(ThyBlackMan.com) Going into the new year Pastors, Bishops, Apostles, Priests and others of religious faiths should pray over all fathers. Now more than ever in history do we need spiritual guidance, wisdom and protection.
I’m a father, educator and mentor, I want to inspire and motivate fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers, fathers to be, divorced fathers and even absentee fathers, men who are guardians: to be the best men their families, children, communities, and churches need.
Difficult times and many challenges are around us; spiritually, economically, educationally, environmentally and politically.
As men we should be taking the lead in the direction to move to care for our loved ones, our communities and supporting our churches. Fathers have a historical responsibility and spiritual accountability to place our families 
above our personal needs. We cannot nor should not be selfish in our love for family, devotion to God, giving to community and mentoring to youth. These things as men we should pray and act on to improve ourselves.
1. Fathers, should go to Jesus in prayer and pray with their children and families. Leading prayer as the leader of the household.
2. Fathers, make mistakes, but own up to them and correct the mistakes they have made. Working not to repeat them and modeling responsibility.
3. Fathers, discipline their children with love and not with physical violence, verbal degradation or emotional manipulation.
4. Fathers, take their children/families to church and bible study to receive the Word of God and meditate on these words to empower, inspire and strengthen the family unit.
5. Fathers, are not perfect and should not try to be perfect, ask God for wisdom, direction and discernment.
6. Fathers, don’t blame others for their weakness, but work to strengthen themselves in the Word of God through prayer and reading of scripture.
7. Fathers, will not “follow the guys” when they are disrespecting women, this sets an inappropriate and dangerous model for their sons to follow.
8. Fathers, don’t block their children’s anointing with ungodly actions and modeling that may be repeated by their children as they mature into adults.
9. Fathers, ask for discernment to recognize the signs of trouble, chaos and confusion before they happen.
10. Fathers, model respect for the spirit of the church and church representation.
11. Fathers, lead grace/prayer at meal time and anoint their children with oil.
12. Fathers, should be able to purchase their daughters personal items and be proud in doing so. Setting a standard of respect, pride and responsibility for the young lady he protects and loves.
13. Fathers, promote education in the household. Reading should come before video games, television or play time.
14. Fathers, talk to their children about drugs and sex before the street or television does.
15. Fathers, do not whine about what “HIS” daddy did not do for him, but follow a model indicative of Godly men and accountability.
16. Fathers, do not blame where he came from for his short-comings. He focuses on where he is going in a positive direction.
17. Fathers, takes time to visit their children’s school and talk to teachers about their children’s progress, strengths, and challenges.
18. Fathers, will happily sacrifice for their family, showing how God’s love sacrificed for all of us.
19. Fathers, accept responsibility for their children’s actions. Remembering that “the apple does not fall far from the tree.” Fathers recognize and work to stop generational curses so a new and positive direction is made for his children.
20. Fathers, will visit their children and spend time with them even though he may not be present in the home. A true father takes responsibility for a life that they helped create and a true mother/woman allows the father to do this and puts her feelings aside to allow a father to be a father.
21. Fathers, aren’t afraid to show love to their children, children still need reinforcement that they are loved and respected by their father. Love cannot be bought, bartered, compromised, sold, exchanged. Love is a action word and actions speak louder than words.
22. Fathers, spend time just being together with their children and doing things their children like and will remember doing.
23. Fathers, teach your child to be responsible and accountable for their actions. Not to blame others for their actions or think they are owed anything. Respect is always earned.
24. Fathers must teach and model respect to women for their sons and respect to men by their daughters. Sex must be taken seriously not as a game, violence is not acceptable by men or women. Fathers must lead in the understanding of this.
25. Fathers must teach respect, honor, and fear of the Lord.
Quote: A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom; and that it is by God’s power that he is upheld and provided for, and that he needs God’s wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him to do what he ought to do for Him. Edwards, Jonathan
Staff Writer; William D. Jackson
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