On the eve of concluding this devotional, it is interesting to reflect and consider what we have learned so far. It is interesting to reflect and consider the topics that have been covered. Let’s reflect on the previous 8 days and consider what we were able to learn:
- Fathers Who Mirror God
- Fathers Who Aren’t TV Dads
- Fathers Who Lead in Love
- Fathers Who Heal
- Fathers Who Walk Away
- Fathers Who Forgive
- Fathers Who Are Perfectly Imperfect
- Fathers Who Love Beyond Biology
Did any of the days speak to you? Did any of the days get your attention more than others? Did any of the days cause you to dig deeper? reach out to someone? change something? respond to something or someone differently? Did you send a message to anyone? Did you have any conversations you wouldn’t have? How are you allowing God to work in and through your life today?
Today, we continue with our 10-day devotional with day 9. This devotional caught my eye when I read the following description:
“An NFL chaplain, a preacher, a comedian, and a chief of police share a powerfully honest and insightful guide for men who sincerely want to improve relationships with their kids. God the Father gifts us with the perfect example for being dad. If you’re not the dad you thought you’d be at this point or simply looking to up your dad game, Imperfect Dads, One Perfect Father will encourage you.”
Imperfect Dads, One Perfect Father | Devotional Reading Plan | YouVersion Bible
Scripture for Today’s Devotional:
‘Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong. Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]. ‘
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
God’s Word is active and alive and knows what we need and when we need it! Ever had that moment when just the right word came to you at just the right moment and wondered how could this random devotional, on this random day, know to use that random scripture to meet me right where I am at with what I am going through today? Are you making time to meet with and hear from God through His Word and through the Holy Spirit? Could today be the beginning of a new way you choose to live your life?
Let’s be the dads who are watchful over our lives, our actions, our words, and our thoughts! Let’s be the dads who control our responses and filter the ideas through God’s Word before we break loose! I know recently someone triggered me when they screamed at me and my response was a yell back “what!” I took a deep breath and the Holy Spirit stopped me from doing something that could have gone really bad. Was I still upset? Yes. Was I still surprised? Yes. But I allowed the Holy Spirit to say “stop, that won’t do any good, and here is how you should respond”. God’s Word tells us “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This type of Word was crucial for me and kept me from ruining a day that was going to be an incredible day for God early in the morning. Let’s be the dads who take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ rather than just spewing what comes to our minds. Let’s be the dads who stand firm in the faith! Let’s be the dads who act like real men! Let’s be the dads who are strong! Strong spiritually! Strong emotionally! Strong physically! And allow God to be in our strength in our weakness! Let’s be the dads who let all that we do be done in love! Let’s be the dads who do everything motivated and inspired by God’s love for us! Let’s be the dads who are mature and courageous in order to be able to accomplish all that God needs us to do for our wives, kids, and the world!
Today’s devotional has been provided by FIVE STONES CHURCH.
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)
For more information, please visit https://www.fivestonespeople.com/youversion-devo-dadbook.
Takeaways from Today’s Devotionals:
“Fathers Who Grow“
- Let’s be the dads who aren’t stuck in our ways!
- Let’s be the dads who changing to be more like our Heavenly Father!
- Let’s be the dads who are better dads than we once were!
- Let’s be the dads who are looking and working to make positive changes in our lives!
- Let’s be the dads who are looking and working to improve ourselves over time!
- Let’s be the dads who are trying to ensure we are living on God’s trajectory for our lives!
- Let’s be the dads who are able to grow and develop over time as our kids change and grow over time so that we can partner with our wives to be the parents our kids need!
- Today’s devotional speaks to the reality of how we are going to change over time, no matter what we do or try, and so we need to be the dads who are looking and trying to grow in alignment with God’s plans, purposes, and will for our lives!
- Today’s devotional puts it this way:
- Let’s be the dads who realize that “growing as dads includes a progression in our relationships we share with our kids“!
- Let’s be the dads who “progress because it includes the healthy changes in our parent-child relationships that require growth“!
- Let’s be the dads who “KEEP GROWING“!
- Today’s devotional concludes with the following challenge and call to action:
