All Pro Dad: Seven Essentials to be a Hero to Your Kids By Mark Merrill Book Review

All Pro Dad is written in the outline and style of a football playbook. Mark Merrill described the fundamentals of fatherhood as loving our children no matter what mistakes and failures they might make in their lifetime. Leading and discipline our children can be extremely difficult but it has to be done in order to teach them the accurate way to conduct their lives.

 

The book shared seven essentials to becoming a better father that your wife and children need you to be. Some of the seven are Makeup, Mind-set, Model, and Message. Merrill believed fathers had to know who they are in their identity. We aren’t what others have claimed and declared us to be. Most men try to define themselves with what job positions they hold, what kind of car they drive, and many other fault assets. But our true identity is the unique person God has made us to be. It’s also important to know what our true gifts and purpose are. Without understanding that lies spoken over us aren’t true and they don’t make our identity, we can’t teach our children who they are called to be. Speaking and telling our kids to believe what God has already declared about them is a significant step to instilling the truth into their lives. 

I enjoyed the stories about parenting and life lessons that Mark Merrill included from Tony Dungy, S. Truett Cathy, Michael W. Smith, Michael Ducker, James “JB” Brown, Norm Miller, and others. Readers will also benefit from huddling up and asking the questions at the end of each chapter to their children.

I would recommend this life changing book to any father who wants to lead their children in an effective way. The book is written for dads but if you’re planning or possibly think you might become a father one day then read this remarkable book. I am not a father yet but this book still benefited me in learning the skills and the tools to become a better father. The seven critical steps will change how you parent your children and it will radically change how you view yourself. I learned the importance of believing what God has made me to be and called me to be. I must build up my children by revealing to them how proud I am of them, how I love them, and pointing out their gifts that I notice them portraying. Our words can inspire our children or they can lead them astray, trying to earn approval elsewhere. If we don’t give them attention and love they will seek and try to fill the void somewhere else. The book showed me that it’s my job to teach my children about faith, manners, sports, character traits, and sex education. We can’t become passive and expect the pastor to teach our kids about faith and God, the school to educate them about manners, peer pressure, drugs, and sex, and practicing sports. Great parenting has to start in the home and it has to be practiced and displayed daily. This book will guide fathers into leading their families towards their God ordained potentials in life that will last for generations!

"I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program."

If you would like to purchase a copy of All Pro Dad check it out on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/All-Pro-Dad-Seven-Essentials/dp/1595555072/

Winning Balance: What I’ve Learned so Far about Love, Faith, and Living Your Dreams By Shawn Johnson Book Review

In Winning Balance, Shawn Johnson has written about her successes and failures in her life of competing in the Olympics. Shawn started practicing gymnastics in a small town in Iowa. The first gym coach she had told her mother that her daughter had no talent in gymnastics. Eventually her mother decided to move her to another gymnasium. Shawn stepped into the place she was intended to be. Chow became her new coach and he began teaching her the proper way to handle and compete in gymnastic. Chow was an influential gymnastic teacher in China before he formed his own gym in America. God was directing both of their steps for His ultimate purpose to come to pass. This book covered the entire journey that lead to her winning a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics. She shared about her faith and how she remained in balance throughout her life. She has had to struggle with injuries, overcoming adversity, living a normal life, and life decisions. After the Olympics, she even starred on Dancing with the Stars and took home the championship trophy.  

I would recommend this story to anyone who loves watching the Olympics competitions. Even if you’re not fan of the Olympics you will still benefit from reading this book. The book is a magnificent example of never giving up on your dreams and settling for just enough in life. Working hard and going after her dreams proved to help Shawn achieve her best life. Difficult times may come but we have a decision to stop and quit or to keep pressing on. When she competed in the Dancing with the Stars competition fear almost got the best of her. A stalker came to the ABC studio and he crossed the fence but he was apprehended. He was planning to kidnap Shawn and make her marry him. They found a gun, a knife, a bulletproof vest, zip ties, and duct tape in his car. Reading this part of the story, I could sense the fear that she was facing. There were times she wanted to leave and quit the competition for her safety and protection. Satan tried to cause her to give into fear and run but if she did she wouldn’t have won the competition. She would have also let the stalker win and control how she lived her life. I immensely enjoyed the section after each chapter entitled, “Lesson I’ve Learned”. Living out these principles can change your life. If you’re looking for an inspiration story then this one will greatly encourage you.

