"Every man dies, not every man really lives." -Braveheart
For a few years now I've been thinking about this question, what does it mean to really live? It is so easy to get caught up in the routine of life, get bogged down with responsibilities and obligations, that it seems as if we simply exist to do what we have to do in order to keep existing. We own houses simply to leave them for massive chunks of the day in order to go to jobs so we can pay for the house that sits empty. For years I lived in routine, hating it, and hoping some day it would simply get better, but I've learned that isn't how life works. One of the songs in my Daddy/Daughters play list, "I'll be your Man" by Zac Brown Band (my oldest daughter's favorite) says, "Go have a ball, take every chance that you may" (and when I looked up the lyrics I realized I have been singing them wrong to her, I thought it was "take every chance that you make") Living involves taking chances and embracing risks, and that is when we begin to really live.
I've played it safe for so long. I've gotten into jobs where I was afraid to make moves in the company because I was afraid of failing and losing my job. Before I was married I never really dated because I was always unsure of the girls interest level, and was too afraid to find out. I think back over all of the missed opportunities because I wasn't willing to take a chance, and looking back, that wasn't living.
Right now life is changing. I've gotten older, and wiser, and I've started to realize some things about how the world works. Due to my present situation, I'm in the position where I'm going to have to make some changes in the next few years in order to be closer to my girls. It's easier to play it safe, stay where I'm at in a comfortable job with great benefits, but if I do that, I'm not going to be around like they need me to be, and that isn't something I'm willing to do.
Everything that has happened with my divorce, as difficult as it has been, has ultimately put me in the position to take some chances, go after some dreams, really begin living out what I'm passionate about; it's put me in a position to begin really living. In no way will I be neglecting my responsibilities as a father with any of this, and I'm not at all saying you should ignore your obligations, but I am saying don't kill your heart/soul/passion for the sake of your obligations. I was talking to a friend about a job change he's considering, and for him the move would make sense, but at the same time I see how this move, if it happens, could easily turn into the safe path at the expense of his passion. As we talked I told him, "I'm behind you, but this can only be a stepping stone to get to where you can do what you're passionate about. You can't kill your heart."
The world has too many men who are not living. They ignore their passions out of a sense of duty, a sense of fear, or laziness. Men are board, and men are frustrated, because men aren't really living.
What are you passionate about? How can you fit that into your life?
What is your dream? What can you do to move towards it?
What makes you come alive? Why aren't you living?
Every one of us is going to die, but many of us die long before we are ever placed in a wooden box. Let me give you something, your dreams are good. Your passions are good. It is ok for you to pursue them, you need to pursue them. If you want to start a business, make a plan, get organized, and go for it. If you want to change career paths, update your resume, apply, and go for it. If you want to go back to school, see what schools offer the program you want, apply for scholarships and financial aid, and go for it. If you want to pick up a new hobby, research, save, and go for it. Take the chance, take the risk. Make your preparations, and always be moving closer to the moment where you can jump in, and when you get to the edge, jump.
This world needs men who are really living. God made you for life. God created you with your passions. God has placed your dreams in your heart. God is glorified when you follow them. St. Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." God wants you to really live; He created you to really live.
Every man dies, are you going to one who really lives?
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Saturday, November 18, 2017
My Beloved Son in Whom I am Well Pleased, by TY
When I was younger, my brother used to ask me every Christmas Eve, 'how do you make Christmas come faster?' Looking back, I don't know why he asked me that question, but I would always respond, 'Pretend to go to sleep, so you would actually fall asleep and when you awake, it would be Christmas'. Not that it is timeless truth, but every Christmas Eve night, I would get myself comfortable in my new pajamas, which my parents gave every year, and pretend to go to sleep despite my nervous energy in excitement for the next day, and before I knew it, it was 5 am and the joy of Christmas Day would permeate the atmosphere.
