42 Insights from the Heart of a Father

“A wise man will hear and increase in learning and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.”  Proverbs 1:5

As I reflect on what it means to be a father, I can’t help but to think about the major role my father had in my life. This will mark the sixth Father’s Day that I have been without him. I miss him dearly, but I appreciate the times that we shared together as father and son. His words of wisdom still resonate with me.

I am excited that I am a father of two wonderful boys who I can spend quality time with and share words of wisdom. I am appreciative of the awesome responsibility that God has given me to train two young men to become responsible and productive men. I do not take it lightly.

I have realized many powerful insights from my father, other men and my time as a father. I want to share with you, forty-two of those insights.

1.  You will never become who God designed you be if you are always looking at what you use to be.

2.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding and acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.

3.  Whenever you find yourself doubting if you will make it, always remember how far God has brought you.

4.  Be very careful who you allow to speak into your life.

5.  Don’t let anyone’s negative or doubtful words stop you from becoming and living your best.

6.  Never let your dreams waste away because others want support you.

7.  Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself.

8.  Don’t let the fear of what could happen stop you from pursuing what is possible.

9.  Don’t waste another second on people, possessions or places that don’t help you progress in your purpose.

10. Stop seeking counsel from the creation for your purpose; instead go to the creator who designed your purpose.

11. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can become everything God designed you to be.

12. Don’t borrow tomorrow’s trouble because today has more than enough to handle.

13. God has equipped you with everything you need to fulfill your purpose and live your vision.

14. When you take action on your vision, people will show up who want to help you succeed and who want to hinder your progress.

15. If God has given you a vision, He will provide the provision to make it happen.

16. If you spend all your time dreaming about your vision but never take action, you will die unsatisfied and unfulfilled.

17. Don’t base living your life on other people’s opinions.

18. You are not going to live forever so you might as well enjoy living your best life.

19. It is okay to say ‘no’.

20. If you keep waiting for the perfect circumstances, you may look around and find time has passed you by.

21. Stop wasting time trying to impress people who don’t like you, who don’t know you or who don’t have time to focus on you because they are dealing with their own situations.

22. A good name is to be more desired than great wealth.

23. If you are tired of where you are then do something about it.

24. We all have 24 hours  a day and 168 hours a week, no more or no less. What are you doing with your time?

25. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

26. Education is more than taking classes and getting degrees.

27. Watch and pray.

28. If you want to live the life you were created to live, you must walk by faith and not by sight.

29. It is okay to ask for help.

30. Excuses will hold you hostage from living the life God designed you to live.

31. You were created to stand out, not blend in.

32. Life is too short and unpredictable for you to keep putting your dreams on hold.

33. Don’t hold onto people whose season is over in your life.

34. If you don’t learn from your failures, you are prone to repeat them.

35. You have a gift to extend to the world that only you can give.

36. Worrying does not add to your life it only subtracts.

37. Do not let past mistakes, failures or successes prevent you from reaching your future potential for success.

38. Stop waiting on God to do what He has already done. Get up and go to work.

39. Don’t conform to who others want you to be. Be you, because that’s the only person you can be.

40. Get enough sleep and rest. A tired body and restless mind does not produce at maximum capacity.

41. Don’t let greed, jealousy or ego get the best of you.

42. All work and no play will set you up for frustration and failure.

Question: What valuable insights did you learn from your father or a male role model? Leave a comment below.

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