What is a Father? I looked up the word Father in the dictionary, and the first three definitions are factual.
"A male parent. A father-in-law. Any male ancestor."
Do these shout father to you? Thankfully, my mind conjures up countless adjectives when I think of my father, father-in-law, and husband. All three of them share the same heavenly Father with me, which is why they are all three sacrificial, loving, giving, hard-working, joyful, men of honor. Have they been perfect? Absolutely not! (neither have I, but we're talking about them not me, right? 😉). They have all made great choices in life to live big, push through the hard stuff, and love well. No matter what has gone on in their families, they have always loved their kids. Maybe you think that's a given, but each one has had 3 teenagers at a time, so enough said. 😄
What about your father? If he has passed on, remember a few good things about him and express gratitude for those. If he is still alive, focus on his top 3 attributes and celebrate those with him. We're all broken people, and he may have hurt you, but you will experience joy and release if you are able to work on forgiving him and moving on. Hopefully you have a good relationship with your father and you can love on him big time this weekend as we celebrate Father's Day.
Here are the top 3 attributes for each father in my life:
This man has the biggest heart of unconditional love! He is not my dad, but he is the father of my children, so I have experience his fatherhood closely. He is humble, full of grace, and unassuming wisdom. Plus he makes us laugh! 😂
My Dad is the biggest servant I have ever known. He is bold and passionate about sharing his faith because he loves you. And he works hard at everything he does, including fitness!
This is my father-in-law. He has a huge heart of compassion for those who are less fortunate, especially the children. He is a strong, visionary leader who sees how we can make this world a better place for those who are hurting. And he is a great giver to our family and to the world for others to know Christ.
Celebrate the Fathers in your life today! And if you are a Father, Happy Father's Day!!