Three Blessing Every Boy Needs From His Father
Ranked #4,774 in Parenting & Kids, #154,164 overall | Donates to KIVA
Three Blessings Every Boys Needs From His Father
Every boy needs a father who sees him, loves, and affirms him. Boys who do not receive the masculine blessing often end up in jail, prison, or just plain lost on their road to mature masculinity. A mother's blessing cannot ever replace the masculine blessing from a father.
New RSS: Add Your Own Feed
New Text / Write module
The Blessing Only A Father Can Give
Three Blessings Every Boy Needs From His Father
For the last 90+ days, I have been closely following the journey of a boy named Zac Sunderland (age 16) as he attempts to sail around the world in a small sail boat called Intrepid. He departed from southern California in June and is currently approaching Darwin, Australia on his quest to be the youngest person to single handedly sail around the world. His journey is heavily financed and supported by his Christian family who believe so completely in their eldest son's ability and desire that they are willing to put it all on the line for him. If all goes as planned, Zac will have sailed over 40,000 miles by himself and will have been at sea for almost a year. He will have faced countless dangers and had to endure a kind of loneliness only sailors understand. Quite an adventure for boy!
I wanted to focus on this story to highlight the three blessings every boy needs from his father. These blessing are the foundation for a boy as he heads into adult manhood; being empowered with a kind of intestinal masculine love that encourages the young man to become the person God has created. When a boy knows without a doubt that he is loved, valued and affirmed by his father his entire life and therefore he has the confidence to essentially take the world on. In reading Zac's daily blogs, it is clear that he has a strong, loving, and very present father. Although a loving and supportive mother also plays a critical part in every son's life, there is nothing that can replace a father's presence and blessings in a boy's life. The lack of an active, loving father in any boy's life is devastating. Statistics do not lie. Seventy one per cent of boys who drop out of school do not have fathers in their lives. Over eighty five per cent of youths that are incarcerated do not have fathers in their homes. A boy raised by a single mother has a thirty per cent greater chance of entering the justice system over a boy who has a present father. A father is a powerful force in a boy's life.
"A father has enormous power. About this, he has no choice. For good or for bad, by his presence or his absence, action or inaction, whether abusive or nurturing, the fact remains: A father is one of the most powerful beings on the face of the earth." (Ken Canfield, The Heart of a Father)
The first blessing every boy needs to hear from his father is, "I love you". This blessing should be spoken directly and frequently to the son, and not just implied. The son needs to hear these life- giving words often and in different contexts during the course of their relationship (childhood through adulthood). God modeled this first principle as a father himself in Matthew 3:17a when he spoke these words at Jesus' baptism; "This is my Son, whom I love%u2026." Knowing that your father loves you no matter what is not only foundational but crucial to healthy masculine development. Hearing "I love you" from your father is a treasure to a son's heart he will cherish all of his life.
The next masculine blessing a father needs to impart to his son is, "I am proud of you". On Zac's FAQ page we read his father's response when asked why parents would allow a 16 yr old to take on such a daunting challenge; "He knows we are as proud as can be that he has set this goal and achieved so much. If he chose to stop tomorrow, we would welcome him home with open arms." Again, God gives us a clear example when we read God's blessing to Jesus as he stood in the Jordon River after his baptism; "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
The third blessing every boy needs to receive from his father is, "You are good at%u2026." A father's acknowledgement of his son's skills or character qualities is priceless. A boy stands taller when his achievements are honored by his father. Again, a quote from Zac's website (www. zacsunderland.com) by his father when asked how any parent could allow their child to do such a dangerous thing, "I would not recommend that any 16-year-old do this trip. Zac has had so much experience already at sea and is the type of person who needs a challenge. It is a good fit for him. He is smart, strong, level headed and is able to figure things out." Wow, what a blessing of affirmation, understanding, and confidence from his dad!
