A key characteristic of God and the examples in my life

I've recently been learning an important concept about who God is and how he wants us to follow his example. The particular idea is that of Fatherhood (note: this is not a lead-in to an announcement on Kelly & my part).

Starting back when I began the Dog Soldier's training under Alex Hedgepeth's teaching, the idea of God as a Father and what this means has become clearer to me. A good father provides for his children, he instructs them, and he leads them down the right pathway in life. I see more and more that this is exactly what God does; he makes sure we have the things we need. Real needs that is, not all the things the world around us tells us through advertising that we “have” to have to fit in and “be somebody.”

I recently got to see what this looks up close through my friend Matt. Matt spent most Sunday afternoons during this last school year as part of New Heights Church Potter's House ministry. This involved spending time mentoring young children through various activities as well as Bible study. So each week these children, who didn't have the best home life, got an example of what a real father looks like. He spends time with you, shows you how to enjoy life in a safe way, and teaches you some of life's most important lessons.

And then there is the one who brought me into this world, my dad, Forest. He made sure we had a good home growing up, he ensured we got a good education, and he is still constantly encouraging me and my brother. That's what a good father does, and I know that I can still look to him on this today.

Each of these men has left their mark on me and helped me get a closer picture of who the ultimate Father is and why we should be so thankful that through faith in Jesus, He calls us sons.
-John