Tyndale House Publishers/ Tyndale Momentum has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

If you would like to purchase a copy of Winning Balance check it out on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Balance-Learned-Living-Dreams/dp/1414372108/

Author Photo:

Read Chapter One:

http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-7210-5.pdf

The Winning Balance book site:

http://www.winningbalancebook.com

The Winning Balance trailer:

http://youtu.be/ezMLWQhT4rI

Forgiveness and Letting Go

Day 3 – Sunday, May 30


Don’t you see Satan has stopped people from connecting to one another? He has spread strife everywhere. We who are Christians have to grow up and help each other. I have got to reach out to the loners, angry controlled, sad, hurting, fakers, and EVERYONE. How are we going to reach people if they hear and see us acting bad? I have a hard time faking a smile. I wear my life. But this past week in writing about my days and journey in my run. I felt the need to cover this. I felt like it was time to let it all go. I don’t need to be anger, selfish, bitter, sad, and a never happy Christian. I need to have joy, peace, kindness, love, and all the fruits of the spirit. I know I’m not going to be perfect, but I have to keep growing and learning. If we are judging and rejecting people who are different from us and our friends. We aren’t going to show them love. We have got to try and show them love and what it means to be a Christian.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (King James Version)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205:22-24&version=KJV

I heard this song called, “American Honey” by Lady Antebellum. One of the verses says, “Get caught in the race Of this crazy life Tryin' to be everything can make you lose your mind I just wanna go back in time”. That line in the song is about the truth. It can make you lose your mind. I have had a lot of people trying to tell me how to be and who to be. I need to be more in shape, more manly, write neater, walk better, speak more, and talk better. This is who I am. I guess I don’t fit the mold and the stereotype. But you can’t please everyone. You can change yourself and lose who you are on the inside, but you won’t be you then. You were created to be you and only one! If you needed to be that other person God would have made you like them. Be yourself!

In Natalie Grant’s book called, “The Real Me”, she shared her story about trying to deal with looking her best. If you have struggled or are struggling with an eating disorder this book is for you. She struggled with an eating disorder in her life. She is trying to help others see that you need to be the real you.

Natalie Grant says, “Sometimes I feel like the world is made up of two kinds of people: people pleasers (those who so need to be loved and accepted that they go to great lengths to be loved and yet never feel they deserve it), and people who are never pleased with anything (those from whom the pleasers try so desperately to get love and attention but who can’t seem to see beyond their own wants and needs).” Page 46

We all want to feel loved and loveable. But we all want to be accepted and included. I know it hurts who people rejected you and hurt you. We all say hurtful things to one another. So it’s important to forgive one another. I know it’s hard but its way harder not too. Carrying that hurt is very agonizing. It only hurts you. I know because this was me. I wasn’t enjoying my life. It doesn’t hurt the other person. The other person is living life and enjoying it and you’re not. You’re carrying around the pain and hurt. You have to let it go. It frees you to forgive one another. I know pain hurts a whole lot. But sometimes the person doesn’t even realize they hurt you. You have to forgive them anyway. This weekend was a forgiving weekend for me. And I had to let the comments go and stop letting them define and control me.

I know what it is like to hurt someone too. We are all fallible people and need to ask for forgiveness every day. We all make mistakes. I know I too have said and done things I shouldn’t have done. I am sorry for every single thing I have done to hurt someone in any way. Thank God his love never changes for us. He never gives up on us, even when we give up on ourselves. God forgives us the first time, when we ask for forgiveness. So it is extremely important to forgive one another.

Most things we fight about and get upset about are so small in the scope of life.

I want to share this powerful life changing video with you. It gives me the chills.

