Fathers
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed by Your name."
– Matthew 6:9
This Father's Day, I find myself reflecting on the amazing power of "Our Father in heaven" and our Fathers on earth. Just a few weeks ago, I hosted my dad at our place in Dauphin Island, along with several of our grandkids, all under one roof. Watching my dad interact with our grandchildren, seeing his eyes light up at their laughter, and simply being present together across 4 generations was one of those moments that made me grateful. On this Father's Day, I am thinking about what a gift it is to have a father who has loved me well, to be a father to three amazing daughters, and, above all, to know the love of our Heavenly Father, who is the ultimate source of it all.
The impact of a father is profound and far-reaching, especially in the area of faith. Research tells us that when a father is the first in a family to come to Christ, 93% of his family follows. That is a staggering statistic and a powerful reminder of the unique and God-given spiritual influence a father carries in the home. Whether we fully realize it or not, fathers set the tone. They shape the faith, the identity, and the future of the people they love most. That is an awesome responsibility and an incredible privilege.
Three Reflections on Father's Day
The Unconditional and Sacrificial Love of Our Abba Father: Before we can truly understand fatherhood, we have to start with the source. God is the perfect Father, and every good thing we see in earthly fatherhood is simply a reflection of His heart toward us. He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. He does not love us because we have earned it or deserve it. He loves us because that is who He is. I love the picture Jesus paints of the Father in the story of the Prodigal Son. When the son who had wasted everything finally came to his senses and turned toward home, the Father did not wait at the door with crossed arms. He ran. He saw his son from a long way off, and he ran toward him with reckless, joyful, unconditional love. That is our God. That is our Abba Father. For many of us, our view of God the Father has been shaped and sometimes distorted by our experience with our earthly fathers. If your earthly father was absent, harsh, or hurtful, it can be hard to receive the love of a perfect Heavenly Father. But here is the truth: no matter what your story is with your earthly father, God is your eternal Father, and He longs to heal every wound and restore every broken place. He is our Good, Good Father who leaves the 99 to find the one."As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him."Psalm 103:13
The Fathers and Fatherly Figures Who Shaped Me: I am deeply aware on this Father's Day of how much I owe to the men God placed in my life who loved me, believed in me, and poured into me at critical moments along the way. I did not get here on my own, and I want to take a moment to honor some of those men. Starting with my own dad, who gave me a foundation of unconditional love that I did not fully appreciate until much later in life. He showed me what it means to be present, to be steady, and to love your family without condition. My grandfather Lee LeJeune was a towering figure of faith and character in our family whose influence still echoes through every part of who I am today. My father-in-law, Bill Doré, who encouraged me to really go after my dreams, always believed in me more than I believed in myself. He has been a huge influence on my journey of life and business. And men like John Maxwell, Dale Dawson, and Dr. Finley McRae have been spiritual fathers and mentors who spoke truth, faith, and vision into me at moments when I desperately needed it. I would not be who I am today without each of these men. The Bible calls us to honor these kinds of relationships and to receive the investment that godly fathers and mentors make in us as a sacred gift. I am deeply grateful for every one of them."Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith"Hebrews 13:7.
The Privilege of Being a Father and Grandfather: Of all the roles I have been blessed to play in this life, to include CEO, advisor, mentor, ministry leader, none comes close to the joy and the weight of being a father and grandfather. I am the proud and deeply grateful dad of three amazing daughters, Mary Kathryn, Saige, and Bella, two wonderful sons by marriage, Blake and JD, who I consider my own, and eight grandchildren who bring more joy to my life than I could have ever imagined. I surely have not been a perfect father and have made many mistakes over my years of fatherhood. My intensity and drivenness have at times caused unintentional hurt to the people I love most. Amy and I are still on the journey of healing and growing in our family, and I am grateful every day for a God who redeems, restores, and makes all things new. But I can say with full conviction that being a father is the most joyful, meaningful, and eternally significant role of my life. Every investment we make in our children and grandchildren is a seed sown for generations to come. I have the privilege and opportunity to love them, influence them, and point them toward God."Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth"Psalm 127:3-4.
The greatest gift I can give my children and grandchildren is not a financial inheritance. It is a heritage of faith.It is modeling what it looks like to abide in Christ, to love others sacrificially, and to live a life fully surrendered to God. That is the legacy I am intentionally pursuing, and I am grateful to the Lord for this amazing opportunity.
Fatherhood is one of God's most powerful and sacred gifts to the world. Whether you had a wonderful father, a complicated one, or no father at all, today is a day to receive the love of your perfect Heavenly Father who has never left you, never forsaken you, and is always running toward you with open arms. And for those of us who are fathers and grandfathers, today is a reminder of the sacred trust God has placed in our hands and the eternal opportunity we have to love the next generation well.
Challenge Question: How has your relationship with your earthly father shaped your view of God, and are you willing to let your Heavenly Father redefine what perfect fatherly love looks like? And for the fathers and grandfathers reading this, what is one intentional way you can invest in the next generation this week to leave a lasting heritage of faith?
Prayer: Father, thank You for being the perfect Father that none of us could be on our own. Thank You for Your unconditional love, Your relentless pursuit of us, and Your grace that covers every mistake and redeems every broken place. On this Father's Day, we honor the earthly fathers and fatherly figures who have loved us and shaped us. We pray for healing where there are wounds and restoration where there is distance. Give every father and grandfather reading this the wisdom, humility, and love to pour faithfully into the next generation. May the heritage of faith we leave behind ripple forward for a thousand generations to Your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
To every father and grandfather in our community, you are seen, you are valued, and the investment you are making in the next generation matters for eternity. Happy Father's Day, and have a truly blessed week!
