de·vo·tion

noun


love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or career


 

This week’s blog is dedicated to one the sweetest, most loving, and devoted mother I know…

Josie Bencivengo.


 

Josie left this earth and has entered God’s Kingdom of heaven this past week. 

 

As a teacher coach and administrator for 34 years I have rarely experienced a more devoted parent than Josie Bencivengo.



 

She daily displayed her devotion through her love, loyalty and enthusiasm for her precious family! She never left any doubt what mattered most in her life. 






Here is one thing that made Josie so special…she “got it.” 



 

She understood with a mother’s love exactly what devotion means.




 It’s so crazy. I love to share my vision for Suit Up Ministries with anyone who will listen. 



 

Whenever I get to share in a mixed crowd of men and women to talk about the importance of dads…guess who "gets it" usually immediately? 

The WOMEN!





 

I believe it’s because whether married or not, they have sometimes been directly/indirectly affected too by the absence of a father or found themselves standing in the gap for a husband that is not a devoted dad!






 

Men on the other hand, often retreat as we do sometimes, into our defense and justifications for the many reasons that may take us away

at times from being the Daily Active Devoted dad God has created us to be.




 

So how do we as DADs or DAD figures “practice” devotion like a mom who gets it?





 

DADS all too often we can be devoted to... 



Our career.
 Our teams. Our hobbies.
 Almost anything NOT eternal.


 

When is our devotion…of love, loyalty and enthusiasm for THOSE things
 NOT eternal, become a barrier from the people in our lives?




Specifically, a barrier in our devotion needed towards our children?


 

Is splintered devotion really devotion?


 

Wow. That is a question I need to point right back at me.





Here is the ultimate example of devotion found in the Bible. 









Romans 8:38-39 





38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 

39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So devotion is really all about sacrifice. God our DAD in Heaven, was and is so devoted to His children…us, that He gave up His one and only Son to give us life!

 

On this first Wednesday after Easter I challenge you to deeply reflect upon our creator's sacrifice. Unconditionally giving of His love, loyalty and enthusiasm…devotion for each of us.

Men. Fathers. DADS. 

What are the sacrifices we need to MAKE today? What are the sacrifices allowing us to be the Devoted DADs God has called us to be?

So, like God…Nothing…Nothing, will separate our love and devotion from our children, leaving a legacy like a mom named Josie.  

 

DADs…do not stand on the sidelines of life…get off the bench…“get in the game"

Today is game day…and so is every day…God gives you!

So…C’mon DADs…Suit Up!