"I--." That burning feeling came into my neck. I swallowed, and tears mixed with the rain. "I miss my daddy."He rose and pressed me close. "I know. The King gave you a daddy for an important reason." Our gazes joined. "But now he's gone." Father let my feet touch the ground, and he knelt, taking my palm in his. Water trailed down his cheeks into his beard as he kissed the back of my hand. "My child, will you let me take his place?"I inhaled quickly."And until the day when the King brings you and your daddy together again, can I hold you when you cry? Can I dance with you and know your secrets and share my home with you? My child," he said, "I love you."I cried and let him hug me again. Father took me inside where we curled cross-legged before the fire and drank something warm that made steam in the air. And there, hiding on his lap with his finger caressing my hair, I nodded.
// chapter 9
Something I love about God is that He is a Father.
This almighty God, the Creator, the Sustainer, the One who makes the morning rise every morning without fail for thousands of years, who set the stars in their spinning formations like an unending top, who is the ultimate Judge of the world - somehow, I've been adopted into His family, and He calls me child.
Ooph.
And I'm just like Kadira.
I'm a normal person.
If you got to know me, you'd find out my quirks and weaknesses. I don't like being in big spaces. I stumble over my words, my hair randomly foofs, I'm so selfish inside, and sometimes, life just makes me scared. And I've messed up a lot.
I feel like Kadira: unworthy, broken, and I make a lot of mistakes.
Then, there's this Father. And He changes everything.
Not only does He create a home for us. He commands our hearts to keep beating right now, our blood to keep flowing. He writes life stories, sees the people we were created to be. He gives dreams and talents and excitements.
This Father delights in us. He wants to know us. And when we messed everything up with our own mistakes that separated us from Him, He made a way for us to be reunited with Himself because He made us to be with Him.
That's a life worth living.
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
He is good and does good.
That's my prayer for The Torch Keepers and the character of Father. May they remind you of the love - in the justness and truth and mercy - of our Father. May it encourage you to sit and get to know Him. To be with Him.
I've always loved the character of Father in the novel. Writing his story was hard, unique, yet beautiful, because it made me ask, what is the Father's heart? What would He do in this situation?
The fictional Father blessed me because it helped me know my Heavenly Father's heart a little deeper.
And I challenge you to be still and get to know your Father. To sing or walk or read or talk with Him and just let your heart be open and vulnerable. Let Him change you, convict you. Curl up, like Kadira, on your Father's lap, drink something warm and steamy and autumn-ish, and give Him permission to know you in your strengths and talents and humanness and quirks and weaknesses.
You have a Father.
And He invites you to be with Him.
Dearest FatherClosest FriendMost beautifulOne thing I desireOnly this I seekJust to dwell, dwell, dwellHere forever
// Almost every character in The Torch Keepers has a theme song that represents their character! But after this novel was completed, I realized the book itself has a theme song too.
Can you guess it? If you get it right, you definitely get an award for the most astute reader. *wink* Well, actually, it's not too hard of a guess.
Hint: think themes of Fatherhood
What's your guess? Okay, okay. Here's the song:
The Torch Keepers' theme song //
(psst) I hope you've been encouraged by these bookish-themed posts! If you want to win your own copy of The Torch Keepers, click here to enter a giveaway! It's ending soon!
May this mid-week be blessed and may His face shine upon you; what joy!
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
~♥~
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