God Prepares You

As I start to see more pictures of my son growing and anticipate his arrival into this world early next year, I can't help but think about God and how he prepares us. Personally, I am glad I did not have kids in my early twenties. As 'The Way of the Wild Heart' words it, I was Cowboy/ Warrior and didn't know where life was headed. I was married out of college, bought a house and started a job all around the same time frame. I thought I was ready for anything, but God was the one who finally showed me how to prepare for anything and continues too daily. To be honest, my wife and I had no idea when we wanted to have children. Sure we had discussed, but life was always to busy. Little did I know that the big change God made in me was for something even bigger; a son.

What has God taught me over the last year that will prepare me for my future son?  Discipline.
One of the things Christ showed me was the power of discipline in my life. Saying one thing and living that same thing. I had to dig deep, deeper than I had ever before to become a man and a true son of God. It really started with reading. I had hardly ever read books and really had no interest or patience. What good are they? Well, I buckled down and read 'Wild at Heart'. Read this book if you have not yet. I know I have mentioned the book in many posts, but it is essential to a man's path. It helped show me a new path to walk, why I was doing the same thing my Dad always did and how to break the chains of those who walked before me.

"Start children off on the way they should go,

 and even when they are old they will not turn from it."

-Proverbs 22:6

How can I teach my son to become a man if I was not? From the moment I started reading that first book, God was preparing me for bigger things to come in my life and a whole lot sooner than I expected. With each line he was teaching me for the future and making repairs to my past. He showed me what a man yearns for and desires; the path a man takes through out his life; the true value or measure in a man; and finally a resolve to live up to these points everyday. When I allowed God to truly Father me, he did and so much more. He has given me essential life goals to live by and has now entrusted me with teaching my son to become a true man for God. 

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, 

bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

-Ephesians 6:4

How do I plan to succeed with this mission? The same way I am on a mission for Christ in my life. I have to continue to let him Father me. I have to be able to anticipate what will be coming next for my boy, just as Christ has done for me. I have to teach him, prepare him, pray with and for him, and show him the way. It will truly be the greatest adventure of my life and with Christ as our guide, the mission will get accomplished. Wait, Christ will be our Guide? Another thing I learned and hope to instill in my boy is that Christ is a Father to all of us, both of us. I have to take the lead in this idea and not only make sure that I understand it, but that he understands it. He will start life on a much different path than past generations. I pray he will be the generation that holds a firm faith for the generations to come.

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. 

For what children are not disciplined by their father?"

-Hebrews 12:7

How has God prepared you in your life?