Will Davis Jr | Dear Daughters 42

Will Davis Jr. is a pastor, writer, mountain-climber, intense human, father, and my own sweet husband. Together we started Austin Christian Fellowship in 1993. He’s passionate about surprising unbelievers with the credibility and relevance of Jesus’ message, and teaching about the power of prayer. He’s written ten books, writes online at willdavisjr.com.

Even more important, he’s been an incredible dad to three pretty fabulous children (including our Sara, pictured with him above … how could I not include the most recent wedding photos ???).

We talked a lot about parenting, letting go, good family relationships and prayer.

I can’t wait for you to meet Will. Here’s the interview on Dear Daughters Episode 42.

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SHOW NOTES

Will’s books (& all the Davis books combined)
The message we taught together on marriage ~ Marriage 301
Will’s timely words over me during my fear addiction: Prayers for a Fear-er
And more about my fear stronghold ~ Unafraid: Trusting God in an Unsafe World
Some of what Will has prayed over me : Proverbs 31.25, 26 ~ ‘She is clothed with strength + dignity and laughs at the days to come. The teaching of wisdom and kindness is on her lips.’
Will’s talk on ‘seed provision’ and the place where the Lord gave thanks in John 6
John 12.26 – whoever serves the Lord and follows him, he will honor
My dad is such a gift in my life, even though he wasn’t sure about our church-planting idea at first ;)
Some of ACF’s missions around the world
Something we pray over the sons-in-law ~ Proverbs 21.1
Before you get married, give these a read: dear daughters : 9 questions to ask your fiancé
dear daughters: don’t get married if…,
dear daughters (marry the right guy)
And after you get married, here’s a short guide to praying for you husband ~> dear daughters: 5 things to pray for your new husband
One exercise to help as you grieve and transition : write down the things that you feel like you’ve lost now that things are different.
My prayer for my kids (and a loose translation of the Great Commandment) ~ That they would love God with all their energy for all their life, and that they would love the Church.
Will’s super helpful book (there are separate chapters to pray for boys and for girls) : Pray Big for Your Child: The Power of Praying God’s Promises for Your Child’s Life
This one is also amazing to help you pray over your marriage: Praying Big for Your Marriage: The Power of Praying God’s Promises for your Relationship
Some of the verses we claim for our kids : 1 Chronicles 12.8, Matthew 6.33, Hebrews 11.6, Hebrews 6.1
Two Word Prayers for your Family : Love God, Love the Church, Love Prayer, Hate Sin, Love God’s Word, Love to Worship, Love the Holy Spirit
Our swift gazelle, trail-running son, Will 3 and his sweet wife Amy

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

There is no more important discipleship tool for a person’s life than prayer, there is no more important relational tool for a person’s life than prayer, there is no more important decision-making tool or conflict-resolution tool than prayer. ~ Will Davis Jr.

You will never grow beyond what you do or don’t do in your prayer life. ~ Will Davis Jr.

You have to give your spouse the benefit of the doubt, and you have to believe in what God can do for them, not what you can do or how they can change. ~ Susie Davis

Desperation is a really great place to begin in prayer, because you mean it. ~ Will Davis Jr.

There’s something powerful about releasing someone to God’s best, and believing in what God can do. ~ Susie Davis

Will’s definition of seed provision: It’s when you have that kind of assignment in front of you, God won’t really give you everything you need up front, but he will give you enough to start with. And He expects you to start with it in faith and go… Jesus gave thanks for the provision, even though it wasn’t enough in that moment. ~ Will Davis Jr.

There’s something powerful about thanksgiving. When you’re willing to give thanks in advance, it is dramatic, and it is game-changing, and it can mark the places and the events and the seasons of our lives. ~ Will Davis Jr.

Giving thanks is not some magic formula, but it’s reflective of the relationship Jesus had with the Father, and that is something we can duplicate in our lives in the hard places. It’s not like I’m going to thank God so he does this huge thing in my life. It’s much deeper. I’m going to thank God because God is good. ~ Susie Davis

Priorities: God first, then your husband and children, and then any ministry opportunity you have in the world. ~ Susie Davis

When you obey, that’s an act of thanksgiving to God. When you obey God it is ‘I trust you, I am willing to do this,’ and that is an act of thanks. It’s a sacrifice of praise and worship to obey God. ~ Will Davis Jr.

The faith walk is a walk of obedience. Every Christian before us has been asked to do it, we’re not the exception. It’s the trust that He honors. ~ Will Davis Jr.

(Releasing your kids) is painful, but if you don’t do it, it becomes complete and utterly dysfunction. ~ Susie Davis

You have to believe that God hears your prayers, and that he’s doing something, and that He cares even more than you do. ~ Susie Davis

The thing that is unchanging in life against a backdrop of constant change, is my relationship with Christ. He doesn’t change. ~ Will Davis Jr.

One of the ways to mark the end of a season is to thank God for it. ~ Will Davis Jr.

Will’s Snowflake Prayers: one snowflake by itself is not very significant, but you get bunch of them together, they can cover a landscape, they can shut down a city, they can create an avalanche.

If your significant other isn’t comfortable praying out loud, tell him you have a long-term dream of you praying together, start out praying for him to be open to it, and then offer to be the person who goes first. Then just give it time.

Pray, be patient, and let God work. ~ Will Davis Jr

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… grateful, grateful for Davis sharing their music for the DD Podcast. :)