I hope you enjoy my new story about my wonderful daughter. God bless you always.

My daughter has a very gentle, loving heart. Now she often hides it behind a tough, practical nature and a snarky, sarcastic and sometimes naughty sense of humor that she gets in equal parts from her mother and me. Sometimes, though, I can see that loving heart peek through. I see it in the way she treats her two mentally handicapped brothers. I see it when she patiently takes the time to explain things to my oldest son in ways he can understand it. I see it when she allows my youngest son to lay on her shoulder while she plays him videos on her phone. I can see it too in the concern she has for all the handicapped, abused, and suffering people in this world.

I can also see her heart’s love in the way she feeds the birds and stray cats that come to her house. I can see it in the way she rescues dogs and loves them like her own children. I can remember one time especially when she heard of a tiny Chihuahua mix being held at a local shelter. She had me drive her there and she gently coaxed the frightened dog out of its cage and walked it around outside until it felt safe. Then she held the dog in her arms as I slowly pulled out of the parking lot. I glanced to my side to see tears of joy flowing from my daughter’s eyes while her new puppy happily licked them off her face.

One of the most powerful prayers you can say is: “God, make my heart like Yours.” It is a prayer I say everyday. I do try my best to make my heart like God’s but don’t always succeed. Still, I take comfort in knowing that my daughter’s heart is much closer to being like God’s than mine. She tries to hide it sometimes in the face of the harshness of this world but within her is a gentleness and unconditional love that is beautiful to see.

May we all pray to have a heart like God’s. May we all try to live our lives with a Love like God’s. And may we always share that Love with ourselves, others, and all of God’s creatures.