What Kind Of Daddy Do You Have?
A college student in Manila called up his Mom in the province.
“Mom, I need money,” he asked. “Can you send money over please?”
“Sure,” the mother said. “By the way, there’s a Math textbook you left here at home. I’ll send it over with the money.”
“Uh, oh yeah, Ok,” her son answered.
His mother sent the money and the book.
Later that day, the father asked his wife, “How much money did you send?”
She said, “I sent two checks. One was a P1000 check and the other was a P100,000 check.”
“What?” cried the father in shock. “That’s huge!”
His wife smiled. “That’s okay Honey. I taped the P1000 check on the cover of his Math textbook. I then inserted the P100,000 check somewhere in chapter 25 of his Math textbook. Believe me, he won’t find it.”
Your relationship with God is like a Math textbook. Because I believe the biggest blessings of God for your life are in “chapter 25”—when you go beyond the surface and go deeper in this relationship with God.
My goal today is to bring you to chapter 25 in your relationship with God.
Let me tell you how.
I want to start a new series today I’ll playfully call, OMG! If you don’t know what that means, LOL. (For those my age who didn’t grow up with chat and IM and facebook: OMG! means Oh my God and LOL means Laugh out loud.)
For the next five weeks, I want to help you get to know God more—which will deepen your trust in Him. And the more you trust Him, the more you’ll be open to His blessings for your life.
I’ve met a lot of people who don’t trust God because they don’t know Him. They’re confused with misrepresentations of who God is.
Here’s what I learned: Your problems are big because your God is small.
Before Anything Else, God Is Daddy
I just arrived from the US the other day.
It was my shortest trip ever: Four days!
But I had to do it.
I was there to meet a very special man who was a spiritual mentor to Presidents, Kings, Prime Ministers, and other heads of government. In other words, he disciples them to follow Jesus. He’s awesome.
This spiritual giant has been working in the United Nations for the past 25 years. Each month, he holds 30+ face-to-face meetings with heads of government, ambassadors, and other high-level officials, guiding them how to lead their country using the Bible.
So for three whole days, I sat around his table (we were just four students—myself, two bishops, and a secretary general) to learn one thing: How to disciple Heads of States. It was mind-blowing.
So on my way back, I felt very important too.
I mean, how couldn’t I?
I spent three days with a guy who takes phone calls from Presidents and Prime Ministers before he has breakfast. How cool is that?
But the moment my plane landed in Manila, everything became clear to me. I knew the first Heads of States I would meet.
That entire day, upon arriving from the airport, I spent time with the two Kings who’ve conquered my heart since I saw them: My two boys—ages 9 and 4.
Together, we did very high-level, critical, world-changing, life-altering work.
We drew robots and airplanes.
We played with little cars.
We played a video game (I lost, as usual).
We jumped around the coach.
Why did I spend the entire day with them?
Because I believe that before I’m a preacher, writer, leader, missionary, and businessman, I’m a father.
And I suspect that God will say the same thing. This is just my personal opinion. I think before God is supreme judge and king of kings of the entire universe, He’s a Father. That’s why when someone asked Jesus, “Teach us how to pray,” He answered, “Say this: Our Father…”
The original word that Jesus used for “Father” is Abba, which doesn’t really translate to Father but Daddy or Papa. It was what a little baby would call his father.
But as I played with my boys yesterday, I began to think of all the other children who don’t experience what they experience. And I believe that one of the reasons why we don’t know God as Father is because of the wrong fatherhood we’ve experienced.
Specifically, I thought of four of my friends: Emmanuel, Grace, Dulce, and Fides. I’ve changed their names to protect their privacy.
But unfortunately, their stories are true.
Invisible Fathers
My friend Emmanuel’s father was a lawyer. Later on, he became a judge and was promoted all the way to the Supreme Court.
Emmanuel was proud of his father. But when our conversations became intimate, he’d tear up, and tell me that he rarely saw his father. When he woke up, his father was rushing out for his breakfast meetings. In the evenings, his father wasn’t home yet.
