To Lucy, on her birthday

My sweet daughter,

I want you to know, first of all, that I love you much more intensely than words on a page could ever express. I've only known you for a matter of hours, but from another perspective, I've known you your whole life.

Most people speak in terms of pride when they try to capture the feeling of holding a newborn baby, watching a toddler learn to walk and talk, and seeing their children blossom into the kind of adults who are able to handle life excellently.

I don't know if pride is the best word to explain what I've felt in the first couple of hours I've known you. But that's most likely because pride doesn't feel like it's a strong enough word to handle the situation. Honestly, I don't know what word is sufficient for today.

Today, your big sister will meet you for the first time. When your momma and I welcomed Anabelle into this world just two and a half short years ago, we really had the feeling we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

Sometimes we still feel that way, but every day with Anabelle has been an unspeakable blessing from God Himself, so it's with a much deeper, much more informed sense of anticipation that your momma and I welcome you into our little sapling of a family.

As an aside, you look exactly like Anabelle when she was born. That's a good thing, because she was the most beautiful little person I've ever laid eyes on. And so are you, Lucy. As far as your momma and I are concerned, you will never have to compete with your sister for approval. I promise you that.

My first and most ultimate prayer over you is the same one I had for your big sister, and it's one I pray every day over her, and have prayed every day over you, even as you were being knit together in your mother's womb. My prayer is this: That you would know the Lord. That you would be found in Jesus. That you would grow to delight yourself in Him.

That's not my only prayer for you, Lucy, but it is my highest, and it is the one prayer weaving through and tying all my prayers for you together. I pray you will always know I love you and accept you, no matter what, for no other reason than that I'm your daddy. That's how my dad has always loved me, and more importantly, it's how my Heavenly Father has loved me, even at the cost of His own Son.

I pray your momma and I's love for you will paint a clear picture of the unconditional, active, pursuant love of God expressed in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.

I cannot wait to watch you grow, my sweet Lucy Ann. I cannot wait to watch you learn walk, talk, and play with your big sister. And I cannot wait to watch God work in your life to draw you to Himself so that you find your salvation, identity, and source of joy in Him alone.

But for now, please don't be in a hurry to make any progress. Sleep tight, my sweet Lucy.