My wife and I have been married for more than 23 years but were married as the result of becoming pregnant at the ages of 19. We never considered alternatives such as abortion or adoption, and I had a strong conviction to live up to my responsibility as a father (even though I had no idea what that meant at the time). With love and support from our parents and family, we persevered.

We’ve since had two more amazing kids, and I’ve lived up to my promise of being a dad—a really good dad. But despite beating the odds of divorce and having raised three great kids, looking back, I know I left a lot on the table in terms of being a good leader in the home.

For years, I was complacent with a mundane routine not atypical of most fathers, but I lacked real vision. I’m talking about a vision for my emotional health and well-being, for my physical fitness, finances, etc. I lacked a clear vision for how and where I was leading not only myself but my family.

This lack of leadership by dads is a massive problem in our society right now. Too many men are distracted, focused on the wrong things, or have priorities not conducive to healthy family life.

For decades, men have been taught that they should hide their feelings—that being vulnerable is somehow a sign of weakness. As a result, there’s a lot of men that are unable to feel love, or unable to express their love to their family. This is a real problem and as fathers, we need to take steps to change the status quo before the next generation is damaged beyond repair.

I see endless potential in my kids—as many parents see in their children—but the odds of them reaching this potential and fulfilling the purpose that God has planned for their lives rests on our shoulders. It starts with us and our ability to lead them away from what the world has to teach them and towards something greater.

To be the best dad we can be—to gain that clear vision for how we should lead ourselves and our families—occurs when we truly understand the higher calling that’s been placed on fatherhood by our own Heavenly Father.

Real power exists at the intersection of our love for our kids and Biblical principles that have the power to transform the lives of our families. This is why The Inspired Legacy exists and why I’m excited to finally launch this podcast. Through my conversations with pastors, authors, doctors, experts in all aspects of life including fitness, finance, business, and more, I hope to celebrate the gift that we call fatherhood, equip men to boldly lead their loved ones down a path of greater purpose, and illustrate the love of Christ—the same love our families deserve from us, ultimately living a meaningful life as a father, leaving a lasting legacy with zero regrets.

I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I hope you’ll join me in the next episode of The Inspired Legacy Podcast.

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018: Suicide Recovery & Prevention | with Brad Hearst

The Inspired Legacy PodcastBy Mark HendersonSep 15, 2019