Life is amazing!
Jesus is AMAZING!
I have nine unique, incredible, “in process” children. It’s a gift to be given the opportunity to help them form into who God created them to be.
My wife? Shut up! She couldn’t be more of a treasure than she is!
It’s Spring. This means new life. Need I say more?
God loves me, this imperfect shell. I’m so very thankful!
A new chapter begins…
Thirteen years??!?
How can this be?
Our family had recently completed a huge move from northern Canada to the southern most part of California one can live without have a Peso in their wallet.
…and then you arrived.
Your wit, your intelligence, your maturity and your sense of adventure have been second to none. Your deep desire to know God intimately at a young age makes this dad proud. Your tenderness, your ability to offer forgiveness and see that there are more important things in life than the current task at hand are traits that will get you far. Your love for family, friends and people in general will bring with it many healthy relationships for years to come.
Today you enter teen-hood. With these years you will face many challenges. I urge you to always put God first (Matthew 22:37-40) and love others second. By obeying this command, you will go far.
I’m proud to be your dad, your friend and I love you more than you’ll ever know.
Happy birthday Josh!
Every little boy in a baseball uniform who steps up to the plate to face a pitcher will lift his bat with hope. But the intensity of that hope depends on the level of his self-confidence.
Many go to bat just hoping they don’t strike out or get hit in the head. Some hope the pitcher will walk them to first. Others are only hoping they somehow hit the ball—somewhere, anywhere.
But imagine a boy whose father currently plays in the major leagues. He’s watched his dad round the bases in massive stadiums before thousands of cheering fans. He knows the players on his father’s team by name. He was swinging plastic bats in the backyard when he was in diapers. Baseball is in his blood.
As he steps up to the plate and looks over to see his dad cheering him on from the stands, he lifts his bat with a greater vision of success in his eyes. He knows he’s knocking this next pitch over the centerfielder’s head.
He truly believes he can do it.
He not only sees himself rounding the bases, but winning the game for the team, playing in high school, college, and even the big leagues. His dad has told him he can. He’s heard his father’s vivid stories of sacrifice, hard work, and adventure on the way to playing professionally. His dad has put up posters of the all-time greats on his son’s bedroom wall and spent hours with him in the batting cage. He’s committed to walking his namesake through every step of the journey, and do whatever he can to make success happen for his son. This is what it looks like to have a higher definition of success than most people in the world. And this is what it looks like to have the blessing of your father.
Too many parents have very low standards when it comes to defining success for their children. Some just want them not to mess up their lives. Others hope they will graduate from college and find a decent job. Although this sounds noble, it is not impressive in God’s eyes. That’s like hoping your son just gets to first base.
But what should success look like for your children? Do they know? Have you told them and talked about it? Have they seen you modeling it yourself?
This fourth point of Resolution for men is about getting God’s vision inside their heads . . . by resolving to get inside their hearts.
When Moses stood before the nation of Israel to give his final speech before he died, he boldly redefined success for them. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Jesus later referred to this as the greatest commandment of all time. Through this, God is calling us to do the greatest thing (to love) toward the greatest One (God Himself) in the greatest way (with all that we are). If anyone finds worldly fame and prosperity but misses out on this, he actually misses everything. It is God’s will that we love Him, obey Him, and live for Him. He should always be our greatest priority and our first love.
But not only is this how we define success for ourselves; this is how we are called as fathers to define success for our children and grandchildren. To see them living for Christ and making Him known through their lives is infinitely more important than their success on the ball field or in the classroom, more important than any award they may receive, more important than landing an impressive job or making a lot of money.
To love God and do His will is to succeed in life. Period.
But this message is more than just information for our kids to download or a sentence to say one or two times and hope they get it. Moses told us precisely how to instill this truth into our children’s lives.
These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. (Deuteronomy 6:6–7)
Two takeaways from this. First, God’s Word must “be on your heart.” Children who forsake the faith are usually those who did not see God actively working in their parents’ lives. But they develop an appetite for God when they see their dad and mom truly loving Him and walking with Him, when they see the blessings and rewards of your obedience firsthand. Whether it’s delighting in His creation, enthusiastically telling them stories from His Word, or celebrating His goodness in ordinary conversation, you should delight in the Lord around your kids. You can’t inspire them with truths you’re not living yourself.
So when God answers your prayers, tell your kids about it. When He changes your heart or helps you overcome temptation, celebrate it with them. When you face a season of suffering or persecution, let them see the strength of your faith. Just point out how He works. In your own life. In your own words.
One clearly answered prayer can powerfully instill faith toward God in the heart of your child. One humbly confessed mistake can help them see the everyday reality of God’s redemption. Every day gives you fresh, new material for making your life with Christ a front-row experience for the whole family. Let them see that loving Him is what gets you out of bed in the morning.
Training your children to love God must occur within the context of close relationships.It must be part of your daily interactions with them—when greeting your kids at the breakfast table, sitting around the house, having spiritually rich conversations in the car or at dinner, praying together before going to sleep each night.
You don’t have to be eloquent or seminary trained to do this. It’s those “Did you know . . .” or “Hey, by the way . . .” moments that mean the most to your kids—things you talk about while you’re out in the yard, heading to the store, or working on a project together.