Emmanuel grew up knowing his father was an important man doing very important things. But as he grew up, he realized he wasn’t one of these important things his father did.
Years later, Emmanuel came to know God in a personal way. Yet for years, he wondered how important he really was in God’s heart.
Autistic Fathers
Some fathers are physically present at home.
But they don’t engage their kids.
Instead, they’re wrapped up in their own world. Either watching TV or surfing the web. That’s why I call them autistic fathers.
Many years ago, I met Grace. She told me that as a child, her goal in life was to make her father smile at her. Because he never did.
Oh, she would find him laughing with his barkada.
But never to her.
One day, she came home with very high grades on her report card. In her heart, she hoped that perhaps today, he would smile at her.
But when she gave him the report card, all her father did was look at it for two seconds, grunt, tossed it back, and went back watching TV.
Not one word of affirmation or appreciation.
Her little heart was crushed.
For years, Grace had a hard time imagining that God was pleased with her. She always imagined God having a perpetual frown on his face.
Cruel Fathers
Dulce’s father is the most barbaric father I’ve ever heard of in my life.
When she was 3 years old, he raped her.
Years later, she always had this nightmare of her head being pushed into a toilet bowl. She realized why. Because her father warned her not to tell anyone of the rape or he’d drown her in the toilet.
For the next ten years, for the slightest mistakes (such as a spilled glass of milk), her father would whip her with his belt until blood flowed. When he was lashing her, her mother would tell him, “Don’t hit her below the knees!” So that the wounds would be covered by her skirt.
He would then grab her ankles, hang her upside down, and bang her head on the floor. He would do this for thirty minutes until she stopped crying and was a lifeless rag in his hands. He would do this each week for ten long years.
Here’s the absurd fact of this story: Until the day he died, her father was an elder and deacon in church. To everyone else, he was an angel. Upon arriving home, he was the devil incarnate—and no one knew.
Dulce is now an adult but suffers massive physical, emotional, and spiritual torments. She has gone through 9 surgeries in various parts of her body. Her doctors discovered micro-strokes in her brain, caused by the head banging she suffered as a child. But her emotional pain was even more severe than her physical pain.
I’m happy to say that Dulce enjoys an intimate relationship with God. God has healed and continues to heal her. But it took years of healing and learning to trust a tender loving Father.
Unfaithful Father
Fides was still a small child when she saw her father walk out of their house carrying his suitcase. At that time, she didn’t know that he was abandoning her, her mother, and her two brothers for another woman.
Unlike her brothers who rebelled and got into drugs, Fides became even more obedient. She became even more responsible. Her school grades shot to the moon. Everyone praised her for being such a good girl.
Later on, Fides realized she blamed herself for the separation of her parents. Inexplicably, she believed that if she were only a better girl, her father would have never left. And for years, she secretly hoped that if she became that better girl, perhaps her father would come back.
For years, Fides’ relationship with God was also about buying His love. She would always try to be good to try to please Him—so He would love her. She had this constant fear that if she made one mistake, God would abandon her too.
May The Real God The Father
Please Stand Up?
For many Christians, it’s so much easier to pray to Jesus. After all, He died for our sins. He’s the sweet one. The Father was the mean guy who sent Jesus to die on the cross.
And for many Catholics, it’s so much easier to pray to Mother Mary than to God the Father. Because they believe Mary is more merciful than God. If you can’t go through the front door, go to the back door—Mary has the key.
Which is utterly preposterous.
We have these difficulties because we don’t know who the Father really is.
The Father and the Son are one. And Mother Mary is a beautiful reflection of God’s love for us.
May the real God The Father please stand up?
I changed the names of our four real-life characters. I chose each name deliberately to show you who God the Father is: He is Emmanuel, Grace, Dulce, and Fides.
