A Prayer to Encourage Fathers Who Feel Like FailuresBy Lynette Kittle "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love" – John 15:9 In today's culture, many careers require employees to be on the job for more than 40 hours a week, taking more and more time away from men who want to spend time with their families. As well, rising consumer costs are keeping a family's breadwinner from being able to cut back on hours, working as much as possible just to keep ahead of inflation. Sadly, the pressure from employers, along with an escalating economy, causes fathers who long to be present and involved in their kids' lives to put time with their families on the back burner, stress out, and focus on keeping their households afloat with housing, health insurance, clothes, food, and more. But in providing for their families, fathers are missing out on valuable time with their kids, losing time being involved in their lives in a personal way, knowing what their kids are thinking and doing, and what's spiritually going on in their lives. Feelings of Fatherhood FailureAll of the above can make a father feel like a failure in their children's lives. Add to it the number of broken families, where fathers don't live in the same home with their kids and have limited time to spend with them the sense of failure increases. As well, the enemy of our souls works to convince kids that their fathers don't really love them, don't want to spend time with them, and just don't care enough to be around. Likewise, he also works to convince dads their kids don't want them around or need them, causing some fathers to walk away completely. What's A Father to Do?God understands fatherhood. Even though He is the perfect, flawless Father, He's experienced the sorrow that comes with having children who struggle with believing He truly loves and cares for them. The story of the prodigal son offers fathers three steps in restoring relationships with children who have rejected them and turned away from them. 1. Love your children unconditionally.In the story of the prodigal son, fathers can learn how to love their children unconditionally, even when their kids seem to reject them and want nothing to do with them. Luke 15:11-12 tells of a father who had two sons. "The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living." Still, after losing everything, he returned to his father, who greeted him with open arms. "So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to this son, threw his arms around him and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). 2. Entrust your children to God.The father in the prodigal son's story released his son to God's care and discipline, entrusting Him to speak into his heart and lead him back to him. Even though the father didn't want his son to leave, he didn't force him to stay by withholding his inheritance or by some other form of control or manipulation. Although it must have been heartbreaking for the father to let him go, he trusted God to be with and deal with his son. 3. Forgive your children freely, even if others disagree.As the story goes, the son spent all his inheritance and returned to his father broken and repentant. When he did, his brother, who had stayed at home, didn't think it was fair and disagreed with his father's forgiving heart. But the father didn't waiver in his forgiveness for his wayward son. "My son,' the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours, but we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found'" (Luke 15:31-32). Let's pray:  Dear Father, We ask You to speak to fathers' hearts today who are feeling like failures. Forgive them for the ways they may have let You and their children down. Guard their hearts from the heaviness of regret. Soften their hearts to receive Your forgiveness and to freely offer forgiveness to their children who may have rejected and hurt them in return. Bring forgiveness and compassion, too, oh Lord, to the hearts of their children, who may have felt unloved and abandoned by their fathers. Lead these fathers in finding restoration and reconciliation with their children.In Jesus' name, Amen Photo credit: ©Getty Images/andreswd Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today's Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV. Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week, she gives you practical, real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day, click below! Now that you’ve prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Encourage Fathers Who Feel Like Failures – Your Daily Prayer – May 16 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1755 - British capture strategic Fort Beauséjour, eastern Canada, expelling the Acadians and renaming it Fort Cumberland 1858 - Abraham Lincoln says "A house divided against itself cannot stand" accepting Illinois Republican Party's nomination for the Senate 1903 - Ford Motors under Henry Ford incorporates 1961 - Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defects to West at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France 1962 - 2 US army officers killed in Saigon 1974 - US Open Men's Golf, Winged Foot GC: Hale Irwin's score of 287 (+7) is good enough for the first of his 3 Open titles, 2 strokes ahead of runner-up Forrest Fezler 1985 - Willie Banks