A couple days ago, that same feeling resurfaced. As I walked to my desk (the furthest walk of anyone working on my floor), I kept remarking to my colleagues that waiting for my son to be born was like Christmas Eve all over again, but this one was extended. My 37-week pregnant wife was ready to have our kid outside of her so she could meet him and hug and kiss him. My hope was just to get through the week at work prior to his birth, and of course, get my flu shot. We were looking forward to the weekend to clean the apartment, get last minute items, and to meet with friends for various things. It was a perfect weekend that never happened!
Last Thursday, Megan and I went into the hospital for individual appointments and did not return home (full-time) until Monday afternoon. I was sitting in the waiting area of my doctor's appointment (the bane of my existence), and I get a call from my wife that her doctor wants to induce her. WHAT!?!?!? After an hour of my life spent in being in my doctor's office (the band of my existence) and not seeing my doctor, I rushed to see Megan. Thankfully one of my dearest Chicago friends was willing to drive me home to get our baby bags, get some food, and back to the hospital. The next 35 hours was more of a waiting game than anything. Megan's mom, who was planning to come in town for a full week, and my parents drove out from Ohio Friday morning and made it to Chicago by noon. Friday was basically a whole day of doctors and nurses coming in and out trying to essentially from Megan's body to have the baby since it was not really ready.
The "party" didn't pick up until 10 pm Friday when the efforts of our doctors intensified Megan's contractions while she was getting an epidural. (For those who do not know what an epidural is, it is the drug that numbs her lower extremities so she won't feel pain during delivery. The anesthesiologist was pretty numb to Megan as she writhed in pain, grabbing my hand during every contraction. I'm glad I was there. Initially, the nurse tried to kick me out of the room during the process, and in doing so, called me "the boyfriend". [Insert Death Stare and Wedding Ring flashing]
At about 12:30/45, the doctor on call checked in with Megan again, and said, "We start pushing in an hour". OK. At this point in the night, I was incredibly tired. I tried to stay up as a watchman takes watch over a city, but when they gave me a defined length of time before the main event, I figured it was best to get a power nap in. An hour later the nurses came in, I jumped up, ate a Cliff bar and a granola bar, and started stretching. It was gametime! After about 20-25 minutes of pushing, Tyrome III (Tre) was born on November 11th at 2:54 am, weighing at 5 lbs and 12.7 oz and measuring just under 20 inches. He was here! Christmas had come and my first child, a son, was born. He is beautiful. Megan handed him to me, and I proclaimed, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased".
The culmination of a nine-month journey filled with joy, anxiety, sadness, and grace had reached its climactic end. Megan and I were parents. My initial feeling is "this is unreal and "what just happened". It is hard to explain how overwhelmed I feel with love for Tre. All I can think about is God's love for us. We get so consumed by a works-based, humanistic mentality of salvation, that somehow doing this or that will make God love us more. But the reality is Tre had not lifted a finger for me and still has yet to do anything, but as soon as he came out, I love him and waned to do whatever I could to give him a fighting chance in this world.
What if we saw God like that? What if we saw Him less like a warden and more like a father? A warden cares nothing about his prisoners, but a father wants to give his kids the world. What if we saw God less like a mystical vending machine and more like a relational, loving father? The former gives out based what goes in, but a loving father desires relationship and gives out of desire to seek his kids' best. How do you see God? Dare I say that our faith goes to and fro based on how we answer that question. Dare I say our spirituality rise or dies with how we answer that question.
Marriage and child-rearing were never meant to be ends within themselves or for each other, but they were meant to point us to the gospel, and in doing so, they point us to God. When we are pointed to God, He is glorified. All of life is meant to be for the glory of God. I praise God for my wife and my son!
A couple days ago, that same feeling resurfaced. As I walked to my desk (the furthest walk of anyone working on my floor), I kept remarking to my colleagues that waiting for my son to be born was like Christmas Eve all over again, but this one was extended. My 37-week pregnant wife was ready to have our kid outside of her so she could meet him and hug and kiss him. My hope was just to get through the week at work prior to his birth, and of course, get my flu shot. We were looking forward to the weekend to clean the apartment, get last minute items, and to meet with friends for various things. It was a perfect weekend that never happened!
