For me in writing specifically to men (the younger and older generations), the understanding of who we are, and more importantly who we are chosen to be as ‘sons of God’, is of the utmost importance.  If we as men are ever to have our identity shaped properly in Christ, and before we can ever truly be real ‘men of God’ (both are spoken of at length in scripture), it is essential that we recognize and understand first our place as sons and be developed properly in that reality.  

 

The need for real Godly ‘manhood’ in the world today is evident all around us.  Along these lines much attention, rightfully so, has been given to the issues of fatherlessness in the world today, and especially it’s affect upon the younger generation in our world.  However, amidst all the staggering and often very discouraging statistics associated with fatherlessness, I believe the most essential element lost without a solid father experience for a child, is properly developing in life FIRST as sons (and daughters) not just naturally, but also spiritually as children of God.

 

For me this picture of developing as a son before a man is something that God has personally taught me through my own story.  Although I’m certain mine isn’t the only experience like this, my unique story growing up was one of both having a father as well as being fatherless in many ways.  You see my father David was a tremendous man.  An accomplished athlete, even after his semi-pro football career ended early due to injury, he was well positioned in life to be a success in a variety of fields of work due to his personality and love for life and people, his natural gifting to teach, encourage, and help others, and also his physical stature and presence (at one point he bench pressed up to 415lbs).  However, all of his physical ability to do so was soon to be robbed from him by multiple sclerosis, which would eventually slowly and deliberately take more and more of his body captive for 32 years.  Shortly after the diagnosis I was born.

 

With this as the scenario in which I grew up, as mentioned before I was both a son of a wonderful father, as well as in many aspects fatherless.  I’ll attempt to explain some of this with a perspective I realized in the days immediately following my dads passing in 2011.  For me as a child and young adult I always felt like I missed out on the best years of my dads life (healthy, athletic, active), because the years I experienced were increasingly full of struggle, stress (especially on my mother), confusion, and more than anything pictures of broken dreams.  I say now thankfully, as God always does, that in the days after my father went to be with Jesus, God taught me that amidst all of the hardship that I in fact had the opportunity to experience my dads finest years!  I was privileged to know my dad during his years of walking in relentless faith, trust, hope, incredible joy, and love that were so far beyond him (and dad knew it), but were in fact Christ and the Holy Spirit in him.  

 

I am so grateful that my fathers relationship and faith in God set an amazing example for me, allowing me to grow and develop as a son before a man spiritually and helping me to be who I am today in Christ.  However, as is the reality in our broken world, living and growing out of the natural ‘fatherless’ aspects in my life, and with it my attempts to be a man before my time, nearly in many ways and times took me off God’s course for my life.  I am starting to write today with this in mind, to both celebrate how God has always been there for me, and also so that others can hopefully learn from my broken places and find the healing and help to overcome and avoid things meant to destroy their lives.

 

This blog I believe is one of Gods many ways of redeeming the struggles for my father and my family, so that others may see and know the Jesus that my dad knew and taught me about; the One who always helped us to overcome in life no matter what we faced.  On this blog, there will be stories, there will be things that God has taught me specifically about this father/son relationship (naturally & spiritually), there will be some things directly from my dad in his own words that he sent me in years past, and what I’m most excited about is that there will be new things I’m learning and even creative expressions (songs/poetry) that God gives me along the way to encourage others!

 

God has called us first as His children (sons and daughters), and His design for all of us is to grow into maturity as men and women in Christ.  It is a process of life that is so essential to discover and explore, because it is in fact what Jesus Himself demonstrated.  Jesus identified Himself as a son to God the father more than anything else, and by His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection life He has invited us through adoption into that same relationship today!  

 

I invite you to join me on this journey, it’s gonna be fun!

 

– Nate 

 

 

 

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” – Galatians 4:4-6

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. – Ephesians 1:3-6