I have a healthy self confidence. One of the major reasons I do is to my parents credit. I received encouragement and positive input on a daily basis from my parents. One of the most frequet things I remember my dad saying to me was that he was proud of me. He often told me that he loved me and demonstrated it with expressions of affection. My mom reinforced those words with her loving affirmation as well.
As I got older my dad encouraged me to take risks with words like “you can do it” and “you will be a success at whatever you do.” Compare these positive words with words that you received from your dad or that you are speaking to your children. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue!
When, at 30, I felt God leading me to make a career change that involved leaving the business that my dad was an owner in and moving into vocational ministry my dad’s response was still the same. On the day that I called him to talk with him about my decision he reminded me what he had told me all my life; that I did not have to choose the profession that he chose and that I would be a success at whatever profession I chose. What powerful words! Those words have produced great fruit in my life and laid a foundation for God’s work in me, and through me, for 55 years.
We parents should be the source of our children’s greatest encouragment and support. Our words should propell them into new adventures of faith with confident assurance that we will be behind them and so will God! What power our words carry and what fruit they can produce! So, lets make them positive for the greatest impact!
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