Last Thursday, Megan and I went into the hospital for individual appointments and did not return home (full-time) until Monday afternoon. I was sitting in the waiting area of my doctor's appointment (the bane of my existence), and I get a call from my wife that her doctor wants to induce her. WHAT!?!?!? After an hour of my life spent in being in my doctor's office (the band of my existence) and not seeing my doctor, I rushed to see Megan. Thankfully one of my dearest Chicago friends was willing to drive me home to get our baby bags, get some food, and back to the hospital. The next 35 hours was more of a waiting game than anything. Megan's mom, who was planning to come in town for a full week, and my parents drove out from Ohio Friday morning and made it to Chicago by noon. Friday was basically a whole day of doctors and nurses coming in and out trying to essentially from Megan's body to have the baby since it was not really ready.
The "party" didn't pick up until 10 pm Friday when the efforts of our doctors intensified Megan's contractions while she was getting an epidural. (For those who do not know what an epidural is, it is the drug that numbs her lower extremities so she won't feel pain during delivery. The anesthesiologist was pretty numb to Megan as she writhed in pain, grabbing my hand during every contraction. I'm glad I was there. Initially, the nurse tried to kick me out of the room during the process, and in doing so, called me "the boyfriend". [Insert Death Stare and Wedding Ring flashing]
At about 12:30/45, the doctor on call checked in with Megan again, and said, "We start pushing in an hour". OK. At this point in the night, I was incredibly tired. I tried to stay up as a watchman takes watch over a city, but when they gave me a defined length of time before the main event, I figured it was best to get a power nap in. An hour later the nurses came in, I jumped up, ate a Cliff bar and a granola bar, and started stretching. It was gametime! After about 20-25 minutes of pushing, Tyrome III (Tre) was born on November 11th at 2:54 am, weighing at 5 lbs and 12.7 oz and measuring just under 20 inches. He was here! Christmas had come and my first child, a son, was born. He is beautiful. Megan handed him to me, and I proclaimed, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased".
The culmination of a nine-month journey filled with joy, anxiety, sadness, and grace had reached its climactic end. Megan and I were parents. My initial feeling is "this is unreal and "what just happened". It is hard to explain how overwhelmed I feel with love for Tre. All I can think about is God's love for us. We get so consumed by a works-based, humanistic mentality of salvation, that somehow doing this or that will make God love us more. But the reality is Tre had not lifted a finger for me and still has yet to do anything, but as soon as he came out, I love him and waned to do whatever I could to give him a fighting chance in this world.
What if we saw God like that? What if we saw Him less like a warden and more like a father? A warden cares nothing about his prisoners, but a father wants to give his kids the world. What if we saw God less like a mystical vending machine and more like a relational, loving father? The former gives out based what goes in, but a loving father desires relationship and gives out of desire to seek his kids' best. How do you see God? Dare I say that our faith goes to and fro based on how we answer that question. Dare I say our spirituality rise or dies with how we answer that question.
Marriage and child-rearing were never meant to be ends within themselves or for each other, but they were meant to point us to the gospel, and in doing so, they point us to God. When we are pointed to God, He is glorified. All of life is meant to be for the glory of God. I praise God for my wife and my son!
Friday, November 10, 2017
Owning Your Name, by Will
I'm restless right now, and for some reason I feel like writing. I started to write a post on spite, but I realized in doing that I was being spitefully hypocritical. Adjusting to this new chapter of my life, one that was never supposed to happen, has been difficult. I've been working on a plan to move closer to my girls when my oldest starts school in a just under two years, and in that I've started to see how God can make all of this work out for my good and His glory (Romans 8.28-30). I've also realized that until that happens, there are going to be a lot of moments that absolutely suck. And in the midst of all of this, I keep being reminded of the name that I believe God has given me.
I feel that it's finally the time to share this, but I have to limit what I say because I'm working on a book based on this idea (if anyone who reads this has published anything, I'd love to talk with you about how to go about this). I feel like the name God has given me is "Lion Killer", and I've found a lot of encouragement in 1 Peter 5.1-11. Lions are big, strong, fast, and vicious. In short, lions are really dangerous, and the Bible says that our enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. The attacks come often, and we are told to be on the alert, of sober spirit, and to resist him, because we are not the only ones suffering these attacks. There is a promise as well, that when we resist, after we have endured, God will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. There is a struggle, but the struggle is not eternal; God's glory for what He will do for those who persevere is.
