On this Father’s Day let us reflect with gratitude for the men who have formed our values, confirmed our identities and affirmed our gifts and talents. They have encouraged, supported and taught us how to navigate life’s challenges. Sometimes this has occurred without our even realizing we are being tutored, trained and taught because they did it by example. These men are the forgotten ones because today having the presence of a Father is made to be unimportant to the development of children.

Our culture seems to give a head nod to the fact that fatherlessness is the major underlying cause of poverty and crime. The facts bear it out that the majority of prison inmates had no father in the home. This fact is acknowledged but still men or denigrated on television, movies and media as being irrelevant to a child’s life. Let us turn this tide and refuse to support those who perpetrate this lie on the American people. We need to build our men up and encourage them to be the men that God created them to be and to raise their sons to be God’s men.

This Father’s Day week let us appreciate and thank the men around us who live up to their responsibilities and love their role as Dad. Let them know how important they are in the development of their children and grandchildren. So I say thank you to the men in my life who are striving to be the best they can be in order to set the example for their children. They are heroes! Happy Father’s Day!!!