"There was one thing that my dad did for me that helped me get to where I am today. Every evening at dinner he would ask us, 'What have you failed at today?' He would be disappointed if we hadn't failed at something. If we had experienced failure that day, he would high five us." Sara  Blakely, creator of Spanx

Sara Blakely is the world's youngest female self-made billionaire. 

Her secret?

She is not intimidated by failure.

 Her story is impressive. Her dad is the most impressive!

He taught his children that it is common to experience failure on the road to success. And it's okay! His idea was that if you weren't experiencing failure, you weren't reaching high enough. You were not trying. He would tell his children, "If you are not failing, you are not trying."

I hate to fail! I have a horrible relationship with it. I am not good at falling down, brushing off the dust a good fall brings, and moving on to do better or do something else. That is why I am not a billionaire! 

I wish I had heard this story a long time ago . . . like when I was five. It might have changed how I perceive failure.  And I would have taught my children to embrace the times that they fail . . . I might have even encouraged it. 

Isn't it interesting that the lady who grew up in an environment where failure is not a bad thing, where it is encouraged, created something that covers flaws? Something that will take out the humps and bumps and make us look smooth and shapely. Flab-u-less! God bless her! 

What does the Lord think of failure?

He knows that we will have them. 

He is tender.

He is patient.

He is loving.

He forgives.

He wants us to try again.

He knew from the beginning that we would need mercy every single day of our lives, so He provides it. Do you need it this morning? I know that I do. It is available because . . .

that is the kind of Father that He is. Great is His faithfulness!

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." Psalm 103:8 NKJV