This name has revealed to me why I dress the way I do, I love safari style shirts. But more than that, it's helped me to see what is involved in following God to what He has in store. It is not easy. It's exhausting, and you learn that you can't drop your guard even for a minute. You learn that the enemy is relentless, and anywhere he sees an opening, he'll take advantage. In the past two years, I've seen the ways I didn't guard my marriage. We never dealt with infidelity, never even came close, I wouldn't even talk to women if I could avoid it, because I wasn't going to let anyone pull me away from my wife. But I have also seen how I failed as a husband. I was so focused on the future, so focused on where I thought we were headed and needed to get, that I didn't see how my wife wasn't doing well. I was so caught up with what I thought life was supposed to be like, so frustrated that things weren't working out like I thought they should, that I let a lion slip in and devour my marriage.
It isn't too late to claim the name God is trying to give me. It isn't too late to fight and kill lions. My marriage may be over, but I still have two girls, and I have to do the best I can to love their mother, because I made a covenant before God. Life isn't over, there is a still a work God has called me to do, there are still lives that He has called me to impact. In order to be able to do this, I have to begin by killing the lion of spite and bitterness that wants to be angry. I can't teach Bible at a Christian High School, or to college students, if I'm harboring unforgiveness. I can't be a good dad to my girls I refuse to love their mother well. This goes against every human inclination I have. I want to be angry, I want to be bitter, I want to act in spite, but that isn't what a Lion Killer does. If that is how I choose to respond, then I'm just going to end up as another casualty, and so may many others that I couldn't reach because of my heart attitude.
Lions don't go down easily, they're tough, but they are not invincible. Satan is relentless, but standing firm in God allows for him to be resisted and overcome. Through Christ, the lion is killed, and through Christ victory and peace are attained. In Christ, hard hearts are softened, and forgiveness is extended. In Christ, your true name is bestowed, and your destiny is lived out.
God has more for you than you could possibly imagine. God has a name for you that reveals who you are and why you are here. The reality of that name will bring about trials and hardships, but it will also result in the blessings of God, and His glory. Own your name, live it out, glorify God.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
I feel that it's finally the time to share this, but I have to limit what I say because I'm working on a book based on this idea (if anyone who reads this has published anything, I'd love to talk with you about how to go about this). I feel like the name God has given me is "Lion Killer", and I've found a lot of encouragement in 1 Peter 5.1-11. Lions are big, strong, fast, and vicious. In short, lions are really dangerous, and the Bible says that our enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. The attacks come often, and we are told to be on the alert, of sober spirit, and to resist him, because we are not the only ones suffering these attacks. There is a promise as well, that when we resist, after we have endured, God will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish us. There is a struggle, but the struggle is not eternal; God's glory for what He will do for those who persevere is.
This name has revealed to me why I dress the way I do, I love safari style shirts. But more than that, it's helped me to see what is involved in following God to what He has in store. It is not easy. It's exhausting, and you learn that you can't drop your guard even for a minute. You learn that the enemy is relentless, and anywhere he sees an opening, he'll take advantage. In the past two years, I've seen the ways I didn't guard my marriage. We never dealt with infidelity, never even came close, I wouldn't even talk to women if I could avoid it, because I wasn't going to let anyone pull me away from my wife. But I have also seen how I failed as a husband. I was so focused on the future, so focused on where I thought we were headed and needed to get, that I didn't see how my wife wasn't doing well. I was so caught up with what I thought life was supposed to be like, so frustrated that things weren't working out like I thought they should, that I let a lion slip in and devour my marriage.
