Wednesday, October 7, 2015

From A Dad - Skeet Tingle




Greetings from a SkyDad!   Thank you for desiring to create Christ-centered homes and raising kids that love and honor God!  Sky Ranch is committed to leading youth and families to know and follow Christ and SkyDads is specifically committed to standing with dads, providing encouragement and resources for them to soar in their roles as Godly husbands and fathers. We know that being a dad these days isn’t for the faint of heart, it is tough work! We know because we are dads.

While Angie and I were raising our four children born within four years, there were a LOT of days that I felt like I wasn’t “getting it right” as a dad.  In my efforts to be a good spiritual leader in my home, I would often end up doing nothing because I was overwhelmed, sometimes discouraged, and just plain tired!  I compared myself to other dads and, instead of gaining ideas of how to lead my family, the comparisons would leave me thinking that I was never doing enough.  Does that sound familiar?

What would pull me out of those places? An obtainable focus. Encouragement.  And a step in the right direction. 

With encouragement from a friend and support from Angie in our home, I started doing something.  It wasn’t big, fancy or perfect, but we began having a short five to seven minute family devotional every morning.  No matter what

We would all pile onto the couch or sit up to the breakfast counter when our children were little.  I would read a Bible story and pray over my family.  As they grew, extra curricular activities and sports began to be a regular part of the family schedule. We realized that mornings were the only time we were all together at the same time!  Now, our grown kids will tell you that although they don’t remember specifics from those times, they DO remember that we gathered before the Lord as a family every morning, read His Word and committed our day to Him.  Morning devotionals became their “normal” and God multiplied my meager offerings to Him as a dad with my wife and children.

It all began with another dad encouraging me and my wife supporting me.  Skydads encourages fathers in their role of modeling our Heavenly Father’s love to His children, helping dads be Godly character leaders who will change their families, their children’s schools, their communities and, ultimately, the world. We are committed to help you and your husbands succeed as a couple and as parents.




Here are some of the basic encouragements that have mattered to me as a dad:

Stick with it
Keep showing up. Take the next step. Be faithful. Do something. Persevere. Run with endurance the race set before me.

Be strong and courageous   Joshua 1
God doesn’t just make us brave. He wants us to choose courage by trusting Him.  And He is also constantly reminding us not to be afraid.
Choose courage. Choose not to be afraid.
God is for you, for your family, and He is able! I would say to dads, remember God loves your wife and your kids infinitely more than you do!

Stay focused
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and on His perspective and His priorities for your family. He wants them to know Him, love Him and trust Him.  Don’t over-complicate this.

Stay connected
We are not created to do this journey alone.
We are called to abide with the Lord, to stay connected to the “vine” (John 15:5).  And we are called to stay connected with the community of believers and with other men.

Finally-stay surrendered to the Lord
The biggest gift you will give to your wife and children is your transformed self. What you do for your family and how you do it will flow from who you are and who you are becoming in Christ.

Seek Him first today!

Skeet



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