With all the news and media frenzy surrounding the untimely death of pop star Michael Jackson at the age of 50, this article takes a look at Michael’s life from a different angle… the role his father Joseph Jackson played in his life.

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When he was 12, his parents separated. He moved to Oakland CA with his father until the age of 18.

Then he moved to Chicago to be near his mother.

He was briefly married, then ended that marriage and married another woman.

He was a crane operator for a steel company, played guitar in a band with his brother, and later returned to his “day job” when the band failed to get a record deal while his wife “tended to the children.”

He discovered his children had musical talent and began to manage their budding careers. As their success increased, he reportedly required his children to call him “Joseph” instead of “father” or “dad.”

Over the years, his children told stories to the media of their dad’s physical and emotional abusiveness to them.

Holding them upside down, tripping them, pushing them into walls, screaming, shouting, and frightening them are just some of the stories they relayed about their father.

One of his sons, Michael,  shared that he often cried from loneliness and would sometimes get sick or start to vomit upon seeing his father.

He recalled that his dad sat in a chair with a belt in his hand when he and his siblings rehearsed and that “if you didn’t do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you.”

Who was this dad? He was Joseph Jackson, the father of the late pop music icon Michael Joseph Jackson.

As millions around the world have followed the recent story of Michael’s death in the news and media, it’s worth reflecting on how Michael’s life, behavior, and tragic death were impacted by the violent, abusive, wounded relationship he had with his father, again reminding us of the power of influence we fathers have in the lives of our children.

According to childhood friend Brooke Shields, Michael Jackson’s favorite song (not one of his own, by the way) was called “Smile” and included a line that said… ”Smile though your heart is aching.”

Life is short. Find healing from your own paternal past. Ask forgiveness where you’ve blown it with your children and spouse. And make the most of your influence in your family for good. Because, fellow dad, only you have “father power.”

Bio Source:

http://www.information.is-the-coolest.com/x/Joseph_Jackson.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Jackson

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Joey Watkins is a husband, father of four children, and founder of FamilyDads, a dad-founded and dad-focused organization committed to helping dads prioritize and lead their family. In a culture that minimizes fatherhood, dads need to know the tremendous influence they have in their sons’ and daughters’ lives and destinies, and they need encouragement from other dads as they lead their family. Sign up for the FamilyDads eNewsletter at http://www.FamilyDads.com

We have been enjoying the Dad Summit in the live webinar sessions this week.

Norm Wakefield and Todd Wilson have given us very helpful messages on identity, turning our hearts toward our children, our “father power”, and how to love our wives and live with them in an understanding way.

The recordings have turned out great and should be available for access on Wednesday to those who have registered for the Dad Summit.

Tonight we will have another special guest.

Craig Hill is the Founder of Family Foundations Intl. His passion is helping God’s people discover and walk in God’s very best for our lives.

One of the primary areas is finances and money.

Craig teaches on this topic in a very unique way, especially on Jesus’ admonition about serving God vs. mammon and seeking first God’s Kingdom.

This is a VERY positive message and life-changing.

Craig’s little book, Living On The Third River, absolutely revolutionized my thinking about money in a way no other book on money and finances has.

I have shared this book with others and it has transformed their thinking and perspective about money, mammon, blessing, and abundance, and raised their trust in God to a new level.

Craig will be with us tonight at 9pm and 10pm Eastern.

If you get this email in time, it’s not too late to join us at the live Dad Summit webinar sessions tonight with Craig.

You can register at this link and also get access to the recordings of all the other sessions too–

http://www.dadresources.com/Dad-Summit_c_36.html

Hope to see you tonight!

Blessings,

Joey Watkins, Founder of FamilyDads.com

PS – We will also be emailing instructions for  accessing the recordings of the Dad Summit sessions. (Recordings are included with registration.)

In the spirit of true manhood (or more likely just for fun), we have decided to hold a contest!

There will be five winners. Each winner will receive a resource from one of our Dad Summit speakers, shown below. To enter the contest, simply register for the Dad Summit by the contest deadline, which is this Friday, June 12 at Midnight Eastern time zone. We will randomly select five winners who will each receive a free resource, compliments of FamilyDads.

The five resources are:

Equipping Men  12-CD Audio Set by Norm Wakefield $35 Value Learn More

Porn Nation: Conquering  America’s #1 Addiction by Michael Leahy $19 Value Learn More

Disciple Like Jesus:  For Parents by Alan Melton $16 Value Learn More

Father Power by Todd Wilson $10 Value Learn More

Living On The 3rd River by Craig Hill $6 Value Learn More

Each of these resources is excellent and very practical for dads. I highly recommend them all!

Your chances of winning will depend on how many Dad Summit registrations are in by June 12. Already, dads have registered from GA, CA, FL, TN, IN, NC, NJ, AZ, KY, AR, TX, MD, Germany, and Canada.

Here’s how the contest will work:

Every Dad Summit registration received by Friday, June 12 at midnight (Eastern time zone) will be placed in a hat (including those who already registered), from which my son Andrew will draw out
five winners.

If your name is drawn, we will email you and let you know which resource you won.

The Dad Summit will truly be an opportunity to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped in your role as a husband and father. We will look at core issues for men — issues of the heart — including a man’s identity, father power, practical marriage tips, discipling your children, money matters, temptation, and more.

To review session details, speaker bios, and registration info about the Dad Summit, which starts on Sunday night June 21, go to– http://www.DadSummit.com

If you’ve already seen all the info and are ready to register, just go straight to the registration page.

Even if you can’t participate all five nights of the Dad Summit, you can still access all 10 session recordings by registering.

Hope to have you with us at the first-ever Dad Summit!