Happy Friday, Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Friday morning in my Sweet Home Alabama!
It may be Friday, but Sunday is coming!!!
This morning, I want to briefly share a few things.
1. On this Good Friday, I want to share a quote from my morning devotional:
“It was not nails that held Jesus to that wretched cross; it was his unqualified resolution, out of love for his Father, to do his Father’s will – and it was his love for sinners like me.” – D. A. Carson
I feel so compelled to share Luke 22: 41 – 44. The next time you and I don’t “feel like” doing something for someone, loving the unlovable, etc., I pray that we will remember this scripture.
Luke 22:41-44
41 He [Jesus] withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
2. Earlier this week, I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Joel Osteen titled, Ready To Rise. A section on the palm tree was so powerful to me. I want to share the excerpt from that portion of the sermon with you. You can listen to the full sermon or read the transcript on the Sermons Love website here: https://sermons.love/joel-osteen/6275-joel-osteen-ready-to-rise.html
Like a Palm Tree in the Storm
A few years back we had a big hurricane here in Houston. I noticed all the different kinds of trees that were blown down: huge oak trees that were 3 or 4 feet around; I saw pine trees over a hundred feet tall laying in yard after yard—big trees, small trees; none of them could withstand the hurricane-force winds.
There was only one type of tree that wasn’t blown down—it was the palm tree. It’s because God designed the palm to withstand the storm. Unlike most other trees the palm is able to bend, so it doesn’t break.
Bend But Don’t Break
A certain kind of palm can bend all the way over to where the top is almost touching the ground. During the hurricane it may stay that way for 3 or 4 hours all bent over; looks like it’s done, but when the wind dies down, when the storm is over it stands right back up to where it was before.
All these other trees down on the ground—what’s the difference? God put bounce back in the palm tree. It may get pushed over, but it’s only temporary.
Psalm 92:12 says: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.” The reason God chose a palm and not oaks or pines is He knew we would go through storms; He knew things would try to push us down and keep us from our destiny. So He said: “I’m gonna make you like a palm tree. I’m going to put bounce back in your spirit”.
Stronger After the Storm
And you may go through difficulties: a loss, a disappointment, but at some point the winds will stop; the storms will pass and like that palm tree you’ll come right back up. You may be bent over now; you’re facing challenges; thoughts are telling you: “It’s never going to work out"—get ready to rise; you have bounce back power.
When that storm is over you’re not going to be laying down: defeated, beat up—you’re gonna rise up healthy, blessed, prosperous. You’re not going to look like what you’ve been through; nobody is going to be able to tell that you even had that difficulty.
The Storm Strengthens You
What I love about God is He doesn’t just bring you through the storm; He makes the enemy pay for bringing the trouble. When the palm tree has been bent over during the hurricane, you would think that’s damaging the tree and making it weaker. But research shows just the opposite—when the tree is being pushed over and stretched by the winds, that’s strengthening the root system and giving it new opportunities for growth.
When the palm tree straightens back up after the storm, it’s actually stronger than it was before. When you come out of that storm, when you straighten back up you’re not going to be the same—you’re going to be stronger, healthier, better off, ready for new growth.
3. Last weekend, my Beautiful Bride and I watched I Can Only Imagine 2. It is such a great movie and I strongly recommend it to all of you! I will never listen to the song, Even If, the same again.
During the movie, there is a scene where Bart Millard, the lead singer for Mercy Me, is talking to his wife about their son. He says something like, “I didn’t have a Dad who was an example. I don’t know what to do.” His wife said something like, “Don’t quit trying.” I, almost involuntarily, said, “That is my testimony!”
To all Dads out there, whether you had a father in your life or not, whether your father was a good or bad example, I pray and I beg you to do two things:
a. Show Up…Every day! Truly, I don’t care if you feel like it or not! It is not about you! It is about the precious soul entrusted to you! More than anything, they want and need you! Fully present. Yes, some days you won’t have your “A Game.” None of us has our “A Game” every day…show up! Whether it is convenient or not, show up!
b. Fight for your relationship with your child. I promise you, they are not your enemy. They are a great gift from God to love, lead, and care for. And I think we would be wise to be mindful of two things: 1) He is going to take them back someday, and 2) You and I are going to give an account to Him for how well we loved, led, and cared for these great blessings!
No, you will not get it right all the time. I truly feel like I got it wrong a whole lot more than I got it right. There were so many mornings when I poured out my heart to the Lord, begging Him to forgive my failures, and anxiously waiting for my little boys to get up so I could apologize to them, ask for their forgiveness, and hug them. The goal was never to be right; it was to love, lead, and care for my boys as God has called me to do. Those little boys are now big, strong men. I still don’t get it right all the time; however, I can state without hesitation that each one of my boys knows that I love them unconditionally, that I am always here for them, and that I would do anything I can to help them.
Please, fight for your relationship with your kids. They may act like they don’t care, ignore you, etc. Don’t believe them. Keep showing up. Have tough skin. Love the unlovable – they are the ones that need it the most! The goal is not to be right or to win; it is to have a relationship with your child.
Please feel free to contact me at any time if there is ever anything I can do for any of you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, please be kind, and please stay well!
Kev