It isn't too late to claim the name God is trying to give me. It isn't too late to fight and kill lions. My marriage may be over, but I still have two girls, and I have to do the best I can to love their mother, because I made a covenant before God. Life isn't over, there is a still a work God has called me to do, there are still lives that He has called me to impact. In order to be able to do this, I have to begin by killing the lion of spite and bitterness that wants to be angry. I can't teach Bible at a Christian High School, or to college students, if I'm harboring unforgiveness. I can't be a good dad to my girls I refuse to love their mother well. This goes against every human inclination I have. I want to be angry, I want to be bitter, I want to act in spite, but that isn't what a Lion Killer does. If that is how I choose to respond, then I'm just going to end up as another casualty, and so may many others that I couldn't reach because of my heart attitude.
Lions don't go down easily, they're tough, but they are not invincible. Satan is relentless, but standing firm in God allows for him to be resisted and overcome. Through Christ, the lion is killed, and through Christ victory and peace are attained. In Christ, hard hearts are softened, and forgiveness is extended. In Christ, your true name is bestowed, and your destiny is lived out.
God has more for you than you could possibly imagine. God has a name for you that reveals who you are and why you are here. The reality of that name will bring about trials and hardships, but it will also result in the blessings of God, and His glory. Own your name, live it out, glorify God.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Turning 31, by Will
When I wrote my first post a year ago, I had no intention of doing one every year, but as I've thought about it, I feel like this is a good opportunity to evaluate the previous year of my life. I'm past the point of being excited about my birthday, it's just another day, and I just happen to get a little older. I met someone years ago who told me that she made her new years resolutions on her birthday, and while this is not something I'm going to do, I feel that this is the appropriate time to evaluate the last twelve months of my life.
In the last year I have experienced things that did not go according to plan, but have started to learn to role with the unexpected, and see them as part of the process. Along these lines, I have started to really focus on the journey, more so than the destination, and have begun to try and simply enjoy the process of life. I've been learning to cast vision, and do so slowly. I tend to get an idea and run with it, pouring gasoline on coals so that the fire is too hot to do any good. As part of the process lesson, I've been learning to take time, really evaluate, and not rush. I'm trying to build the fire slowly so that it lasts, and can be used for multiply needs. In short, this past year has been teaching me to slow down and enjoy the journey, realizing that life is a continuous process, and that is what it's all about.
The last year has been both an encouraging time of personal insight and growth, and the most trying struggle of my life, I'm beginning to see that those two go hand in hand. I earned my first Master's degree, and I found myself in the most intense, and costly, part of a struggle with someone I never thought I would have to fight against. Seeing my marriage end, dealing with the financial loss of everything (you don't want to know how much this ended up costing when it's all said and done), and now working to be a dad when I only see my girls part of the time, has been rough. With all of this, I'm trying to get to the point of embracing forgiveness. This is no easy process, but I know that this is where I have to go, and what I need to do. This is part of being a good and godly man, and a great dad, and that is all I'm after in life.
Though that is a big part of my life for the past year, it is not all of my life. In the past twelve months I have started to see who God made me to be. I've started to see the identity that He has offered me, and I'm learning to see every opportunity as a chance to claim that identity. I'm learning to embrace the trials and the hardships as an opportunity to grow, and then do something great, in spite of everything, to strive to be who God has intended me to be. Life seems to have given me a bunch of lemons this past year, but I want to take those lemons and make root beer, I want to take what has happened, own my part of it, and do something far beyond anything that myself, or anyone else thought possible. It would be easy to take the safe path, stay on the road that brings financial security, but that road requires me to kill my heart and surrender my passion, and that isn't how I want to live.
As I turn another year older, I'm beginning to see the road before me more clearly. The next few years are going to be rough, I'm well aware of that, but I really believe that if I can endure this, if I can deal with the initial difficulties of this divorce, if I can finish well with my second masters, if God opens the door and provides the finances for my PhD, I'm choosing to focus on the hope of a life closer, and much more involved with my girls, a career that impacts lives and makes a difference, and maybe leaving the world a little bit better than when I got here. In short, I'm hoping to make some really good root beer.
