As I get ready for a new devotional for dads, I was excited to find another one from UNCOMMEN titled Dad Strong. It’s incredible getting the opportunity not only to go through devotionals for dad but also to be able to reach out and connect with the various authors or publishers to ensure they are ok with me doing it and building a network of people who I can work with towards helping men Be The Dads they need to be. Today’s devotional comes with the following description from Bible.com and am looking forward to this 5-day devotional series.
Join us as we look at what it means to be Dad Strong. We set expectations, get involved, look at how we speak, talk about boundaries and get ready for the transition. Dad Strong seems to goes hand-in-hand with being Uncommen.
UNCOMMEN – DAD STRONG – BIBLE.COM
Today’s devotional is connected to the verses from God’s Word found in Genesis 2:24.
‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. ‘
Genesis 2:24
Let’s be the dads to stand for God’s plan for us as fathers and as husbands. Let’s grab hold of the unity that comes with the marital relationship when we put Jesus in the center. Let’s be the dads who stand with our wives to be the parents our kids need us to be and the husbands God created us to be. Just as God is one and yet that He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit when husband and wife come together they become one. Let’s be the dads who take hold of God’s plan as found in Mark 10:9 which says:
Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Mark 10:9
Let’s be the dads who stand with our wives and don’t allow anyone or anything to get between us. Let’s be the dads who stand with our wives putting Jesus in the center of our relationship. Let’s be the dads who when an issue or challenge comes our way as a couple put the problem on the table and attack that rather than each other. Let’s be the dads who live lives that will glorify our Heavenly Father!
Today’s devotional has been provided by UNCOMMEN (more details can be found https://www.uncommen.org/).
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me:
(check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
Are You Ready For The Transition?
For me, the transition took place decades ago but I remember how prepared I was, how ready I was for the transition. I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend I was looking for a wife. I was searching for the one and the summer before we met, I had prayed that God would provide me a wife. The transition described in today’s verse of having to leave my mother and father and cleaving to my wife. Let’s be the dads God created us to be and purposed for us to become!
- Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother.
- Have you had to deal with your kids growing up and moving out yet?
- Have you had the opportunity for them to come back because it was just for school?
- Are you ready for the empty household that happens when they leave you through marriage?
- Are you ready and have you been the dad who cares for and invests in your wife and your marriage?
- Are you ready for a new beginning where it will be just the two of you in the home again?
- Have you ever heard the term “empty nesting”?
- Making sure to invest in your wife by being the dad your kids need and need you to model will help when it’s just the two of you again.
- If you don’t invest in your wife and your marriage you may find “empty nesting” frustrating.
- If you invest in your wife and your marriage you may find “empty nesting” very fruitful.
- Empty Nest Cheat Sheet (check out this list from today’s devotional to help you with empty nesting):
- Pray for this transition.
- Have open communication with your spouse.
- Reconnect with your spouse and find new interests to explore together.
- You will spend less time with your children.
- You may not go to the same church as your children.
- Holidays will be different.
- You’ll have to relearn how to temper your advice.
- Be flexible.
- Be loving and supportive.
- Be quick to forgive.
- Ask for forgiveness.
- Pray more.
- Today’s devotional provides Extra Credit information too:
- “Extra Credit: Flexibility is a sign of maturity.“
- Let’s be the dads who can manage the change that takes place when our kids leave and cleave to their spouse.
- Let’s be the dads who pray about the changes.
- Let’s be the dads who turn to and dive into God’s Word to find and receive wisdom it has to offer parents, spouses, and more.
- Let’s be the dads who pray for wisdom, discernemtn, and the ability to speak with truth and grace into the lives of our spouses and our kids.
- Today’s devotional leaves us with some UNCOMMEN Questions:
- Today’s devotional leaves us with an UNCOMMEN Challenge:
