by admin on June 19, 2016
in Esteem, Insight, Leadership, Life Currency, Love, LV Stories, Prayers, Time, Turning Points, Uncategorized, Words
This post is part of a series of posts celebrating Father’s Day titled, “That Time My Kids Hacked My Blog.” To read more, click here.
Dear Dad,
You may not remember the day that I learned to ride a bicycle, but I do. We were living in Fayette, Alabama and all of my friends had already figured out how to ride and graduated to ten speeds. After spending several weeks trying to figure out how, I had resigned to give up.
I am not sure how long it was, in my mind it seems like it was years but I am sure it was only a few weeks, that Mom brought up the topic at dinner. I remember telling her that I couldn’t do it. While I am sure mom said something encouraging it was your response that made a lasting impact. You said, “Yes you can…let’s go.” Then you stood up and the two of was walked downstairs into the basement took the training wheels off my bike and went to the driveway. The next hour I fell several times but each time I did you picked me up, told me I was okay, and encouraged me to try again. It wasn’t long before I figured out how to balance and pedal. Up to that point in my life I am not sure I had ever felt so accomplished and to this day I still love riding a bike.
That day you taught me how to ride, but what I didn’t know at the time was that you were also teaching me how to live life. Time and time again I have seen you act in a similar manner. [click to continue…]
This post is part of a series of posts celebrating Father’s Day titled, “That Time My Kids Hacked My Blog.” To read more, click here.
Dear Daddy,
You’ve done a lot of things right as a parent, and the three of us are the adults that we are today because of your influence. You’ve been my greatest teacher, encourager and influencer, and I’m so grateful for all that you’ve taught me. There have been so many words of wisdom and encouragement over the past 31 years that it’s hard to identify the best or most influential, but there’s one thing that sticks out – there hasn’t been a single day of my life that I’ve doubted your love for me, or your pride in me. Because you’ve always told me.
I see clients in my counseling office all the time who wonder. They wonder if they’ve been enough, done enough, or said enough to make their fathers proud. [click to continue…]
This post is part of a series of posts celebrating Father’s Day titled, “That Time My Kids Hacked My Blog.” To read more, click here.
Daddy,
One of my favorite things about you is how you relate to people. You don’t make other people fit in your box, rather you relate to them in a way that not only allows them the freedom to be themselves but you encourage it. You seek out the unique things about a person that make them, well, THEM. The way you have parented follows suit. I have watched you relate to Cassie and Joel at times and noticed how different it is from how you and I relate. I’ve never felt sad about that because I know this great quality about you. In fact, it makes me feel more special because I know that our relationship is one of a kind, even though you have three kids.
I like to think the way you and I relate is through “moments”. These little snapshots of time that make up significant and meaningful times that we share. We’ve never really talked about it out loud before, but sometimes when we catch each other’s eyes I feel like we are on the same page, having a moment. (If that’s not what you are thinking will you just pretend that it is since this is a public letter??) Some of our moments are big and life changing and some of them are just small conversations that soften my heart. All of them I treasure.
Here are a few of my favorites: [click to continue…]
{Disclosure: This blog has been hacked. This blog post and the three that follow today do not represent the thoughts, ideas, intelligence, creative perspective, sense of humor, theological viewpoints, or grammar skills of Andy Wood Ph.D. and he is hereby released from any responsibility, liability, culpability, and general other abilities related to said posts. He did, however, sire, raise and influence all three authors – so make what judgments you will.}
Today’s a pretty significant day. It’s a day that is set aside to purposefully honor fathers, or father-like figures in people’s lives. Now, we might be a little biased, but we kind of think that we hit the jackpot when it comes to dads. Our father is loving, creative, funny and has spent his life pointing us to Jesus. He is an excellent communicator, a generous giver, and puts up with our family vacations to Disney World. So it makes pretty logical sense that on this day dedicated to dads, we would want to come up with a really cool gift idea, right? Right! Let the brainstorming begin! [click to continue…]
As you move all too quickly (and ever so carefully) through a boiling, brawling, bitter world, I lift you up today to the God of all peace and quiet, praying for you to find in Him a light in your midnight darkness.
Weary from the relentless call to more – more work, more solutions, more impossible demands – I pray that in Him even as your body sleeps, your heart would remain awake to a renewing that can only come to stilled souls. [click to continue…]
by Andy Wood on December 25, 2015
in Prayers
As the night gives way to glorious light and the angels declare the glory of God as they war –
As wise men pursue a heart of worship and shepherds share the good news of great joy for all time and eternity…
As jealous kings and underlings cling to power and the world still groans with sighs of the taxed and moves along mindlessly…
I pray for you to the God who can still make the darkest of skies a canvass for His glory on this day. [click to continue…]
God grant me serenity to call the impossible, possible with You,
Vision to see the achievable in obviously-hopeless situations,
And wisdom to discern the difference.
Give me faith to boldly ask You for the unthinkable, [click to continue…]
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews12:1-2a, NET).
You are running, and the race is long. I pray that your eyes, your ears, your heart will be open to know just how many witnesses you have – how great a cloud of watchers, so aware of the race you are running.
Others near and far have been tripped up and fallen. I pray that you run free from the entanglements and weights – light-hearted, love-driven, and alert to distraction.
Underdogs and favorites all start well, but only one receives the prize. I pray that you will have the will of the marathoner, knowing the road is long but your will and power to endure is longer still. [click to continue…]
Because of God’s great faithfulness and love, I enter boldly into His presence today to stand in the gap for you. I pray that on this day that He has made that He would grant you to be…
Established in hope, and renewed in the expectation that a greater day awaits tomorrow…
Loosened from every limiting fear or false belief… [click to continue…]
by Andy Wood on June 3, 2015
in Prayers
A Prayer for You…
Wherever you may be, and in whatever capacity, my prayer for you today is that you would live, serve, and worship in an ongoing dance of delight with your Creator. Specifically I pray:
That the Hands that gave sight to the blind would touch you with new capacity to see, to perceive, to recognize opportunity and danger, even as they present themselves at that same open door…
That the Arms that hold the universe would hold you in peace and safety, bringing security and safety to every thought of fear, trouble, or loneliness… [click to continue…]