Entrepreneur