I spent Easter weekend in Raleigh, NC with my family and one of the highlights of my time there was getting to see my adorable 9-month-old niece, Addie Gray 🙂

Although I only catch occasional glimpses into their lives, it has been so special to observe my brother and sister-in-law become new parents. And it has been especially sweet to watch my brother father his new baby girl <3

Like any new dad, he is incredible loving, tender, and attentive towards her. This perfect, precious baby girl has completely melted his heart. Yet what I love most, is how he constantly says her name with every sentence …

 “Hey Addie Gray”, “Good Morning Addie Gray,” “Addie Gray, are you ok?” “What do you need Addie Gray?”

As he lovingly speaks her name with each phrase …

 he is constantly affirming her identity as his daughter and his relationship to her as father.

So it got me thinking how often our Heavenly Father looks down on us, as His children, and speaks the same words of affirmation and identity toward us.

“The Father has loved us so much that we are called children of God.” 1 John 3:1

A God who love us so much He offers a relationship so intimate we are invited to call Him Father.

But if you’re like me, the busyness of life and the voices of the world often become much louder than His.

So take a deep breath and let me remind you what He says about you.

My child you are …

Mine.

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; and you are Mine.” Isaiah 43:1 (HCSB)

Chosen.

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:12 (NIV)

Known.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)

Beloved.

“I’ll call the nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved.” Romans 9:25 (The Message)

Accepted.

“You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all — irrespective of how we got here — in what he is building.” Ephesians 2:19 (MSG)

Forgiven.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us.” Psalm 103:12 (GNB)

Friend.

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father.” John 15:15 (NCV)

Daughter.

“I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthianss 6:18 (NCV)

I had the privilege of hearing Bob Goff speak a few weeks ago and he simply, yet profoundly, illustrated this relationship the Father offers us.

He said “God just wants us to play catch with Him.”

In other words, God wants you and I to move towards Him in relationship and simply do life with Him.

“God just wants you to play ball.”

But so many of us hesitate because we think, what if I drop the ball?

Well do you know what a good Father does?

He just steps closer.