Ridgell's Originals

Several asked if I would share some of my thoughts from last Sunday on Dads.  I had two main reasons for the material I shared in class.  One was to inspire, motivate, and equip Dads -- of whatever age.  The second was to equip us all with Scripture to use in counseling, encouraging, and helping Dads.  All of us from time to time have the opportunity to give advice and counsel.  I am convicted that as Christians, that advice should come out of God's Word.  So when you are helping a Dad, you will find that Scripture speaks to almost any situation where a Dad may find himself needing advice or help.

And remember that I believe Dads come in many forms.  There are birth Dads, Dads who adopt, "church" Dads, single Dads, Moms who have to be Dads, Dads who only get to parent every other weekend, and Granddads who have to be Dads.  There are men preparing to be Dads, and Dads who have grown kids and grandkids.

I won't share every point I made, but over the next few posts I will give a few of them.

The first is the goal and aim of every Dad is from Joshua 24:15 and there are two parts in this quote.

"... choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve..."  

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord".


Raising Godly children starts with a choice.  Dad's choice.  You must choose to serve God.  You will not be effective by telling your kids to to do something you have not.  You can't take them to somewhere you are not.  So make your choice first.  Then you are not pointing the way, you are showing the way.  Remember that you lead from the front.  Follow me.  

Then when you have made your choice to serve God, you lead your children to make that choice.  Your job as a Dad is to equip your kids to make a choice for God.  Ultimately it is their choice, not yours.  So your job is to teach them to choose God.  Just like you have done.

Get this one choice right and nothing else matters.  Not really.  Not who they marry, not what they do for a living, not what they accomplish academically, socially, or athletically.  If they make the one great choice for God, everything else will fall into place.

And by the way, for all the single women and girls growing up, pick a mate who has made that choice.  That is the one most important thing to look for in your husband and the father of your kids.  Has he chosen Jesus.

So Dads you only really have one thing to teach your kids:  choose God.