Dear Dad,

Throughout my life, I have faced many changes: new siblings, a couple houses, and a few different schools. My life has been far from consistent.

You, however, are the one human being who has been next to me for every single step of my life. You are my taste of Jesus's constant guidance and love, here on earth. You have never, ever left my side. You have defended me, loved me, taught me, watched The Office with me and even let me use the aux cord in the car a few times.

I have watched you make mistakes, but my love for you has never wavered. You have watched me make so many more mistakes, but I know that your love will always be there to pick me up every time I fall. When I am stressing over money or school, it is your voice I hear in the back of my mind telling me to, "quit worrying and live."

Because of you, I never had to wonder if anyone was proud of me, I never had to wonder how loved I was, I never had to wonder if I was pretty enough. In the background of everything I said, you were always speaking words of encouragement to me. For as long as I can remember you have always, always told me that I am loved, that I am beautiful, that I am intelligent, that I am talented. Everything that I do not see in myself, you see in me enough for the both of us.

I know that you have not always been in the church, but I have always seen Jesus in you. I can hear him speaking through you when you are speaking words of love to me. You have cried with me, you have forgiven me, you have loved me with a love that is so unconditional I cannot even begin to explain it. Even when I'm at my worst, still you love... that is the clearest image of the Gospel my human mind can think of.

That is the whole reason we are here. You, Dad, are my favorite example of earthly love. You have shown me the father's love through so many facets; I will forever be indebted to you because of that reason. I can only hope and pray that one day I can display even a small portion of the love that you have shown me to my own children. I have been blessed immensely by you, and I will never ever take you for granted.

So thank you. Thank you for constantly showing me love, introducing me to Coldplay, fitting right in with my friends (it's kind of creepy honestly), telling me about "Stranger Things", making me laugh when I want to cry, and not killing me that one time I spent $200 when you gave me your debit card, I love you. I am so thankful for you.

XOXO,

Your favorite daughter