Happy Father’s Day!

[Guest post from Mark Conner]

Happy father’s day to all the dads out there. Becoming a father is one of the true joys in life. Let’s take time to thank, honour and encourage the dads in our world today,

This picture is of 3 of my fathers. In the middle is my dear dad, Kevin Conner. He never knew his father but did his best to be the father he never had to me and Sharon. I miss him. To the right is Richard Holland, a spiritual father to me who always believed in and encouraged me as long as I can remember. To the left is Len Meyer, my father-in-law. He doesn’t like attention. But he is one of the kindest, smartest, humblest, and most generous people you will ever meet. Love you, Opa!

Back to my dad … In 2004, I wrote him the following letter on Father’s Day. Today I am reminded of why I am so grateful for my dad.

To My Dad, Kevin Conner, Happy Father’s Day!

Twelve reasons why you’ve such a great dad:

1. You have always set an example in your relationship with God through prayer and love for the Bible. This has given me a desire to know God and please Him.

2. You always loved and respected mum when she was alive. This has taught me to love and respect Nicole.

3. You have always put God first and followed His call for your life above all else. This has taught me to value the call of God and pursue it fervently.

4. You have always encouraged and believed in me. This has given me confidence and a belief that my heavenly Father loves me and desires my best.

5. You have always stood for integrity and righteousness in all your actions. This has given me a strong desire to live in holiness and to please God in all I do and say.

6. You have always kept a clear conscience free from bitterness and resentment even in the face of injustice. This has given me a desire to forgive all who hurt or offend me knowing that God will work all things out for my good.

7. You have always lifted other people by helping them in any way you can. This has given me a love for people and a desire to make others successful.

8. You have always built your life on Biblical principles and endeavoured to put God’s Word into practise in every area of your life. This has given me a love for God’s word and a desire to discover its relevance to all areas of life.

9. You have always taken ministry seriously and never used it for your own ends. This has given me a respect for the privilege of being in ministry and a desire to be responsible to God for all I do.

10. You have always honoured God with your finance and I have seen his blessing on you. This has given me confidence that God will supply all my needs as I put him first.

11. You have always had a humble, open spirit to Christians and ministers from all backgrounds and denominations. This has given me a love for the body of Christ and a hatred for exclusiveness and pride.

12. You have been consistent all your life without ever losing your love and enthusiasm for God. This has given me a desire to run my race to the end without ever giving up or throwing it in whatever the cost.

Thank you for being a great dad and giving me a strong foundation for the future of my family. I pray I will be able to pass these things on to my family and to others so that a Godly generation may arise.

I love you!

Mark