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Leaving More Than Money
Joshua 14:9 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.' (NIV)
 If you are a parent, it's important to give your children the right inheritance in life -- and that doesn't start with leaving them a big bank account. The best inheritance is a model of a faith-filled life. One of the keys to giving your kids that kind of inheritance is dealing with your own past. We've all looked back at something from our own childhood and said, 'I'll never do that to my kids.' Yet, when we become parents we find ourselves doing those very things! With God's help, we need to forgive those who've hurt us in the past, releasing any bitterness we might feel toward them. Otherwise, we may pass on those bad experiences, and their effects, to a new generation. Another key to great parenting involves teaching our kids how to aim for success. That starts with showing them what success is not. Real success is not being number one at everything – or even being number one at anything. Being successful doesn't mean being the absolute best at something, or doing a thing perfectly on the first attempt. Corrie Ten Boom said, 'You haven't failed until you say those words, "I quit"'. She also said, 'Courage is staying around ten minutes longer than everyone else.' True success is about being willing to fail once or twice, before you get something right. With God's help, we can raise children who will impact their world in an awesomely positive way. Every day in the process is important -- and even our mistakes can be covered by his grace.
Prayer: 'Lord, help me to be an example to my children (or the children of my friends), of what it means to finish the race, to keep going no matter what. Help me to pass on to the next generation a model of courage and determination.'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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