As a coach and counselor, the most difficult lesson my clients have to learn is this quote. It hurts so much when we are harmed and betrayed by others. We want someone to pay. However, until we can come to a point of saying 1) Yes, negative was done to me. However, in MY pain, I have probably hurt others. I must take responsibility. and 2) I can no longer blame another person, place, or thing for my happiness, joy, choices, anger, or sadness than I blame a television commercial appearing at a certain time. I cannot control others. I only have control over my responses, behavior, and choices…PERIOD. Once, we truly grasp that reality, we take our foot off of others’ necks and begin to walk in freedom and growth. You can do this. Be encouraged. www.charlottehunt.com.that those issues should not be there and that we, not the potter have control over the process and finished product.
Have you ever looked out of a window on a beautiful summer’s day and thought about what could have been? Have you ever witnessed a wrong, discovered a need, had a passion that stirred inside your heart, or felt drawn toward a specific path or direction and knew some way, somehow you were meant to do something about it? If you have ever felt those things, perhaps now is your time to begin or continue walking forward in pursuing the purpose, calling, dreams, and visions placed in you. Perhaps now you are being challenged to dream, to stretch yourself beyond what was reasonable, expected, and ordinary.
 I hope you are enjoying and finding encouragement through this series. Tomorrow, we will have a post from one of my favorite people and inspirations, David Green. He will be sharing an amazing post called, “A Father’s Influence” about his experience with fatherhood through the good and the bad. Please watch out for it tomorrow.
Today, I wanted to bless men, especially fathers. I predominately speak, teach, counsel, and work to encourage women regarding their past and present issues and situations that impede them from moving toward the future. However, a key in a female’s life stemming from childhood is held in her father. Hate it or appreciate it, the role of a man is vital to the femininity of girls as well as the masculinity of boys. One of the issues we see today in our search for identity stems from the fatherlessness (absent and/or passive fathers) in the homes.
Today’s post is not about blame or beating up men. It is about offering a blessing. In a society where, men are constantly torn down, can’t watch a toothpaste commercial without seeing a half-naked woman, and are continually put in positions of wanting to shut down, I wanted to offer men a blessing and a prayer from God’s perspective.
“Hello, son,
Yes, you are living in times of stress and confusion. I know each day you wake up full of stress and doubt putting on a strong face believing that it is required of you to lead your family. You go to work aiming to prove your worth to others who hold little value than a paycheck yet something burns inside you. You put on a face with the belief that you are strong and need to hold it together yet inside you are crumbling, heartbroken, and want to scream out your pain.
I know that over time, you have tried to shut down your pain with other things that are still not filling you. Around you lies an angry mate who has little respect for you due to your heart that refuses to lead. Your mind is available but your heart and passion to be more have left. Life, pressure, everything has become overwhelming.
Different lies come into your head. You might believe that because something happened to you long ago, you are destined to be what you experienced or what you were told. That is a lie. You might believe that because you feel good when you say there are no boundaries or consequences for your choices, there actually will be none. That is a lie. You might believe that because of wanting the freedom to show emotions and love and gauge uncertainty, you need to choose a certain identity. That is a lie. What you do is not who you are.
I am the Lord God. “The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev 22:13) I created you from dust by my very hand to own and rule the earth. You are My prize. Your masculinity is given to you by Me not the world so it cannot be taken by the world. It cannot be taken by abuse, by bullying, by comparisons, by performance, by women, by employment, relationships, families, or anything else. Â
You don’t have to prove yourself to Me or to others that you have what it takes to be a man or to do whatever the world deems is important or masculine. You have My approval and My love so you do not have to wait for a father figure to give it to you to bestow manhood in order for you to be a “real” man. You do not have to hunt down “Bambi”, beat your chest, or go through any rituals in order to be declared a man. I created you once and for all, a man, and I am proud of you.
However, I created you for even more. I created you for the Garden, not the craziness you are experiencing now. No, you were not there with Adam. But when an offensive lineman jumps offside, the whole team, not just the lineman goes back. Unfortunately, when the first Adam made a choice, he made it for everyone to come. Yet, I gave you the gift of the second Adam through my Son, Jesus Christ. He laid down His life so you would not have to pay the price and be able to return to the Garden (Heaven) one day and have a relationship with Me. There is no trick or cost. It is a matter of simply saying, “Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ and desire to follow Him as Savior in my life.”
I created you to lead. Lead when you are dating a woman or in a marriage relationship. Treating her with kindness and understanding, being kind, gentle, and protective of her (1 Peter 3:7).
Lead your wife and family in taking initiative and responsibility for the direction of the home. Listen to your wife and always seek to do what is in her best interests (Ephesians 5:25, 28, Colossians 3:19).
Lead in treating the women in your life not as someone lesser but as an equal and fellow heir of eternal life in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:7).
Lead in training your children in My Word. (Ephesians 6:4).
Lead in providing for the home(1 Timothy 5:8).
Lead when you are in a position of temptation, resists the devil and stand firm against the flesh (James 4:7).
Lead in studying My Word (2 Timothy 2:15)Â
Lead in being a man devoted to prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and be a man who loves Me with all of your heart, soul, and strength (Luke 10:27).”
Be Still and Know that I am with you and I am Proud of you!
Your Abba Father
Be encouraged, it’s a journey, not a destination. Charlotte
“Unfortunately, the greatest lie Christians believe when suffering, struggles and loss comes to our door is that somehow we are being punished or God is angry with us. While, we certainly need to check and confess any known sin, unforgiveness or harm on our part, we can rest assured that the trial we are going through is part of a purpose and not revenge for behavior. In our pain, we fail to realize that life happens to all of us and God can stop anything. If our situation is allowed, there is always a purpose for our good, his glory and other edification involved.
It is through our trials, suffering and struggles that we find him and he remakes us for his great purpose. We learn to trust, love and unlearn the wrong through his loving allowance of trials in our life, not through times of joy and success. It is difficult to name one single person of greatest or even a great Bible character who escaped suffering and trials in order to prepare them for their purpose.”
Have you ever felt your life was somehow a mistake or bad because of painful things and mistakes in your past? I get that. We are spending more time by ourselves and thinking about life in a different way.
I just wanted to send you some quick encouragement.Â
Remember, God wrote your life specifically for you. He individually gives you and I a story that NO ONE else can do or have, despite similar experiences. Everything you go through and person you cross paths with are not accidents. It is our journey, but we are telling Hi-Story. Â
There is no mistake, failure, or past experience that God does not and will not use for His glory, our good, and edification of others. Our life can only be a mistake if we choose to believe that lie. Truth is God is all powerful and can stop anything from happening. Why does He allow (Not cause) painful things to happen? Maybe because He knows what we will learn and how it will direct our lives (if we choose). If there is no test, there is no testimony.Â
Life is so hard especially today. With the economy, disasters, news, the media’s focus on celebrities, and pain and struggle all around, it is easy to stop, settle and just say, “I am done.” Remember, you were born for such a time as this. For whatever reason you are alive today and living in the midst of the crisis, struggles, natural disasters and problems.Â
Despite the rough road, there is a purpose and a plan. These times are setting the stage for you to make your stand. This is the time to create something, move in a new direction, or release burdens from your past.  Do not let fear define you, but use courage to prove your character.
Throughout history, the average person has achieved greatness in times of tragedy, obstacles, devastation and hopelessness. Never underestimate your ability to make a difference. It is NOT what you do or have, but what is possible through your willingness to be used and step out in courage against the odds.