New Girl Dad

Our daughter was born this summer. After about 4 years of effort, my wife and I finally have an MVP out in the world. Mother and daughter are well. Dad is alive. All glory to God.

It's my birthday today. It's my first one as a dad. I'm unfamiliar with the scale of physical exhaustion mingled with unbridled joy that comes with becoming a parent. I'm having the experience in the UK, where there's not a village at the ready to help raise the child, which, I suppose, probably makes it peculiar. I've never had to function on so little sleep. I say this as someone who averaged four hours of sleep per day for the six years I was in university. This is different.

Children are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. Having your own child feels like quite a magical experience. Interacting with a baby bump — as exciting as it is — still feels vastly incomparable to holding the baby in your hand. A human. Your MVP.

Our lives have been transformed by this child. We live for her. I would die for her. I will live for her. Tending to a newborn makes me contemplate the love of God for us and the love of Christ for his church more deeply. It's also made me appreciate the sacrifices my parents made to raise us. Parenting is a fight of faith and a labour of love. Now, I too, have my work cut out for me.

Happy birthday to me.