3. Identity is the key—When you become a Christian, everything changes … including your identity. You not only become a new creation in Christ, you also ‘put on’ Christ. The Bible says you have all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) and that you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37). That is who you are when you receive Christ, and discovering how to become who you really are is the key to walking in the victory that is yours and the joy that comes with your new identity.
Never let the lies of this world, the whispers of your heart or anything anyone else says make you think you are less than who Christ died to make you.
4. Failure is never final, and you have to give yourself and others room to fail and room to grow—Living life means failure is inevitable. You will fail at something and so will those you know and love. But those failures don’t define you. How you handle them will. Look at your failures as opportunities to be better, stronger, more creative, more diligent. Look at the failures of others as an opportunity to extend grace, compassion and prayers.
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff—Life is too short to make mountains out of molehills—to miss the roses along the way—to fret about the trivial—to argue about the insignificant. In the grander scheme of things, it’s always good to ask yourself how big of a deal things really are. If you sweat the small stuff, you’ll miss sweet stuff along the way.
Life is made up of moments that matter. Don’t miss a one … and don’t be the cause of others missing them.
There are a ton of other words of wisdom I want to tuck in my sons’ hearts.
- The kind of things that will help them trust God when their trials are big and their faith is small.
- The kind of things that will give them the character to do what is right no matter whether or not others are looking.
- The kind of things that will help them be bold, courageous and dangerous for the Kingdom of God.
- The kind of things that will help them live well, love unconditionally, laugh a lot and give generously.
- The kind of things that will help them be world-changers, faith-builders and legacy-leavers.
- The kind of things that will help them be men who love God and their families.
- The kind of faith that will make them be men who point people to Jesus, not only by what they say, but by the way they live.
Do you have the benefit of parenting hindsight? WHAT WOULD YOU ADD TO THE LIST?
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This article originally appeared at TheMomInitiative.com.
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