Never stop being a dad.
Many men completely underestimate how much they matter in the lives of their children. No matter what stage of life you are in, if you have children, then you have an extremely important role to play in their life.
Our family is about to experience a significant transition. We now have one son who is engaged to be married, and other children who are seriously dating someone. This stage is causing me to reflect on so many things as a dad.
I wonder if I did enough for my kids. I consider if I was present enough or working too much. Then, I take time to reflect on all the good moments and rich memories we have shared together. It would be easy in the stage of life we are facing to believe that my role as a father is coming to an end. The truth is, once we have children, we should never stop being a dad.
When your children move towards becoming adults, it is easy to think that you have done your part and now you don’t matter as much. I am so glad that this is not the way God has been a Father to me or to you. No matter what stage of life you are in, God is still fathering you. How he expresses that towards you may be different in these seasons, but He is still and always will be fathering you. We can learn much about fatherhood by understanding and knowing the only perfect Father in existence.
This is the big idea behind a book I have written, The Seasons of Fatherhood. In every stage of your children’s lives, you matter as a father. They need your love, encouragement, presence, and guidance. As my children transition towards their own families and careers, my role as a father will change, but my responsibility and privilege as a father remains. It is important for us to understand our role in different seasons of our children’s lives. As we walk in this role, we will bring life and purpose to them.
In this edition of SEVEN Magazine: Fatherhood, we will be exploring different elements of fatherhood. Take the time to read these articles and really learn more about how important you are in the formation of your children. I want to encourage you to also pass this magazine around to friends or other men you know who could use some encouragement as a dad.
Next to being a husband, fatherhood is the most important role you will have on this earth. You have incredible potential to have influence and impact that will last for multiple generations. You have the privilege of giving your children a glimpse of what God the Father is like. Take this seriously, and enjoy the rewards along the way.
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