“But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask of God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly— and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For a doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6 (CSB)

Breaking news! More grandbabies are on the way—both of them precious little girls. My middle son and his wife just carried out a Zoom gender reveal for the family. They’re having their first baby, and my oldest son is having his fifth. These are exciting times for this devoted grandma. After these two littles make their entrance into the world, we’ll have one grandson and five granddaughters! Given the fact that girls are coming like a swarm of lovebugs in the Florida springtime, I thought I’d share six tips for raising godly girls who shine.

• Pray for your daughter—every day. Pray for her protection and for her heart to remain pure. Pray for her future husband, that he would be a man who loves Jesus and exhibits a bold walk of faith. It’s never too early to begin praying for that. Above all, pray that your daughter would come to know the Lord as her personal Savior.
• Show her unconditional love and support—always. Try not to be overly critical of her performance or appearance. There are many grown women today who have emotional issues and lack of confidence due to hyper-critical parents. Accept her for who she is. Many a mom has tried to live vicariously through her daughter. Moms, this is her time to shine, not a “do-over” for you.
• Teach her that God has a purpose for her life. Help her to understand that God loves her and has a unique and important plan for her to fulfill. Read the Bible to her and take her to church. Encourage her to fully participate in the children’s and youth activities there. Be an example by fully participating in church yourself.
• Instill in her the importance of having Christian friends around her. Help her to develop a core group of friends whose parents are believers and desire to follow Jesus. On the other side of the coin, teach her to be loving and inclusive to all people in her circle of influence. Talk about this often. Remind her to be kind and respectful even to those who may be different than her. Teach her to be a friend to all. Don’t raise a mean girl.

 “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.”  Proverbs 13:20 (CSB)

• Focus on the importance of modesty from an early age. That means, be the parent. As she moves into her adolescent years, don’t allow her to leave the house in skimpy, inappropriate apparel, mimicking secular culture. Help her learn to make good choices. Assist your daughter in finding her confidence in the Lord so that she won’t look for it in her appearance, her sexuality, her popularity, or even her achievements.
• Treat your daughter with respect. Take the time to listen to her. Give her a voice in your family. Insist that siblings, especially brothers, treat her with respect, as well. Daughters need to know that they are important and valued.

I was the only daughter between two boys growing up. My parents were believers and took us to church where all three of us came to know the Lord. I am so grateful. However, my own parents were old school and not especially intentional in some of the areas I’ve mentioned. When I had my own daughter, I purposed to do so. She is a wife now and a kind, confident, Jesus follower. She has many friends, some of whom come to her for advice and counsel. She understands that her beauty comes from a heart devoted to the Lord. I’m so proud of her.

Your daughter will eventually make her own decisions—not all of them wise. You cannot completely protect her from the world or from herself. You can, however, pray for wisdom as you raise her—from the God of all knowledge and wisdom. You can be intentional and consistent in your methods. You can speak up about things that are important. You can be an example of all the traits you’d like to see in her. And you can love her with unconditional, abundant, unwavering love. Don’t waste a minute. Before you know it, you’ll be watching her walk down the aisle, a kind and confident Jesus follower, on the arm of her Prince Charming.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. . .” Psalm 127:3-5 (ESV)