Paul, today's question comes from Andrea. She emailed in, I came across a statement in your book

that has me curious about identity from your understanding of Christ in our lives. The statement is,

no person can be the source of your identity. I know our identity is in Christ in the Holy

Scriptures, but doesn't our earthly father have a direct

role in shaping the woman we become? There's a bit more context to our question. She continued,

My father passed away from cancer when I was 11. As grief has been cyclical for me and changed my

perspective as I achieve milestones in age, I find myself revisiting my loss in a different way.

My belief is that fathers shape their daughter's identity in a very profound way, either good or bad.

I won't ever know what it is like to have been raised with a father's love and protection from junior

high, high school, and into womanhood. I believe my identity has been compromised as a result.

I'm truly fascinated to know what tiny pieces make up a woman's identity

through her father's love and protection or lack thereof.

So Paul, your answer for Andrea?

Before I answer directly about a father's shaping influence on the identity of a daughter,

I want to step back a little bit and put this context in a larger biblical gospel context.

It very early in your reading of scripture,

you come to understand that God created human beings to be rational beings.

Immediately upon creating Adam and Eve, to be rational beings.

Immediately upon creating Adam and Eve,

God begins to talk to them.

We could actually say that God's counseling them.

Now, why is he doing that?

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