Daddy Is Emmanuel
A tribe in Africa had a very scary manhood ritual.
When a boy turned 12, the entire community gathered around him for this once-in-a-life-time chanting and dancing ceremony. The elderly women painted red die on his face. His mother gave him a beaded necklace. And the tribal chieftain handed him a long knife with a carved wooden handle.
By nightfall, he was blindfolded and led by six men into the middle of the forest. Once deep inside, the men left him. Alone. In total pitch darkness.
The instruction was simple. Survive until dawn, and he gets accepted as a real man in the tribe.
But the young boy knew very well that the forest was an incredibly dangerous place. It was the home of tigers. Snakes. Bears. Hyenas.
And so for the entire night, this scrawny little 12-year-old boy was now all alone in the forest. The entire night, he held his knife trembling in his hand. Not for one moment could he rest. Try as he might, his eyes could see nothing but shadows around him. In his imagination, every little sound—even a leaf swaying in the wind—was a wild animal ready to pounce on him at any moment.
The whole night, he could hear his heart pounding in his chest.
When his terror overwhelmed him, tears ran down his cheeks. He wanted to shout, “I’m just a little boy! I’m not ready yet to be a man!” But who could hear him now? He was all alone.
But after many hours of fighting his fear and exhaustion, his eyes could see more clearly. Dawn was approaching. The first shafts of sunlight pierced through the thick canopy of leaves above him.
That was when the little boy felt something move behind him.
In terror, he turned around.
And there, standing tall on a rock behind him, was the towering figure of a fierce-looking man holding a long spear.
The boy shouted, “Daddy!”
The father smiled.
“When did you arrive?” the boy asked, “Are you here to pick me up?”
The father said, “Before you arrived last night, I was already here. I stood guard, protecting you the whole time. I never left you for one moment, my son.”
Daddy is Emmanuel—which means God with us.
Friend, I don’t know what darkness you’re going through right now. Perhaps you’re praying for your child who is on drugs. Or your husband is having an affair. Or you’re having financial problems right now. Remember that in your darkness, God is with you. He will never leave or abandon you.
When you’re in pain, God embraces you and feels your pain. He weeps with you. Because Daddy is Emmanuel.
Daddy is Grace
When I think of Grace giving her very high report card to her father—and all he did was grunt—I remember my own experience with my report card.
When I was in grade school, my report card had red marks. (At least, it was colored. Yours was just black and white.) Because I failed in Math and Pilipino.
That day, I went up to Mom and showed her my report card.
All she said was, “Show it to your father.”
Gulp. Oh boy. I walked up to Dad and gave it to him.
He read it, nodded his head, and handed it back to me, and said, “Son, just study some more.”
No spanking. No scolding. No disapproval.
He then said, “Let’s eat.”
That’s why for the rest of my academic life, I kept failing. (Hehe.)
I guess Dad knew that my brilliance wasn’t in academics. It would bloom elsewhere. (Ahem.)
I thank God for having parents who loved me whether I performed in school or not. They just loved me, period. Unconditionally.
Daddy means Grace. Grace means gift.
Two weeks ago, my son Bene came up to me and showed me his Math exam. He was sad because out of 100 points, he got 92. I couldn’t help but laugh. Because if I got 92, my mother would have fainted. Because when I was a kid, out of 100 points, I would get 36. One time, I got 28. I would show those test papers to Dad. And all he’d say was, “Just do better next time.”
Grace means “free gift”.
Here’s my point: You don’t have to please God so that He loves you. He loves you as you are. He accepts you totally.
I don’t care what sin you committed. I don’t care how many times you’ve done it. God loves you and will forgive you of your sins. It will be this love that will bring you to repentance and a new life.
Because Daddy is grace.
Daddy Is Dulce
Dulce means sweet.
I believe God is the sweetest Daddy in the world.
A few years ago, I was in a preaching tour in the US.
I remember one big event. After the last song, I was signing my books. There was an unusually long line of people who wanted my autograph. In front of me were four ushers telling people to wait for their turn.
