One of the questions I ask new FamilyDads subscribers is to identify one of their biggest challenges as a dad.

More often than not, the answer I receive has to do with balancing family and work, stress, patience with their kids, and things like that.

However, one new subscriber recently shared one of his biggest challenges as a dad that I had never heard before. It really got me thinking, and I want to challenge you with it too.

He said one of his biggest challenges as a dad is:

“…not having my Dad around to ask advice, he went to be with the Lord 3 years ago.”

Whoa! That is pretty heavy.

I had several reactions when I read it.

First, I don’t want my sons to be in that position when they become dads one day. I want them to be able to come to me for advice and input when they need it. I want them to draw on my experience, insights, knowledge, and wisdom I’ve gained over the years.

Yes, we all will experience physical death at some point (unless our Messiah returns first!), but I want to be around as long as possible for my family. But unless I take personal responsibility for my health now by my choices in diet, exercise, sleep, and several other fitness factors, I’m not doing my part to make it happen.

Second, I reflected on my relationship with my own father. Do I take him too much for granted? How much longer will he be around? Am I taking advantage of his advice and experience? Is there anything I can do to help or encourage his health and longevity? How is our relationship?

And finally, I wondered about other young men who might be in a similar place without their earthly dad to go to for wisdom and advice as they walk this journey called fatherhood. Can FamilyDads do more to support these men? Are there any subscribers who would be interested in building relationships with fatherless sons like this guy?

Well, that’s a lot to think about. I hope it will do just that… get you thinking… about yourself, about your father, about other fatherless men, and about your own sons when they become dads and will need your advice and experience to draw on!

Feel free to contact FamilyDads with any ideas, suggestions, or input on any of these thoughts.

Blessings to you and your family,
Joey Watkins
Founder, FamilyDads

P.S. – FamilyDads Fitness is for dads who understand the importance of giving attention NOW to your health and fitness to avoid health problems later that would impact both you and your family. Learn more

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”

Maybe you can relate to that quote by John Lennon. I sure can!

Most dads I know, including myself, are busy making plans… plans for our work, plans for our weekends, plans for our family, plans for our house, our yard, our money, and so on.

But while we’re busy making all these plans… well, life happens.

Diapers need to be changed. Attitudes have to be dealt with. Spouses need to be communicated with. Dishes need to be washed. Bathrooms need to be cleaned. Bills need to be paid. Grass needs to be mowed.

And before we know it, our kids are no longer infants, toddlers, or grade school age. They’re in high school. Or college. And then ready to launch out as young adults on their own life journey.

I was reminded of this once again last weekend when my 2nd oldest son somehow reached his 8th birthday. How did that happen?!? How I wish I could find the “pause” button to keep my children from growing up so fast.

So let me encourage you today, fellow dad, to live in the moment.

“Carpe Diem.” Seize the day.

Take joy in your daily routine. Seriously.

Appreciate where each of your children are right now at their stage of development. And live each day engaged with them.

And engaged with your wife.

It’s time now for me to go spend some time holding my 6-week-old son and enjoying his chubby-cheeks baby smile… because I’ll be celebrating HIS 8th birthday just a few short months from now too!

Blessings to you and your family,
Joey

P.S. – Do you have a son or daughter graduating from high school this month? Make it a very special time and memory of how much you love them and are proud of them. Idea: Write a hand-written heart-to-heart letter to them from Dad. They will keep it for a very long time, perhaps even after you’re gone.

Would you like to know one of the very best uses of your time and your influence as a dad? One of the very BEST long-term investments you can make in your children?

READ with them. ALOUD. Frequently.

ALL of my children enjoy spending time reading aloud together with their Dad. So does my wife.

On an almost daily basis, I read Scripture aloud to my family. We call it “Family Scripture Time.”

For younger children, Scriptures with action and stories work best, like Genesis, Exodus, and Acts, as opposed to more instructional Scriptures like Leviticus, Proverbs, Galatians, etc.

Consistent Scripture reading is one of the best ways to prepare the soil of their hearts for receiving spiritual truth and building their faith.

“So faith comes by hearing, that is by hearing The Word of YHWH proclaimed.” – Romans 10:17

I also like to read one-on-one with my children. My sons have enoyed the books by Bob Schultz. The chapters are short, fun, “guy” stories that always have a great message on character or boyhood, and Q&A at the end so we can talk about what we’ve read.

My daughter and I have read some of the “classics” together… you know, the ones that seem to always involve a little girl, a horse, a dog, or life on a farm.

If you’ve read a book with your son or daughter they’ve really enjoyed, please let me know. We’ll add it to the list of great family reading books. If you become a FamilyDads email subscriber, we can send you the list as it grows over time so you and your family can benefit from other dads’ positive reading experiences with their children.

To summarize, if you aren’t already reading aloud to your family, take the lead and begin doing this.

Read Scripture together as a family as often as possible.

And read family-friendly books one-on-one with your children. Not only will they benefit from the content you read together, but you’ll be modeling to them a habit they can emulate when they too become parents. And even pass on to their children.

From one family dad to another,
Joey Watkins
Founder, FamilyDads.com

PS – Don’t forget to contact us with books you’ve read with your son or daughter they’ve liked.

Today I’d like to tell you a story about a friend of mine named Tommy.

Tommy grew up in middle Tennessee, went to college where he played football, married his high school sweetheart, and landed a nice corporate job with FedEx.

It occurred to Tommy one day that he was spending more time with those gathered around the conference room table at the office than with those gathered around his kitchen table — his family.

The Heavenly Father began to put in Tommy a yearning to be together with his family. He ended up leaving his corporate job, picking up his family, and moving two hours away from the big city to basically start over again — only this time with different priorities.

Today, Tommy and his family share a deep, united love for one another. They are involved in a remarkable work half way around the world in a fragile, unstable part of Israel serving independent farmers — something Tommy would have never been able to do with his corporate job.

His journey has been indescribably rewarding for both Tommy and his family. In Tommy’s own words… “As I look back, the sacrifice was minimal compared to what I’ve gained… what we’ve all gained.”

Now, my point in telling you Tommy’s story is not to try and convince you to do what Tommy did with his family (unless you are led to!), but rather to encourage you with a story of how one dad’s heart turned to his family, and the direction and calling a family can receive as a result of courageously and obediently stepping out from cultural norms and putting family above work and career.

If you struggle balancing work and family, and work tends to get the bulk of your time each week, let me encourage you to make this struggle a serious matter of prayer and contemplation.

As the Heavenly Father draws your heart to your family, let Him guide you in making the decisions and choices that will be best for your family, even if that means making financial adjustments.

Get wise counsel, walk by faith, and remember that our window of time to raise our children is short and swift. And we dads have a high “Kingdom Calling” to lead our families, disciple our children, and who knows what work our family may be called to?!

PS – Tommy’s story has been turned into a DVD documentary called A Journey Home that has won several awards and inspiried many other dads and their families.

Tommy and Sherry were typical American parents. He was a manager at FedEx and she was a soccer mom raising two boys. But when the pressures of work began to affect their family, they chose to make significant changes to their lives to prioritize their family.  A Journey Home is the remarkable true story of divine intervention and a decision to choose family over work and career.

Watch the Trailer and Learn More