Helen Tyte

Fathers

Father God,

We thank you for fathers who balance the demands of their jobs and family life with joy and sacrifice, and those new to fatherhood, or who are just about to become dads. Give them patience, strength, joy, and the gift of being loving, supportive and present.

We pray for forgiveness and reconciliation when father relationships have stumbled or broken.

We give thanks for fathers who have remained in their children’s lives despite breakdowns in relationships.

We praise adoptive and foster fathers, stepdads and granddads, who have chosen the task of fatherhood in place of absent dads. We also think about the women who have stepped into these roles, and anybody who has nurtured us.

We remember fathers who have lost a child, and children who have lost their dads, and thank you for the promise of resurrection through Jesus.

We pray for comfort for the men who want to be fathers, for those undergoing fertility treatment and those without partners.

We express our gratitude to men who have “fathered” us in their role as mentors and guides.

We give thanks to you, our Father God.

Amen

Strength of a Mountain

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … Dad

– Anonymous