Written by: Gawie de Lange
Last month, our family welcomed a new heartbeat into the world. Georgia Jane de Lange was born on 20 January, and with her arrival came a kind of love I have known before, but never quite like this. She is our fourth child, but our first daughter.
A love that rearranges priorities
There is something about holding a newborn daughter that “shuffles” a man’s priorities. The noise of the world fades. Success, plans, and urgency suddenly feel small. What remains is a quiet resolve: You matter. You are precious. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.
The heart of a father
As I watch little Georgia sleep, I am overwhelmed by how vulnerable she is, and by how strong my desire is to protect her. She depends on us for everything. She cannot yet speak, ask, or explain. And still, my love for her is complete. Not because of what she will one day do, but because of who she already is, my daughter. This is the heart of a father.
Love that wants the best, yet releases control
I want to give her the best opportunities. I want to surround her with love, truth, and stability. I want to guard her from voices that would diminish her worth and from paths that would harm her soul. And yet, I know I cannot control the world she will grow up in. I cannot walk every road for her. I cannot absorb every pain. And in this moment, Scripture takes on flesh.
When Scripture becomes personal
Jesus said, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matt 7:11). These words now land with weight. If my heart, imperfect and limited, is capable of this depth of love, then God’s love must be beyond comprehension. His love is not reactive, based on performance, growing or shrinking with our obedience. It is constant, steadfast, and faithful.
A Father who never fails
I will fail Georgia at times and misunderstand her. I will make decisions that, in hindsight, I wish I had made differently. But our Heavenly Father never fails, and His wisdom is complete. His timing is perfect, and His love does not panic or withdraw from us. When God looks at us, He does not see a problem to be fixed, He sees children to be loved. Just as Georgia does not need to prove her value to me, we do not need to earn God’s affection.
Pointing her to a greater Father
Perhaps the greatest gift I can give her is not protection from every hardship, but the knowledge of a Father who is greater than me. One who will walk with her when I cannot. One whose arms never tire and whose love never ends. Below are three points to ponder on God’s love in our lives.
God’s love is everlasting
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jer 31:3). God’s love did not begin when you found Him, and it will not end when you stumble. It stretches beyond what we do, holding you steady through every season of life.
God’s love is unbreakable
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life … nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39). No failure, fear, distance, or circumstance has the power to loosen God’s grip on you once you are held in His love.
God’s love defines our identity
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are” (1 John 3:1). Before you are defined by your success, your mistakes, or your titles, you are first and forever defined as a beloved child of God.
A glimpse of Heaven’s love
As I hold Georgia, I am reminded daily that my love for her, as strong as it feels, is only a small glimpse of Heaven’s truth. For if earthly fathers know how to give good gifts, how much more does our Father in Heaven love us.
This article is featured in the February/March 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read a digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 25/02/2026
Feature images sourced from article
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