Zac Sunderland may be in the middle of an epic journey and appears to be an exceptional boy, but he is no different than any other boy when it comes to the need for blessings from a father. These blessing are timeless and will resonate in a son's heart into his adulthood. What a great opportunity we have as fathers to leave a legacy of blessings in our son's life. Don't miss the opportunity to bless your son--he will love you for it.
For the last 90+ days, I have been closely following the journey of a boy named Zac Sunderland (age 16) as he attempts to sail around the world in a small sail boat called Intrepid. He departed from southern California in June and is currently approaching Darwin, Australia on his quest to be the youngest person to single handedly sail around the world. His journey is heavily financed and supported by his Christian family who believe so completely in their eldest son's ability and desire that they are willing to put it all on the line for him. If all goes as planned, Zac will have sailed over 40,000 miles by himself and will have been at sea for almost a year. He will have faced countless dangers and had to endure a kind of loneliness only sailors understand. Quite an adventure for boy!
I wanted to focus on this story to highlight the three blessings every boy needs from his father. These blessing are the foundation for a boy as he heads into adult manhood; being empowered with a kind of intestinal masculine love that encourages the young man to become the person God has created. When a boy knows without a doubt that he is loved, valued and affirmed by his father his entire life and therefore he has the confidence to essentially take the world on. In reading Zac's daily blogs, it is clear that he has a strong, loving, and very present father. Although a loving and supportive mother also plays a critical part in every son's life, there is nothing that can replace a father's presence and blessings in a boy's life. The lack of an active, loving father in any boy's life is devastating. Statistics do not lie. Seventy one per cent of boys who drop out of school do not have fathers in their lives. Over eighty five per cent of youths that are incarcerated do not have fathers in their homes. A boy raised by a single mother has a thirty per cent greater chance of entering the justice system over a boy who has a present father. A father is a powerful force in a boy's life.
"A father has enormous power. About this, he has no choice. For good or for bad, by his presence or his absence, action or inaction, whether abusive or nurturing, the fact remains: A father is one of the most powerful beings on the face of the earth." (Ken Canfield, The Heart of a Father)
The first blessing every boy needs to hear from his father is, "I love you". This blessing should be spoken directly and frequently to the son, and not just implied. The son needs to hear these life- giving words often and in different contexts during the course of their relationship (childhood through adulthood). God modeled this first principle as a father himself in Matthew 3:17a when he spoke these words at Jesus' baptism; "This is my Son, whom I love%u2026." Knowing that your father loves you no matter what is not only foundational but crucial to healthy masculine development. Hearing "I love you" from your father is a treasure to a son's heart he will cherish all of his life.
The next masculine blessing a father needs to impart to his son is, "I am proud of you". On Zac's FAQ page we read his father's response when asked why parents would allow a 16 yr old to take on such a daunting challenge; "He knows we are as proud as can be that he has set this goal and achieved so much. If he chose to stop tomorrow, we would welcome him home with open arms." Again, God gives us a clear example when we read God's blessing to Jesus as he stood in the Jordon River after his baptism; "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
The third blessing every boy needs to receive from his father is, "You are good at%u2026." A father's acknowledgement of his son's skills or character qualities is priceless. A boy stands taller when his achievements are honored by his father. Again, a quote from Zac's website (www. zacsunderland.com) by his father when asked how any parent could allow their child to do such a dangerous thing, "I would not recommend that any 16-year-old do this trip. Zac has had so much experience already at sea and is the type of person who needs a challenge. It is a good fit for him. He is smart, strong, level headed and is able to figure things out." Wow, what a blessing of affirmation, understanding, and confidence from his dad!
Zac Sunderland may be in the middle of an epic journey and appears to be an exceptional boy, but he is no different than any other boy when it comes to the need for blessings from a father. These blessing are timeless and will resonate in a son's heart into his adulthood. What a great opportunity we have as fathers to leave a legacy of blessings in our son's life. Don't miss the opportunity to bless your son--he will love you for it.
Great Stuff on Amazon