Making disciples of all nations begins with your own children. By talking with your kids about Him through the day, and then (most important) modeling a love for Him in your own life, you set up your sons and daughters for long-term, multigenerational success.
To be continued…
This article is an excerpt from Chapter 7 of the book The Resolution for Men by Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Lawrence Kimbrough. Published by B&H Publishing Group, Copyright 2011 Now Available Where Books are Sold
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Don’t Be Reluctant to Show Mercy
by Rick Warren |
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“When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they won’t give up in despair.” (2 Corinthians 2:7 CEV) In real fellowship, people experience mercy. Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren’t rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice. We all need mercy, because we all stumble and fall and require help getting back on track. We need to offer mercy to each other and be willing to receive it from each other. You can’t have fellowship without forgiveness, because bitterness and resentment always destroy fellowship. Sometimes we hurt each other intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, but, either way, it takes massive amounts of mercy and grace to create and maintain fellowship. The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT). The mercy God shows to us is the motivation for us to show mercy to others. Whenever someone hurts you, you have a choice to make: Will you use your energy and emotions for retaliation or for resolution? You can’t do both. Many people are reluctant to show mercy because they don’t understand the difference between trust and forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past. Trust has to do with future behavior. Forgiveness must be immediate, whether or not a person asks for it. Trust must be rebuilt over time. Trust requires a track record. If someone hurts you repeatedly, you are commanded by God to forgive him instantly, but you are not expected to trust him immediately, and you are not expected to continue allowing him to hurt you. He must prove he has changed over time. The best place to restore trust is within the supportive context of a small group that offers both encouragement and accountability. |
When I was a kid, I sat at the table at supper time, and do you know what I ate?
I ate what was on my plate!
I ate more green beans and brussels sprouts than I would care to share, but I ate them.
Why?
…because they were on my plate!
I may not have liked it then, but years later looking back do you know what I learned?
I learned to be thankful and appreciate my parents feeding me.
…and this isn’t because it was their “job” or their “duty”.
My parents (any parents) “job” was to provide food (any food), shelter and clothing. Beyond that everything was a free gift.
It was because they loved me and were amazing parents! They taught me to eat what I don’t like and be appreciative of it. This world is too full of starving people for us “entitled” ones to be picky about what is on the table.
Wanna know what I did on weekends?
I mowed the lawn (and it was big!), I pulled weeds, I raked pine needles and I swept the concrete! I picked the cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots. I also vacuumed the house (which was big I might add!). I worked because it was asked of me and because it was my responsibility.
I didn’t have an iPod, an Xbox or 335 channels. I had none of that and I had 2 channels that were on maybe 60 minutes a day, except for Saturday night when Hockey Night in Canada was on. I couldn’t text my friends or call them in secret because the daggam phone was soldered to the yellow flowery kitchen wall! If I wanted to have a conversation, it was in front of everybody with nothing to hide.
In my “free” time, I played. I played outside with things I invented with my imagination, OR I played with friends either at my place or theirs.
There was no screen involved. There was no entitlement that we should have anything except for what we had.
We’ve lost sight of this in 2012.
The average child now-a-days spends 10 hours A DAY in front of a screen. Why is it considered absurd to live the way of Charles Ingles? Why?
In my opinion, it’s not “old-fashioned” or “unpopular”. It’s better! It’s healthier and it produces more rounded human beings.
I’m sure there are some farms for sale on Craigslist or Ebay.
Is there a difference between “Not being heard” and “Having the person you are speaking to disagree with what you are saying”?
Based on my experience, when the words, “I’m not being heard” turn into a stoppage in conversation is no different from a two-year old throwing a tantrum because they don’t get what they want. When one isn’t “heard” the way THEY want to be heard and then they shut down, it screams entitlement that their way is the only way. They can’t handle someone disagreeing with them and in turn, shut off the faucet of communication.
It’s a “cop-out”. It’s a tantrum. It’s unhealthy.
It will breed years of discontent, confusion, isolation and an inability to be in true relationship.
Healthy communication gives and takes. It “hears” and it “speaks” and it “hears” again. It recognizes when someone disagrees and is open to that. It carries an aroma of humility and lays all selfishness aside.
“Not being heard” needs to be thrown away with today’s trash.
Christianity isn’t about growing good, it’s about growing grace-filled — Christ-like.
Reading through Ann’s word’s again this morning – Ann Voskamp - I am reminded of how far I fall short in the understanding of Jesus’ expectations of me. Growing up “knowing” this “stuff”, I once again today realize it has nothing to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with Him.
Why in the world did I keep telling the boys to be more Christ-like as if He was a ladder to ascend, to progressively strive to be more sanctified — when being Christ-like is about being grace-filled, not about ladders but about laying down and reaching wide? – Ann.
It’s a continual “giving up” and “letting go.” Grace, forgiveness and surrender should flow from within…
…from within where the Holy Spirit resides for those who believe.
We cannot become “Christ-like” without Christ. Only through His empowering can we become like Him. It is Him. All Him. We can’t pull our boot straps up far enough on our own.
It’s not something to achieve. It’s something to lay down.
Then, and only then will we experience Him.
