“I have come to understand that God not only wanted me to lead a football team but also to be the spiritual leader of my home….Success as the spiritual leader in my home means more than anything because its bigger than me.”

Tony Romo, Forward from Take A Knee

Tony was right, being a spiritual leader or father is much bigger than you or me, which is why we must rely on The Lord. As a dad, you are the most powerful person in the world in your children’s lives. If you don’t have it together, there is no way they can either. So in honor of Father’s Day, I wanted to pass along five thoughts regarding how to be an effective father. 1. An effective father has his priorities together in the following areas: P e r s o n a l A r e a | As a father, you have to get your “stuff” together! Who you are is more important than what you do because who you are will determine what you do. If you want to work on “who you are,” check out Matthew 5-7 where Jesus talks about character development. M a r i t a l A r e a | If you do not have it together personally, you will not have it together martially. As a husband, you are to love your wife as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25) and you are to lead her as Christ lead the church (Ephesians 5:23). Trust me guys, your children are watching how you treat your wife! P a r e n t a l A r e a | Your presence, as a father, in your children's life is vital to their growth, development and maturity. Be present, be involved and love them unconditionally. P r o f e s s i o n a l A r e a | As an effective father, you have to carry yourself with integrity in the work place. You cannot be one person at work and another person at home. Your character at the office affects your character in your marriage and your ability to be an effective father. 2. An effective father has the right attitude Your attitude is more important than action because attitudes determine actions! 3. An effective father communicates his love You do this through giving your children quality time (undivided attention), showing interest and listening. Every child needs to hear that you, as their father, love them. 4. An effective father affirms his children in every way Verbal compliments, or words of appreciation, are powerful communicators of love. They are best expressed in simple, straightforward statements, such as, "You look sharp in that suit." Or "You played a wonderful game today. I am so proud of how your kept your eye on the ball when you were at the plate." 5. An effective father is dependent upon The Lord. The secret to Godly, responsible children is a Godly, responsible dad! Seek the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.

We hope you will grab your children and together take a few minutes to watch this video of John going into detail regarding the five points above at the Metrodome in Minneapolis to 62,000 dads just like you! Being a dad is a big deal. It the biggest and most important job you will ever have. It’s also a job that is bigger than you, so don't try to do it alone, but rather seek the Lord daily and he will show you how to be a great dad. As the saying goes, your children to a large extent will become just like you! Do you want your children to become like you?

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07 Jun How to be an effective father

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