Here are some of the lyrics to “So Small” By Carrie Underwood:

“What you got if you ain't got love The kind that you just want to give away It's ok to open up Go ahead and let the light shine through I know it's hard on a rainy day You wanna shut the world out and just be left alone But don't run out on your faith Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing Is just a grain of sand And what you've been out there searching for forever Is in your hands And when you figure out love is all that matters after all It sure makes everything else seem So Small”

Here is this impacting video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEQj6RrQbgA

This week, Joyce Meyer told us a secret on her show. “Want to know a secret? We will even tell the people watching by TV. Here’s the secret: The better you treat people, the happier you’re going to be.” The message is called, “Imitate God’s Giving”. Next Joyce said, “It’s like how many more times are we going to have to the bible study on forgiveness before we get around to realizing that when you forgive somebody, you’re going yourself a favor. Why should you waste your life being mad at someone that’s out having a good time and couldn’t care less if you’re upset? Come on, we got more smarts than that.”

“For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 (Amplified Bible)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%206:14&version=AMP
“And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (Amplified Bible)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=esphesians%204:32&version=AMP

I went 1.61 miles on my running for St. Jude’s. I burned a total of 99 calories. I took 3413 steps. Any amounts of donations helps find the cure for the children.
“All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay.” From St. Jude Website

This is why it is important that we help raise money for the children. We could help save their life and countless others. It can only happen when we all come together.

If you could make a small donation visit the link below: Every little bit helps.
http://www.mystjudeheroes.org/hopenow

I also went swimming today for the first time in a while.

Day 4 – Monday, May 31

I went a total of 0.91 miles today. I burned a mass sum of 48 calories. I took 1923 steps. I also went swimming today. Anything to help me get stronger.
Day 5 – Tuesday, June 1

I went a full amount of 2.19 miles today. I flamed a total of 131 calories to the highway to health. I took a grand total of 4639 steps today.
Day 6 – Wednesday, June 2

I went an entirety of 3.38 miles in my journey of a 5K. I burned a mass total of 203 calories. I took 7145 steps in my run/walk.
Day 7 – Thursday, June 3

I smothered a total of 236 calories today. I went for a grand total of 3.85 miles today. I took 8136 steps.

I went swimming a few times this week. I am committed to getting stronger and healthier.

"Its mission is to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. St. Jude has treated children from all 50 states and from around the world." "The daily operating cost for St. Jude is $1.5 million, which is primarily covered by public contributions." I got this from St. Jude.

If you can help in any way please do. Thank you for anyone who has donated and read this whole post. I hope it helped you in some way. Get out there and make a difference! 

Feel free to share this site with your friends.

In closing the post. Here some of the lyrics to “The Words I Would Say” by Sidewalk Prophets:

“Be strong in the Lord and, Never give up hope, You're going to do great things, I already know, God's got His hand on you so, Don't live life in fear, Forgive and forget, But don't forget why you're here, Take your time and pray, These are the words I would say.”

Here a video of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thLdWPr32yY

Journey of My Run Week 4 : Day 3 - 7

Day 3 – Sunday, May 9

I went a total of 1.89 miles today. I burned a total of 114 calories. I also took a total of 4187 steps. I walked and ran four laps. I ran one complete lap.

Day 4 – Monday, May 10
I ran in the morning and at night today. I only went one lap at night though. I felt sick for some reason. But I went four laps in the morning time. I went for a sum of 2.74 miles including both times. I burned around 181 calories. I took a mass sum of 5804 steps today.

Day 5 – Tuesday, May 11

I went a total of 1.92 miles today. I burned 124 calories on my journey. I took a total of 4056 steps. I went a total of four laps around the track.

