A Letter to My Sons
To Grey and Gibson
You guys are too young to care anything about reading Mom’s blog right
now, but one day, I hope you stumble across this and get something out
of it. Above everything else I write, always know that you are loved.
You are each a gift from God and your Dad and I are so blessed to be
your parents!
Remember that the measure of a man has nothing to do with your
stature, your salary or your “success”; it’s a matter of the heart.
Being a man means taking responsibility. It means protecting the weak,
defending the truth, providing for those under your care, selflessly
serving and loving your wife, providing a genuine example for your
children, and leaving every person and place a little better off than
you found them. This is the duty of every man.
Each of you will be leaders, but as you lead, remember that unless
you love those you’re leading, you’re not worth following. Also remember
that unless you’re following Jesus, you’ll be lost. His plan for your
life is the only one that counts. The Bible is your roadmap for life, so
make sure you know it well.
Always look for the best in people and you’ll end up discovering the
best in yourself along the way. People may let you down and break your
heart, but refuse to become bitter or cynical. You can rarely control
what happens to you, but you can always control how you choose to
respond, so always respond with grace, faith, dignity, patience and
perseverance.
Be the same person in both public and private. There’s no true
success without true integrity. Real success means living in a way that
the people who know you the best are the ones who love and respect you
the most.
Remember that every victory is an opportunity to give praise to God
and to those who helped you achieve it, and every failure is an
opportunity to gain new strength and perspective. Don’t get too attached
to your trophies, because you won’t be able to take them with you. In
the end, your relationships will be all that counts, so don’t ever value
finances over faith or possessions over people.
As you grow, the world is going to do it’s best to make you question
yourself and doubt your convictions; don’t let it. If you don’t know who
you are, the world will try to make you believe that you’re someone
else.
Don’t build your identity on things that change (your looks, your
money, your success, etc.), but build your identity on the only One who
is unchanging. God’s opinion of you is the only one that counts, he He
says you are limitlessly loved and called to a world-changing purpose,
so don’t settle for anything less.
Don’t take yourself too seriously or your mission lightly. Let
laughter be the soundtrack of your life. Laughter and joy are gifts from
God that should be cherished even in life’s most challenging seasons.
They’re good medicine for the soul!
When you’ve blown it, be humble enough to admit fault and seek forgiveness. Pride has been the downfall of many men.
Be always confident, but never cocky. Be always aware, but never afraid. Be always content, but never complacent.
I love you guys more than you can imagine. Remember that there’s no
mistake you could ever make that is bigger than God’s grace. Your Dad
and I will always be your biggest fans!
Love,
Mom 