Twelve men. United. Pursuing honor, integrity, compassion and courage.
These are the words that describe a group of men that I have chosen to associate myself with. A group of men that I am honored to know and lucky to belong to. They are my friends, my brothers and the men I choose to tackle the issues of life and fatherhood with. They are my small group. They are my Single Dads small group from the amazing body of believers that is called Northstar Church.
The reason I write about them is because we are addressing and tackling an issue that is so extremely important to us and to society as a whole. It is the issue of raising our children in a home where a father is Godly, loving, ever-present, influential, courageous and filled with integrity and honor. I know I have written about this in the past but this issue is so vital and detrimental to the future well being of our children that it deserves clarity and expansion.
I have to make something clear though. I will be the first to admit that I am not perfect. I struggle and I sin. I am a broken human being saved by God's amazing grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I believe that every single dad in my group will fully admit to the exact same truth about themselves. It's vital to understand that fact in order to achieve what we are trying to accomplish.
We are striving and resolving to live 'The Resolution'. It's a commitment and a resolve that we as fathers and men of courage are choosing to live our lives by. It is living a higher standard of faith, family and fatherhood. Sound familiar? Yes...we have seen the film 'Courageous'. Yes...we were extremely moved by it. Yes...many tears rolled down my cheeks. And yes...it was our inspiration. But 'The Resolution' is something so much bigger than just an idea in a film or a book. It is real life to us men...to us single fathers. It is a turning point in our ordinary selfish lives that we have been living so casually. We are committing, trusting AND faithfully asking God to lead us in this journey. We are choosing to do more than just taking the easy way out. We are choosing the road less traveled. We are committing to the hard way. We are sacrificing our selfish desires for the benefit of our children. We are placing our faith first. We are placing God first in our lives followed by our children. We WILL be present in their lives. We WILL be the spiritual leaders of our children. We WILL "win the hearts" of our children. In a society so lacking of loving fathers and men of integrity and honor...we WILL be the difference for our children.
This journey will not be easy. And it is not something to be taken lightly. We must be held accountable. YOU must hold us accountable. I for one do not want to fail. With my kid's spiritual and emotional well-being at stake...I can not fail. We can not fail. That is why I pray...why we pray. It will take discipline, sacrifice and faith to continually live out 'The Resolution.' We will turn to the wise words of the Apostle Paul..."Be alert; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love." (1 Corinthians 16: 13-14)
So where are you men, fathers, single dads and husbands? Stand up and take this journey with us! Be men of courage! Make the choice, commit and decide to live a life far greater than the one you are currently living! Live for your children, your spouse and most importantly for God! Live 'The Resolution.'
I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.
I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.
I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.
I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.
I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.
I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.
I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.
I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.
I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.
I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.
I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.