Day 6 – Wednesday, May 12

I went a total of 4 laps. Four is the always the lucky number. I went a total of 1.24 miles and I took a total of 2632 steps. I burned a whole 73 calories, which I guess is a start. I also lifted weights today. I am up to 40 pounds! I was doing 30 pounds. I am improving, which is a wonderful thing. I watched Joyce Meyer today like I do every day. I encourage you to watch this week on TV or the internet. This week is about “What the Devil Doesn’t Want You to Know”. Joyce Meyer said, “You may be sitting there and you’re 20. But someday, you’re going to be as old as me. You need to make a decision now what kind of condition you’re going to be in when you get there. Come on now, I’m talking to some people. Oh well, I’ll worry about that then. No, then it may be too late to worry about it.” I think someone was speaking to me. I don’t really care to exercise and work out, but I need to. I wasn’t ever an athletic person. I would prefer to just have a six pack abs and not do anything to get them. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. And no, I don’t have anything near a six pack. I am going to get fit! Yes, I am the least bit person to run a 5K. But it’s for St. Jude’s Children! Even if I don’t run the whole 5K and I walk some of it. It will be okay. They still get the money. We need to give these children a hope. We can always have hope and faith that things will get better. I know you may be using the excuse times are hard. But the children still need donations and someone to believe in them. We all need someone to believe in us! We have got to bring back the love. Don’t make excuses on why you can’t do anything in life. Just get up and do them. If you make a mistake, repent and God will forgive you. Tell the person sorry if you can. But get back to living.

I love Mary Mary’s song called, “Get Up”! Some of my lyrics are:

“Get up ‘Cause you can’t stop Get up Got a lot to do 24 hours Almost gone Get up

Don’t sit there Get up If you wanna get there Clocks don’t stop and Time won’t wait What are you afraid of? Don’t you know What you’re made of? One of God’s Greatest creations Take this invitation now”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgtMHdir_7A

It’s never too late to change and turn your life around. You can get fit if you want to bad enough. You can be happy or you can choose to be depressed. Don’t you dare listen to the lies of Satan! He will tell you its too late but it’s not. He will tell you negative things and he will try to stop you. You can be a positive person, change your words, and your mind. Read the word of God! God sent his only son for your sins.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” John 3:16 (The Message)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203:16%20&version=MSG

Day 7 – Thursday, May 13

I am so excited! I ran two laps of my four laps today. I am getting better and better. I went for a total of 2.04 miles today. I burned a total of 143 calories. I took a total of 4327 steps today. I also continued to work out by lifting weights. I lifted 40 pounds again.

Jo Dee Messina has a song recorded called, “Was That My Life”. The lyrics are: “Yes I'll fall before I fly But no one can say I never tried Oh we just get one Ride around the sun In this dream of time It goes so fast That one day we look back And we ask Was that my life?”

I don’t want to look back and wonder what if. No one wants to do that. We need to love and help one another out more. We have got to do better. So many people are getting bullying and abused at school, work, and home. As a whole world, Satan tempts us with drugs, sex, money, things, our mind, our emotions, our mouth, reasoning, and other people’s approval. He has gotten so good at controlling and lying to people. He makes us be afraid to step out and reach out to one another. We hear in the media every single night, everyone is bad. We think, “You can’t trust anyone anymore.” When I die, I know where I am going. But do you? There are still some good people out there! We are all human. But God is always there for us. He never leaves us! Even when you think he isn’t listening, he is. We have got to reach out and love better than we are doing now. We only have one life to live. How do you why to be remembered? Do you want people to say, “______ was selfish, never willing to help anybody, life of the party (but they can’t remember half of their life), doesn’t say hello, wasted years, all talk-never show, living in the past, never laughed, depressed, rude, and critical. I know we all fail in some of these areas daily. I know because I struggle with this too. Everyone does. Not one person has it all together. But we can still try and reach out to each other. It doesn’t matter if you think that person is way different than you. So what! We need to stop judging and LOVE! I of all people know how hard it is. Satan tells us lies! He is a liar. You are never alone! You have not made the biggest mistake that you can’t repent and be forgiven. God will forgive you and come into your heart. He loves you.

Matthew West wrote a song called, "Life Inside You". The lyrics are: “There's a life inside you. There's a beating heart. There's a child of wonder, shining like a star. There's a life inside you.”

