I Didn’t Bless My Children

This is part 5 of the ‘Offender Series’.

Welcome to the Be The Dad Podcast. We’re going to listen and learn from incarcerated men, many who have felt the effects of having an absentee father. These men have been taught about the importance of the role of a father, through reading the book From Faith to Faith, which is an acronym meaning from fathers absent in the home to fathers abiding in the home, as well as studying the curriculum.

“First of all, this Abiding Fathers curriculum was very difficult for me because as I see in our group, we all tend to shy away from our failures as a father. Some of us, our children are older already and we haven’t seen them in many years. Some of us see them on a regular visit. There was a time that I wanted to turn around and leave this group; it was very hard for me because the fact that I failed as a father. I have six children and eight grandchildren. They’ll tell you I was a good father of course because that’s your blood, that’s your children. In reality, I failed; I failed in giving them the blessings of the Lord and that’s when I turned. Chapter five was the praying and chapter eleven was the real strength to keep going.

Out there in the world we’re worldly fathers, we’re going to fail because we’re in the world. And our father is the prince of this world. But I started seeing things that every one of us has done out in the world. We all have fallen short in: abiding, authority, loving, praying, modeling, mentoring, teaching, disciplining, providing, and protecting. I’m betting that all of you guys were like that. Even if you don’t have any children I’m betting you were a big brother to somebody; that’s being a father also. But when we come in the world we fail, and I noticed that it’s a blessing to come to the Lord. In that blessing you have the right, authority and power of Jesus Christ to bless your children. That’s one thing I didn’t do out in the world as a father; I didn’t bless my children. I blessed them with money. I blessed them with food; we went out to eat, if you want to call those blessings of God, but they’re not. The one thing I didn’t do was lift up my children, as a sinner, to the Lord and give them to Him. Because they’re going to follow you and what you do.

Greg, when you spoke, it was around chapter eleven, you said that being a good father is about being a good son. So, to be a good father, you have to be a good son. Even if your children are older already you still must be a good son to the Father in heaven. Someday people are going to come back, they’re going to look for you. You might bump into them; there’s going to be somebody who’s a foster child that needs you. It’s not that you have to, but you must. You have to do what the Lord tells you. Not what you want to do but what He wants you to do. Ready or not here He comes, He’s going to come. It’s a blessing we’re all here. I thank you; it’s a blessing.”

FEATURED MUSIC.