My Dad celebrated his 82nd birthday this past weekend! His wisdom has greatly impacted my life, and I always enjoy listening to him talk about life and things he has learned along the way. Yesterday, I asked him this one question, "What advice and wisdom can you give to help my generation and generations coming after me?" Here is a snapshot of what he shared, and I pray it's a blessing to you in your journey.
In the words of my Dad...
What is the American Dream? How is it defined? We need God's Dream for this nation. There are some things that can't be taught in a classroom or learned from a textbook because it can only be revealed by God. All of my life, I had to fight for my identity...who I am and what I wanted to become despite the opinions of others and obstacles along the way.
I see that many of our young people are struggling with their identity. One of the most powerful things parents can do is ask God to reveal to them their child's purpose in life so they can help mold and develop them in that direction at an early age.
I encourage this generation to:
Try and find balance in your life. Get to know God through His Word.
Know who you are, and don't let anyone tell you who you are apart from God.
Know what you want to do and what you want to be. Whatever you do in life, be compassionate and loving.
Try and find things in life that you can be associated with that are filled with God's purpose.
Live on purpose. Without a purpose, you're existing...not living. When you're living, you're adding value to other people's life. You're shining your light from one generation to the next one and that light is Christ.
How can you make someone else's life better? You should be able to look back over your life and see where you helped others. Help them come out of the darkness and into the light. In the Bible, the disciples reasoned among themselves on who was the greatest. Jesus responded, "...let him be the servant of all." Serve by seeking to enhance the lives of others for this is the path to greatness.