So please join with me and help the children of St. Jude’s Research Hospital. All the money goes directly to St. Jude’s and they help children with cancer. Any amount helps them!

http://www.mystjudeheroes.org/hopenow

My page name for St. Jude’s came from the song called, “Hope Now”. Addison Road recorded the song.

Listen to the song below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xboucW89gUU

The song lyrics are: “Everything rides on hope now Everything rides on faith somehow When the world has broken me down This love sets me free When my life is like a storm Rising waters all I want is the shore You say I’ll be ok and Make it through the rain You are my shelter from the storm I'm not my own I've been carried by you All my life”

All of the songs are on ITunes, Wal-Mart, Amazon, and other online retail places and they will inspire and encourage you. Or you can also go and pick up their CD’s.

I am also about to start reading a new book. There is also a movie out as well. The book and movie is called, “Letter’s to God”. They both look great and it will make people think. The storyline is about Tyler who is a kid going through cancer. He is writing letters to God and having hope!

Here is a sneak preview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBDK2LGn4p0

Check out the official website for the movie below:

http://www.letterstogodthemovie.com/

Here is a clip that is very sad: He is afraid of what people will say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAGYTMmEcrA

Inspiring clip: Giving hope!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP8A8ydEdSs

Check out my Google Page Site:

http://sites.google.com/site/theofficialandrewsmith/

Journey of My Run Week 1 : Day 7

Week 1


Day 7 - Thursday, April 22

Today, I did something entertaining! I hung out with one of my cousin’s and her family. We played the Wii, which I always enjoy. Normally, we sing American Idol or play Rock Band. But, today we did something different. First, we played a deer hunting game. She only had one controller that could shoot at the pretend deer’s on the screen. So, one of us got the Wii gun controller and the other got the plain old Wii remote. It was much harder using the Wii remote trying to aim at the deer’s. We also took turns with each controller. It had a pleasurable challenge though, you had to aim and hit the moose’s and bears, before they ate you. No, stop drop and roll. Wait, that thing is for fire. We played the duck shooting game next. It took us a while to figure out how to actually get the pretend Wii gun and the remote to shoot. I got lost in the controls again. After, you shoot about 6 ducks; you have to make your dog go get them by using the dog commands. The dogs didn’t want to listen to, “Come, Here, Sit, and There”. The dogs obviously didn’t have a sense of smell at all. The dogs would be right over the birds and they still couldn’t see them. Then, we played two fishing games. One of the games had a mind of its own. The boat would move, if you hit the A button. Of course, I would always cast the line, then I would hit the A button and bam. The boat would start going on its own and I would hit the shore. Then, the boat wouldn’t back up, without taking out the nunchuk from the back of the Wii cast line controller. Maybe it wasn’t in there right, I have no idea. We couldn’t figure out the problem. But it kept happening. So, we played another Wii fishing game and the fishing game got kind of boring, so we moved on. We then played a surfing game and a skiing game with the Wii balance board. Yes, you know good and well, I couldn’t race around the tracks without hitting the gate or wall. Next, we decided to take a break and we rode her golf cart around the block a few times. We watched the Jo Dee Messina podcast broadcast at her house. Jo Dee Messina shared some good stories of inspiration this week. So if you missed it, go watch it! If you haven’t figured it out yet, I didn’t work out again today. Yes, I know I am falling behind. But I am still celebrating my birthday! Haha Next, after the show, her father decided to teach me how to pay the acoustic guitar. He taught me a few chords C, G, A, E, and a lot more. Okay, I don’t know much about guitar beside how to strum the guitar and how to hold the pick. He taught me that, since he has played for years. Someone needs to practice! Yes, I mean me. He also said, “I have the long fingers for it.” You know what they always say about long fingers. Okay, you got me; I don’t know what they say. Well, another thing is that my fingers started to hurt after about an hour and a half. They are still a little numb. I am thinking learning the guitar and mastering running is my goals for the summer.

What are some of your goals this year?

Do you play any instruments? If so, what kind? How often do you play? How many hours a time?

Maybe your thing is working out. How often do you work out? What kind of activities do you do?