I'm 31, and I'm not at all where I thought I'd be at this age. Right now I have to decide what happens next, what path I pursue. I think I shared in last year's post that I feel like I've wasted the last three decades, and I really don't want to waste anymore time. I want to take what I've learned, take the confidence I've gained, take who I'm becoming, and move forward to what God is leading me into. I understand the nature of some of these challenges, though I know I don't grasp the full extent of what is in store, but I want to own the identity God has given me. I want to continue to grow, and I want to be back in a year, reporting at 32 that God has been faithful, and I've continued to move forward. Next year I want to be closer to my destiny than I am right now. Next year I want to be more forgiving of my ex-wife than I am right now. Next year I want to be closer to what God has called me to than I am right now.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
In the last year I have experienced things that did not go according to plan, but have started to learn to role with the unexpected, and see them as part of the process. Along these lines, I have started to really focus on the journey, more so than the destination, and have begun to try and simply enjoy the process of life. I've been learning to cast vision, and do so slowly. I tend to get an idea and run with it, pouring gasoline on coals so that the fire is too hot to do any good. As part of the process lesson, I've been learning to take time, really evaluate, and not rush. I'm trying to build the fire slowly so that it lasts, and can be used for multiply needs. In short, this past year has been teaching me to slow down and enjoy the journey, realizing that life is a continuous process, and that is what it's all about.
The last year has been both an encouraging time of personal insight and growth, and the most trying struggle of my life, I'm beginning to see that those two go hand in hand. I earned my first Master's degree, and I found myself in the most intense, and costly, part of a struggle with someone I never thought I would have to fight against. Seeing my marriage end, dealing with the financial loss of everything (you don't want to know how much this ended up costing when it's all said and done), and now working to be a dad when I only see my girls part of the time, has been rough. With all of this, I'm trying to get to the point of embracing forgiveness. This is no easy process, but I know that this is where I have to go, and what I need to do. This is part of being a good and godly man, and a great dad, and that is all I'm after in life.
Though that is a big part of my life for the past year, it is not all of my life. In the past twelve months I have started to see who God made me to be. I've started to see the identity that He has offered me, and I'm learning to see every opportunity as a chance to claim that identity. I'm learning to embrace the trials and the hardships as an opportunity to grow, and then do something great, in spite of everything, to strive to be who God has intended me to be. Life seems to have given me a bunch of lemons this past year, but I want to take those lemons and make root beer, I want to take what has happened, own my part of it, and do something far beyond anything that myself, or anyone else thought possible. It would be easy to take the safe path, stay on the road that brings financial security, but that road requires me to kill my heart and surrender my passion, and that isn't how I want to live.
As I turn another year older, I'm beginning to see the road before me more clearly. The next few years are going to be rough, I'm well aware of that, but I really believe that if I can endure this, if I can deal with the initial difficulties of this divorce, if I can finish well with my second masters, if God opens the door and provides the finances for my PhD, I'm choosing to focus on the hope of a life closer, and much more involved with my girls, a career that impacts lives and makes a difference, and maybe leaving the world a little bit better than when I got here. In short, I'm hoping to make some really good root beer.
I'm 31, and I'm not at all where I thought I'd be at this age. Right now I have to decide what happens next, what path I pursue. I think I shared in last year's post that I feel like I've wasted the last three decades, and I really don't want to waste anymore time. I want to take what I've learned, take the confidence I've gained, take who I'm becoming, and move forward to what God is leading me into. I understand the nature of some of these challenges, though I know I don't grasp the full extent of what is in store, but I want to own the identity God has given me. I want to continue to grow, and I want to be back in a year, reporting at 32 that God has been faithful, and I've continued to move forward. Next year I want to be closer to my destiny than I am right now. Next year I want to be more forgiving of my ex-wife than I am right now. Next year I want to be closer to what God has called me to than I am right now.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, November 6, 2017
One Year In
It was a year ago today that we launched the blog. At that point there were just six of us, and we really had no idea of what would happen. One year in, and we have had over 7,100 views from people on five continents. Last month we had over 1,000 views.
We’re truly humbled and amazed by what this past year has brought, and we look forward in anticipation to the future.
From all of us at Pr. 18.24, thank you
We’re truly humbled and amazed by what this past year has brought, and we look forward in anticipation to the future.
