Dear Bowen,
I hope you have an awesome birthday celebration today. I believe that you have been celebrating all week – going back to last Monday night when your Clemson Tigers won the national championship. And then this past Friday when you had a party with all your friends to help Officer Bowen turn 4. Celebrating is always fun and your Nona and I hope to continue the celebration this weekend when we see you.
I am doing a little celebrating here in Durham as well.
4,339,747.
That is the number of steps that Fitbit tells me I walked in 2018. That averages out to over 83,000 steps a week – far surpassing my goal of averaging 10,000 steps a day (70,000 a week)
With that in mind and in honor of you being 4, I want to give you 4 STEPs that I hope you will take each day. I think that these 4 STEPs are a key to building great relationships with other people and living a life that pleases God. I have put them in the form of an acrostic using the word STEP.
S stands for Serve – Look for a way to serve someone everyday. The Bible tells us that Jesus “did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) What a great example to follow. Who can you serve today?
T stands for Thank – Make sure that you thank people for all that they do for you. Be a grateful person. This starts by being grateful to God for all the blessings you enjoy. Scripture says: “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
E stands for Encourage – God’s Word says that we should “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13) We all need lots and lots of encouragement. Make it a point every day to encourage the people around you by speaking words that build them up instead of tearing them down.
P stands for Pray – You have the incredible opportunity to bring the people around you before God’s awesome throne of grace. Don’t ever take for granted the power that is unleashed when you pray for other people. And if you ever need a prayer to pray for me (or really anyone) here is a great one:
I pray that out of (God’s) glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Serve.
Thank.
Encourage.
Pray.
Those are 4 great STEPs I hope you will learn to take each and every day.
May God continue His good work in your life as you grow up and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. You have already demonstrated a love for other people and a contagious enthusiasm for life. May the Lord use you to advance His kingdom as you keep in STEP with the Spirit.
Never ever forget that you are very loved!
Pop Pop
