Happy Father’s Day old man!!! I cannot believe this is my 19th year to celebrate you as my daddio, but I am ecstatic about it. And to prove it, I thought I would take some time to brag on you to my blog audience (shoutout to whoever is reading this).

Dear Padre,

Here is a list of a few incredible things that I think stand out about your character and dad-ness.

1. Your love for me is astounding. I fail so many times and yet your arms are still wide open, ready to pick me up (after some cold discipline #parenting). But I cannot thank you enough for your constant love. I am so lucky to have a dad that truly does his best to resemble his Heavenly Father by how he loves others.

2. Your belief in me warms my heart. Through my biggest dreams and pursuits, you have been there telling me to “take a leap” and follow after the desires of my heart (as they align with Scripture) and your support has given me the confidence to move forward time and time again. You prayerfully encouraged me to pursue college volleyball but have also continually reminded me to stay humble in my success as well as my failures. What a testament to your character.

3. Your diligent work ethic has taught me to work hard for what I want. When I have failed, you have been there to tell me to get back up and try again. You have never let me feel comfortable with failure or crumble under one bad day, but instead revealed the truth that life is not easy and you have to work for what you want. This blunt truth has helped mold me into the person I am today.

4. You have a heart of gold. You are the definition of a giver. This individual characteristic is particularly hard to find in our broken world. People give, but normally with selfish motives. However, you give out of your love for Jesus. The work you do is always to provide for your family, and there is pure joy on your face when you have the opportunity to give. You have shown me the importance of generosity and seeking ways to help those in need.

5. You pursue truth first. Everything you do is backed by Scripture and thoroughly prayed through. You know the Word of God and live by it, yet you continue to learn and grow in your faith daily. You do not only do what is right, but what is WISE. You deny temptation before it arises through a firm grasp of Scripture and strong boundaries, and you have taught me to do the same.

6. You are a futuristic thinker. You do not allow yourself to settle for this world, but are always reminding me of what is to come in Heaven, with our true Father. You keep me grounded and thinking about being a Kingdom-maker instead of a worldly liver. When I get caught up in fleeting things and get hurt by the people around me, you turn me to God’s Word to see where my treasure and identity truly lies.

7. Your faith amazes me. Through this roller coaster called life and all the ups and downs that come with it, your trust remains solely in the living God. I have personally watched God bless you for your deep faithfulness and reliance on Him (hit me up after you read this and I’ll give you some pretty amazing examples), but I have truly seen God’s presence in your life and how he is using you to lead people to Him. He uses you everyday to draw me to Himself, so I cannot imagine how many lives have been impacted by your reliance on God.

8. Finally, you give all the credit to Jesus. You are quick to turn the spotlight away from yourself and onto Him, because without Him, we are nothing. And one thing I know for sure is that you are someone who selflessly understands this and embraces any opportunity God gives you to thank Him for this life. You are a living example of how I want to trust in Jesus. So dad, thank you for being you. You’ve set a pretty high bar for all the other dads out there.

Friends, if you read this far, I want to make one thing clear. I do not have a perfect dad. He makes mistakes just like the rest of us. However, I do have a dad that loves Jesus with his whole heart and can therefore display God’s love to me, making him a pretty special guy.

I love you dad and appreciate you always!

-With love from your favorite daughter, Megs