Many people assume Father’s Day (and Mother’s Day) is a holiday created by greeting card makers to turn a profit. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The story behind how this day became a holiday is actually a tale of determination by one woman and a decades-long fight to get fathers the recognition they deserve.

The first local Father's Day was in Spokane, WA, in 1907. It took a long time and a lot of effort, but President Johnson recognized it in 1966. However, it was in 1972 that it became a National Holiday. Mother's Day was recognized as a National Holiday in 1915.

Many fathers in the Bible teach us pieces of what it means to be a father.

Adam: the first father – his job was to be the protector and provider for Eve and his family. We see the consequences of poor choices, complexities of relationships, all of which mirror the dilemmas we all face as fathers. Lesson: We as fathers will always be caught in a dilemma that we will need to confront. If the first man struggled, let’s not give up when we struggle.

Noah: Here was a righteous father who showed us unwavering faith in the goodness of God and complete dedication to his family in a very corrupt world, which we are facing today. Lesson: Noah is an example of a father's role in protecting his family, no matter the circumstances or outcome. Protect your family's being, trust God’s commands, and trust in the goodness of God.

Father of the Prodigal Son: While this parable is not a true story, it has many lessons about fatherhood. The son had left the family, he went wild, spent his portion of the father's inheritance, and then came crawling back, repentantly, to the father. How many of us as fathers have had kids who went astray or are still astray from the family and God? This is heartbreaking! No other way to say it – heartbreaking! Lesson: What do we learn about God and about our role as a father from how this father responded to his child when he came back?

Celebrating Fathers Today: What do we celebrate about Fathers today?

1. No one has more long-term influence than a father in a child's life. We have all sorts of negative examples, of course, but we have many positive examples. If you are a dad who struggled with your dad, find a positive mentor who can help you parent in a way that you will be pleased. None of us is perfect – we all need support.
2. Every dad wants to succeed at being a good parent for his kids. Do not be afraid to reach out for support, help, and guidance. We can rarely do well what we have not experienced or witnessed in the “doing well” category.
3. Do not give up on your children. It can be very hard as kids get older, if they have fallen away from the family or God. Trust that the Holy Spirit is working in their lives to bring them to Himself, which most often leads back to you as well.

Men: what you are doing as a father is a good and Godly thing. Our children learn so much about what they think of God through their relationship with you.

1. Pray for your children every day. Love them unconditionally with Godly standards.
2. Involve yourself in their life – they know they are important because you have put aside other things to involve yourself with them.
3. Bring other Godly Men around your kids. They see the love of God in other families who are connected with you, and they learn this is the way to live, under the power and love of God Almighty!

Happy Father's Day – God has a great calling on your life, which is to represent Him to your children!!