of USA sets triple jump record (58 feet 11 inches) in Indianapolis 1996 - US Open Men's Golf, Oakland Hills GC: Steve Jones wins his lone major title, 1 stroke ahead of runners-up Tom Lehman and Davis Love III 2016 - Philadelphia is the first US city to pass a tax on sweetened drinks 2022 - NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors beat Boston Celtics, 103-90 for a 4-2 series win; Warriors' 4th title in 8 years; MVP: Stephen Curry More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1953 - Despite Johnny Mize 2,000th hit, NY Yankees lose ending an 18 game winning streak and also ending St Louis Brown 14 game losing streak 1954 - Dutch military conscription shortened from 20 to 18 months 1969 - US Supreme Court rules suspension of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr from House of Representatives violated Article I of the Constitution by citing reasons beyond the exclusive list of qualifications in the article 1989 - Only 17 holes-in-one recorded since US open began, today 4 more are made all on 6th hole (Weaver, Wiebe, Pate and Price) 1989 - Funeral for Imre Nagy, leader of Hungarian uprising in 1956 2013 - 20 people are killed by a series of car bombings across Iraq More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1941 - Dino Ciani, Italian pianist, born in Fiume, Italy (d. 1974) 1942 - Alan "Howling Laud" Hope, British politician and leader of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (OMRLP), born in Mytchett, Surrey 1958 - Jóhannes Helgason, Icelandic guitarist (Þeyr), born in Reykjavík, Iceland 1977 - Kerry Wood, American baseball player (Chicago Cubs), born in Irving, Texas 1981 - Miguel Villalta, Peruvian soccer defender (28 caps; Sporting Cristal CS 233 games, CS Cienciano), born in Cusco, Peru 1986 - Farhad Reza, Bangladeshi cricket all-rounder (34 ODIs, 1 x 50, 22 wickets; Dhaka Warriors), born in Rajshahi, Bangladesh More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1925 - Chittaranjan Das, Indian lawyer, politician and activist (founded Swaraj Party), dies at 55 1944 - Marc Bloch, French historian and member of the French resistance, executed by firing squad by the Gestapo at 57 1947 - Jean-Francois Capart, Belgian Egyptologist (Memphis), dies at 86 2003 - Georg Henrik von Wright, Finnish-Swedish philosopher (b. 1916) 2004 - Thanom Kittikachorn, Thai politician and general (1971 coup Prime Minister of Thailand 1958-73), dies at 92 2010 - Maureen Forrester, Canadian operatic contralto (Resurrection Symphony), dies at 79 More Famous Deaths »

A Harvard University study has revealed that aliens might be living among us disguised as humans. The Human Flourishing program of Harvard University also posited the theory that UFOs might be alien spaceships that are [...] The post Harvard Study Claims Aliens Might Be Living Among Us Disguised as Humans appeared first on The People's Voice.

While There’s Still Time - Greg Laurie Devotion - June 15/16, 2024

I’ve been going to the same church in South Florida since my forever family started the adoption process when I was 2 years old. I grew up around incredibly godly people. But the person who’s had the greatest influence on my spiritual life is my dad, Leland Herring. He’s the best embodiment of faith I’ve ever encountered. When I was little, I frequently had nightmares. It was my dad who came to comfort me—he’d tuck me in and read the Psalms until I fell back asleep. Usually by the time Dad got to Psalm 3:5, I’d feel comforted enough to nod off: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the LORD sustains me” (CSB). I didn’t truly understand what that verse meant to my dad until I was much older. Cystic Fibrosis Dad was born with cystic fibrosis, a terminal genetic disease that affects the respiratory, digestive, and endocrine systems. He wasn’t expected to live past the age of 13, but in April of this year, he celebrated 54 years of life and the 26th anniversary of a miraculous double-lung transplant. He’s now one of the longest-living survivors of that procedure for cystic fibrosis. He goes to sleep every night and wakes up again because God is sustaining him. The 50-plus medications my dad has taken since the transplant have diminished his immune system, leaving him exceptionally vulnerable to illnesses that a healthy person would find mildly inconvenient. They’ve caused serious side effects and so far brought on 17 other diseases. But he has never let all this keep him from serving the Lord. Youth for Christ My dad regularly risks his health (and life) to ensure the lost youth in the Palm Beach County school district have a chance to hear the gospel. He has worked for the local Youth for Christ for 23 years. The medications that sustain him have also caused serious side effects. He has never let all this keep him from serving the Lord. Several days each week during the school year, he goes into public middle and high schools to run clubs during lunch periods, play card games, and talk with the students. You’ll often find him supporting students as they participate in school plays and sports events. He mentors students and often volunteers for the teachers. Dad interacts with more than a thousand students and staff each week, and as a result, he’s a well-known and well-loved member of our community. We can’t go anywhere as