“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’…” (Deut 9:4) Moses reminded Israel they are not the center of the universe. God wasn’t giving them land because they earned or deserved it. Let’s remind our kids who live in this “you deserve ____” culture, that, in fact, they don’t. None of their blessings are granted because of their unfailing perfection. Instead, God – the giver – graciously gives to us in spite of ourselves. Mercy in action. Our response is not a hand-on-the-hip, “It’s about time!” but instead, a head-bowed-in-prayer, “Thank you, Dad.”

Friendships aren’t just for women. When it comes to building strong relationships, biology isn’t the problem—pride is. But, the godly dad understands the importance of building relationships. So, what are we to do? It’s time you seek out other men and dads for fellowship, accountability, and mentoring. This post will tell you The why, what, and how of building relationships as a dad.

1. “A man is worked upon by what he works on. He may carve out his circumstances, but his circumstances will carve him out as well.” – Frederick Douglass

2. “Our parents encouraged us to follow our dreams and told us that if we wanted to do something, we could do it. And, they said, if we did it the Lord’s way, for the right reasons, we would be successful. Not that we would win every game or be wealthy, but that we would be successful in God’s eyes if we did the things that glorify Him.” – Tony Dungy, Quiet Strength

3. Wanna make the most of your time as a dad with weekly video coaching, ebooks, courses, and more? Check out www.fatheronpurpose.org

Acknowledge the source. I once asked a friend of mine what he attributed his (immense) business success to. He said, “Well, I can’t wake up in the morning and have air in my lungs without God allowing it. So, it all starts with Him.” This guy had “been there and done that” from a business standpoint, yet he honored God who’d given him the ability, space, talent, and even oxygen to be there and do that. Refreshing. Do you need to stop for a minute and thank God for all the things “you’ve earned”?

Make it a great week,

Kent Evans
Author of the The Manhood Journey, co-founder of Manhood Journey and Father On Purpose.

P.S. Was this Mountain Monday helpful? Let me know what you think. Don’t forget to tell Ryan if you love it, hate it, or if there’s something you’d like in the next one.

Forward this to a dad you know who needs some encouragement.