My Dad is one of the best men I know. I realize many of you do not have an earthly Father who cared for you well or who shared love with you. For that I am truly sorry. But I am truly grateful for God’s grace in placing me under the unique leadership of my Dad. In honor of Father’s Day, I want to share with you some of the best lessons I learned from my dad.
- How to love my wife. Since my childhood, I have watched my dad love my mom selflessly and tirelessly. He honors her by writing her love notes and blessing her with special gifts.
- How to love my kids. Dad always looked for ways to connect with his kids. Sometimes that was challenging because our likes were not the same as his, but he looked for ways to play, watch, and enjoy life together. He also gave up his own wishes to provide the things in life that we wanted.
- How to work hard. There is no doubt Dad has always been a hard worker. He is dedicated to serve the Lord well through ministry and always goes above and beyond expectations.
- How to invest in others. Dad is always caring for a particular group of men. Whether he is leading them to sing, ride in a dogsled, or hike Kilimanjaro, he is always looking for ways to encourage them in their walk with the Lord.
- How to love the nations. Even before it was popular to take short-term mission trips my dad was leading teams to do mission work around the world. When I was 5 years old, I remember my dad taking my family, along with a large group of single adults from Charlotte, North Carolina, all the way up the Northeast seaboard to northern New York state and even crossing into Canada. Sharing the gospel in this context instilled a love for the nations in me and the rest of my family.
- How to love the Lord. My dad has done all these things well because he loves the Lord well. He is devoted to spending quality time in the Word and a significant amount of time in prayer.
What are some of the things you learned from your dad?