a family without hearing a “Hey, Leland!” and listening in on conversations with parents, teachers, staff, and students. He isn’t always happily received into the public schools, though. At times, permission to serve the school isn’t given even though my dad offers repeatedly. They know he follows Jesus. It’s discouraging, but he lets it roll off his shoulders and works on finding a teacher-sponsor at another school. My dad always says the Bible doesn’t mince words and that biblical truth is offensive to many people. Living with Loss The COVID-19 pandemic was tough for my dad. Since the virus was even taking the lives of healthy people, it was perilous for him. Then, in June 2020, my grandpa (my dad’s dad and his best friend) tested positive. He was hospitalized on a Sunday and taken home to be with his heavenly Father five days later. Although my dad was devastated to lose his father here on earth, he understood that Grandpa knew the Lord. God had called him home. My dad turned to Scripture for comfort.  The truth of Philippians 1:21 carried my dad through that loss, and it brings hope amid multiple health struggles and disease diagnoses: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” We Are Not Our Own Unlike my dad, I struggle to live as if my life isn’t truly my own. Sometimes I avoid places where I might get sick, because I don’t want the inconvenience of a cold. But Dad doesn’t shrink from going into a school where he could become deathly ill from catching a virus. He knows that the students, teachers, and staff need to encounter Jesus’s love. I’m often critical of others’ life choices (even though I know mine aren’t always the best). But my dad doesn’t expect people who don’t follow Jesus to live like they do. Following Christ’s example, he invests time in people, asks open-ended questions, and points them to the truth. I tend to overlook my sins and instead judge others for theirs. But my dad shares his story; his struggle with sin, doubt, and anxiety; and his need for a Savior. To the lost world, this authenticity shines a beautiful light on reality. It points to the living hope found in Christ alone. To the lost world, my dad’s authenticity shines a beautiful light on reality. It points to the living hope found in Christ alone. I ask the Lord for a strong faith and eagerness to serve him in all circumstances, as my dad does. I pray I’ll look for ways to invest in others’ lives. I pray I’ll give up my lame, self-centered excuses and instead be more interested in others. I ask to be grateful for every morning that I wake up breathing and for every opportunity to share the gospel. Growing up with my dad as a modern-day Job of sorts has brought lessons both beautiful and hard. I’m grateful to my heavenly Father for blessing me with a wonderful earthly father to look up to and emulate.

Newly released bodycam video shows the moment that authorities put to death a massive alligator that had recently killed a Florida woman.Last September, a Florida man noticed what appeared to be a human body hanging out of the mouth of a huge alligator in Pinellas County. The witness, Jamarcus Bullard, told WTVT at the time, "I noticed it had a body in its mouth, like a lower torso, so once I saw that, I ran straight to the fire department and got them, they confirmed it was a body."The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called to the grisly scene and discovered the body of 41-year-old Sabrina Peckham was in the alligator's mouth. Bodycam footage from the FWC shows authorities wrangling the massive alligator with ropes and chains. Suddenly in the bodycam video released last week, one of the officers is seen using a rifle to shoot and "humanely" kill the animal. The gator – nearly 14 feet in length – was later dissected, and some of Peckham's remains were found inside the beast. Peckham was a homeless woman who lived in a campsite roughly 35-45 feet away from the canal where the alligator attack occurred. Investigators found no evidence that the alligator attacked the woman at the campsite in Largo, Florida. Peckham's family last saw her a day before the deadly alligator attack. A park ranger reported seeing the woman near the canal a week before her tragic death. Peckham's daughter, Breanna Dorris, shared her grief during a vigil held in September.The heartbroken daughter said at the time of her mother's death, "It's surreal, but I'm super grateful her community can pull together in times like this. It shows we have an amazing support team behind us in times of tragedy," Doris wrote a Facebook post that read: "The past 24 hours have been filled with grief and sorrow and unbearable pain for our family. My mother, Sabrina Peckham, was the victim of the alligator attack at McKay Creek. She was a part of the homeless population living in the nearby wooded area. It's believed she may have been walking to or from her campsite near the creek in the dark when the gator attacked."Since the fatal incident, Pinellas County has installed fencing and signs warning people to stay away from the canal.The canal, known as McKay Creek, connects Ridgecrest Lake and Taylor Lake. Alligators have been known to use this waterway to travel between the two lakes.You can watch the chilling bodycam video here.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!