From a Daddy to His Daughters: Dreaming for Them in the Church

In honor of Father’s Day we are delighted to share this heart-felt post by Brandon Chase. This letter is a great reminder of the important part egalitarian fathers play in the lives of their daughters.

To my precious Daughters,

From before you were born, I have dreamed of you.

Would you be a boy, or a girl? What color hair would you have? Eyes? What would your name be? What would my heart feel when I held your tiny body and beheld your miracle face?

What would your life become? What would you do? Where would you go? What mark on the world would you have?

These are the dreams of the daddies-to-be. These are my dreams of you… and more.

Having my answers to some of these questions, my dreams are shifting. I still dream of you, but deeper. I am now dreaming for you.

I am dreaming of a world that is better. I am dreaming of a life that is more. I am dreaming of a Church that is seen in Her full beauty.

I am dreaming of Jesus in you, and you in Him. Magnificently, He is the fulfillment of the dream of a world, better – of a Life, more – and of the Church, in Her beauty.

I have a dream, and my dream is Jesus.

He has a dream, and His dream is you.

As I’ve pursued Jesus deeper, I’ve learned something about dreams. The real dreams, the ones worth living and dying for, are not fascinations.

They are given. And He is the Giver.

These dreams that He gives are never easily realized – but are always worthy of unending pursuit.

When He gives a dream, He intends to see it fulfilled, in you. But more, He intends to see Himself fulfilled in you – through the perseverance required to consummate the dream.

The Lord has given me a dream, my girls, and in this dream you – women, daughters not only of myself, but firstly of the King – are received in the Body of Christ in mutuality and equality.

I don’t yet know all the many dreams He has seeded in your heart – to be unearthed, cultivated, and blossomed during your days.

But I know they are glorious. They are rich. They are profound. They are unique dreams that He intends for only you, in your time, for His ultimate glory.

I do know, that whatever these dreams present to be, that they are tied to my dream – worth living for, worth dying for. It will require perseverance.

But it will be consummated.

For this reason, I am dreaming with the Dream Giver – seeing and praying into – a new temporal reality for you, my girls.

Sadly, you are growing up in an age where you may still be looked upon as something less in the Kingdom of God – because you are a girl, a woman.

This is not right. This is not Father’s dream for you, or His Church. It is not your Daddy’s dream for you, or the Church.

This is the dream, the Truth, prophetically declared as the will of God:

• God created Eve next – not after – Adam. You were not created to “follow” a man. You are created to follow Jesus only – hopefully with men and women, or sometimes, on your own.

• The “ezer” of your being is definitive of the strength of the Lord planted in you, not solely as a “helpmate.” You will reveal that strength in humble service, as all of His children are called to – and this will be toward both men and women.

• You are no more open to deception, or to lead the Body astray than anyone else, man or woman. All flesh fell. All flesh is born into deception. Gloriously, all flesh is redeemed. Further, in Christ there is no more flesh, neither male nor female – only His Life and Body.

• You are never responsible for a man’s eyes. Those are his. Your beauty has been sealed from the womb, where you were perfectly and wonderfully made. God fashioned a masterpiece in you. You will live out of an otherworldly confidence in that truth – and it will be captivating. He, in you, will be captivating. Yes, men and women will be attracted to you. What they love, is Jesus in you. Keep showing them Him. He will sort out their eyes and hearts.

• You are responsible for hearts – of men and women. Handle them correctly. Love them deeply, passionately, equally. Look for the Jesus in them, not merely the man or woman they are, or could be.

• If God has marriage for you, submission to your husband is responding to the Lord’s Love in your life – and serving your husband from that place of Love. He will love you as Christ loves His Bride – to death. Therefore, submission will be mutual and equal in your unity of oneness. You are not under him. He is not under you. You are one – under Christ. You will love and serve one another – and leave the protecting, providing, comforting, and nurturing up to God.

• If God has children for you, you will be their mother. Your husband will be their father. Together, you will navigate the hair-pulling, joy-giving, crazy adventure that is raising kids. Jesus will give you peace and patience and direction. You will follow Him.

• Your work and roles will be what the Lord calls you to. For you, it could be ministering to Him in your home. Or, a corporate boardroom. Or both. If your husband is called to follow Jesus by doing dishes and laundry and staying at home with the kids – he will be more than a man. You are both equal Priests in the Kingdom, and in your home – no matter what culture says your “roles” are, biblically or otherwise.

• Holy Spirit has given you amazing gifts. You bear incredible fruit. Your gifts are no less powerful or important or authoritative than any man’s or woman’s. They are unique, invaluable, and critical to the Body as a whole. The fruit of your life is not for other women and children only – it is for the mutual benefit and edification of all of God’s people – man and woman.

• God may call you to teach. If so, teach whomever He places at your feet – woman, child… man. God may call you to pastor. If so, shepherd His flock with service – especially that outside of the kitchen, potlucks, and the coffee bar. God may call you to evangelize. If so, go to the other side of the world, and the other side of the street – and know He goes with you. God may call you to prophesy. If so, proclaim the word of the Lord in boldness and truth – let he (or her) who has ears hear. God may call you to apostolic ministry. If so, clear the path, build the bridge, make a way for His change to come behind you – generations of mankind following your path – as you follow Him.

• You respond to what God has invited you into – hearing His voice and following Him – no matter what the “church” tells you “the Bible says.”

• You are not under the covering or authority of any man, or woman. You are under the authority of Christ. Submit to Him and live out of a posture of worship to His lordship, and “authority” will be made plain everywhere you go.

• The Church is His. He is the Leader. We are all followers, man and woman. No one has the right to “lead.” By following Him – you will be “leading” – and showing men and women how to follow too.

• The Father doesn’t prefer His Sons. His Daughters are not inferior to them. You have an equal place at His table, in His Kingdom – with all of His Children. The Father dreams of you, and dreams for you. When He is your dream too, you will live and move and find your being in the reality of that dream.

You are my daughters on earth, but in the heavenlies now, you are my Sisters in Christ. As I see your lives lived under the authority of Jesus, I submit to you in mutual and equal service, humility, and love. Thank you for showing me more of my Lord.

I dream to live so as you always see Him in me.

I love you. I am proud of you. I thank our Daddy for you – and for the consummation of His dream of the world, life, and Church you will see.

Daddy

Read more from Brandon on his blog, Zōē Perissos, where he writes about life, love, and church.