Father’s Day is Difficult for Some PeopleIf you have pain around the idea of God being a father because of your relationship with your biological dad, you need to hear some true things today. I'm going to share with you a love letter, a message from God directly from his Word, just for you. (Adapted from YST069).And the bottom line of the message is this:You're special, and today is the day it's going to start being better.(Note: The following is a letter, composed by God through the writers of the Bible. I have extracted these scriptures and listed them out below.)My dear, beloved friend, my child,I wanted to reach out to you, across time and space, to let you know how much I love you. I think about you all the time. Did you know you're the apple of my eye? (Psalm 17:8)I know things are hard sometimes. But you're not alone. I'm always paying attention to you as you journey through your life. In fact, I feel your pain, and I keep all your tears in a little jar; so you're never far from the front of my mind, sweet friend. (Psalm 56:8)I want you to know how special you are to me. Life on earth has a way of making you feel unimportant, lost, or overlooked. And our Enemy goes around like a lion, trying to hurt you. (I Peter 5:8)He wants you to believe that the things you've done have separated you from me, that you're too far gone for me to love you or accept you. But that's a lie. In fact, everything he says is a lie and you shouldn't believe a word of it. (John 8:44)But here's the truth:I created you, breathed my life into you, and made you in my own image. (Genesis 2:7, Genesis 1:27). And I've been paying attention to you from eternity before you were born right up until this very moment. I knit you together with special care, I saw you inside your mother, and I know the whole story of your life (Psalm 139).So you see, precious child, you matter to me. So don't worry so much, because I'm watching you. I've got your back. I know every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30), and I think you're awesome and perfect, because I made you just as I planned, just as I wanted, and making a person is a wonderful process. And no one is more wonderfully made in my image than you are (Psalm 139:14).Now, I know life is hard. And I know there are things that hurt. But in the midst of that pain, don't let life's troubles make you feel like I'm far away. Because when you're the most scared or in the most pain, that's when I want to be closest to you (Psalm 34:18).There are a lot of voices in your head, I know. Your brain is wired to think about things that hurt or scare you automatically. I made you that way, and it's for your own good, to keep you safe. But that negative bias in your brain can also harm you and steal your joy if you aren't careful. So it's important to remember that I made you to be joyful, and to have a fulfilled, abundant life (John 10:10).And even though those voices are hardwired, you can overcome them by listening for mine. I'll tell you how to hear me.First, my voice won't ever make you ashamed or afraid. Even when I correct you or my spirit convicts you of something you need to change or confess, it will come with a promise to help you, and you'll have a deep sense that my way is better than the way you've been doing things (John 16:8-16).And, everything I tell you will be true. And I won't ever change my words to you, because I'm the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).So here's what I want you to do: in the midst of all the pain and the worry and the uncertainty of your life, start listening for my voice. Filter every voice that's scary, that makes you feel bad. Every voice that tells you you're not good enough or not smart enough or pretty enough or anything enough to succeed or for me to love you.Because, my friend, you're exactly who and where and what I intended for you to be (Acts 17:26). And there is nothing you cannot overcome or accomplish if you use the power of me living inside you (Philippians 4:1