From all of us at Pr. 18.24, thank you
Sunday, November 5, 2017
He's a Good Good Father! by Aaron
I woke up this morning with so many thoughts swirling around in my mind. My wife is pregnant and our second child is supposed to be born in about six weeks. There is a great amount of excitement and joy that I have, but also I am very anxious and stressed about how much we need to do around the home before our second son comes. The other things I was thinking about were about work, things I need to do around my house, bills we need to pay and the list goes on. As I was stressing out about everything I decided to turn on some worship music (generally it means putting on the Shane and Shane station on my Pandora app). The first song that came on the radio was Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin.
Here are some of the lyrics to Good Good Father:
Oh, I've heard a thousand stories of what they think you're like
But I've heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night
And you tell me that you're pleased
And that I'm never alone
You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am
'cause you are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways
I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying, Aaron you need to talk to your Father who has been anxiously wait to hear from you. Once the song came on, I hopped out of bed and knelt on my knees beside the bed. I instantly just felt this overwhelming presence of the Lord and began to cry. As I closed my eyes I just kept envisioning that I was kneeling in the lap of Jesus. I kept telling Jesus to forgive me for all of my sins. I also kept telling God that He is a Good Good Father. I felt as if Jesus was giving me a hug and felt I needed to write this quick note.
As we start this new week I want to challenge every person that is reading this post. First, I want you to stop reading this post and thank God for creating you. I want you to thank God for being such a good Father. I want you to ask God to forgive you for the sins you committed this week (whether known or unknown). Next I want to challenge you for the next seven days to find a spot in your house where you can be alone, even if for only three minutes. I want you to grab a pillow (especially if you have painful knees like me), kneel on that pillow and tell the God He is a Good Good Father. Make that three minutes about Him only. Do not ask for requests at this time, just thank God and sit in His presence.
The peace I have after being in His presence and acknowledging His holiness is indescribable. This seems so simple to me, because I know that I should do this every day, but I find myself asking God for requests constantly. I’m not saying this is a bad thing because asking things of the Father is something He wants from us as well. The problem is I often forget the Father is such a powerful God and deserves to be praised and worshiped. Spending time by kneeling in His presence and telling Him that He is a good Father is something that He deserves from us. I hope you all have a blessed day and please go hang out with the Father. He is anxiously waiting for you TODAY!
Here are some of the lyrics to Good Good Father:
Oh, I've heard a thousand stories of what they think you're like
But I've heard the tender whispers of love in the dead of night
And you tell me that you're pleased
And that I'm never alone
You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am
'cause you are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways
I felt like the Holy Spirit was saying, Aaron you need to talk to your Father who has been anxiously wait to hear from you. Once the song came on, I hopped out of bed and knelt on my knees beside the bed. I instantly just felt this overwhelming presence of the Lord and began to cry. As I closed my eyes I just kept envisioning that I was kneeling in the lap of Jesus. I kept telling Jesus to forgive me for all of my sins. I also kept telling God that He is a Good Good Father. I felt as if Jesus was giving me a hug and felt I needed to write this quick note.
As we start this new week I want to challenge every person that is reading this post. First, I want you to stop reading this post and thank God for creating you. I want you to thank God for being such a good Father. I want you to ask God to forgive you for the sins you committed this week (whether known or unknown). Next I want to challenge you for the next seven days to find a spot in your house where you can be alone, even if for only three minutes. I want you to grab a pillow (especially if you have painful knees like me), kneel on that pillow and tell the God He is a Good Good Father. Make that three minutes about Him only. Do not ask for requests at this time, just thank God and sit in His presence.
The peace I have after being in His presence and acknowledging His holiness is indescribable. This seems so simple to me, because I know that I should do this every day, but I find myself asking God for requests constantly. I’m not saying this is a bad thing because asking things of the Father is something He wants from us as well. The problem is I often forget the Father is such a powerful God and deserves to be praised and worshiped. Spending time by kneeling in His presence and telling Him that He is a good Father is something that He deserves from us. I hope you all have a blessed day and please go hang out with the Father. He is anxiously waiting for you TODAY!
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