That was when someone ran past the long line of people, squeezed himself in between the ushers, and ducked underneath the table. He then climbed on my lap, handed me a bottle of water, and said, “Please open, Daddy. I’m thirsty.”
Bene was four years old at that time.
Obviously, I stopped signing books and opened his bottle.
How could Bene do that? Because he was my son and I was his Daddy.
He was confident that I wouldn’t reject him. He knew that I loved him more than the entire world.
This is what Jesus meant when he taught us the “Our Father”.
Like Bene, we too can run to God, climb on his lap, and ask for what we need.
Because Daddy is dulce.
Daddy Is Fides
I like to believe I’m a good father.
But I’m nothing compared to Dick Hoyt and his love for his son Rick.
In 1962, while baby Rick was in the womb of his mother, he was strangled by the umbilical cord—causing a lack of oxygen in his brain. He suffered cerebral palsy and couldn’t speak or control his arms or legs.
As an eight month old baby, doctors told Dick and his wife Judy to place the child in an institution. “Because he was going to be a vegetable all his life,” they said. But the parents refused and brought him home. Dick promised that he would try to give his son as normal a life as possible.
Fast forward today: Dick learned that Rick loved sports. After a lot of pain and exercise (Dick wasn’t athletic), he pushed Rick in a wheelchair in a 5 kilometer run. After the Run, Rick said that while he was in the race, he didn’t feel an invalid.
That was the start of a great adventure. Today, this father-and-son team has participated in 66 marathons and 229 triathlons.
While running, Dick would push his son in a wheelchair.
While swimming, Dick would pull him in a rubber boat.
While biking, Dick would carry him at the front of his bike.
When I watched the life of Dick and Rick Hoyt, I saw a glimpse of God’s love. This is the Father’s love for you.
I don’t know about you, but I must admit that I’m handicapped in many areas of my life. I’ve got weaknesses I still battle to this day.
But in this adventure called life, I’ve experienced my God pushing me, pulling me, and carrying me in his arms.
I know God does the same to you.
Fides means faith. The root word for faithfulness.
God has faith in you. He believes in you.
Daddy is fides.
Next week, I’ll talk about God as Leader.
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
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This is so beautiful.very touching and moving.
Thank you Bo for sharing this. May God always bless you.
Wow! Very nice and inspiring article. It made us know God more. Thanks Bro Bo!
Cheers,
Sha Nacino
hi bro bo,
This is another touching story. I’m proud to say that I’m one of the lucky and blessed few to have a very lovable father(and mom as well). One who would do all things possible to take care of their children. That’s why im also trying to give him/them comfort in every way I can possible just to show him how I appreciate everything that he has done. He and my mom joined forces to raise us as a much better individual in the best way they can possible.
Bo gave us a clear image of God: caring, faithful, so full of grace, and a God who is always on our side. Salamat sa napaka-moving na article. Di ko napansin na tapos ko na palang nabasa ang article… Praise God for giving us Bo!
I was so touched i cried. Thank you Bro Bo for sharing this to us. May you continue to inspire us. More power!
You don’t have to please God so that He loves you. He loves you as you are. He accepts you totally.
I don’t care what sin you committed. I don’t care how many times you’ve done it. God loves you and will forgive you of your sins. It will be this love that will bring you to repentance and a new life.
Thank you for this Sir Bo… It helps a lot to me… As a Father and as a SOn…
hi Bo, the message is loud and clear and it gives a lot of thoughts to ponder on. i represent a little of what you described and i hope to do better as a Dad with the inspiring thoughts you gave. thanks a lot and more power, and keep on inspiring us…
what an inspiring article, Bro Bo! and its my dear departed Daddy’s birthday today, what a beautiful coincidence. God bless you more!
Seeing this entry made me remember that while I have issues with my own father I also see that he is a good man with unlimited patience and he had always provided me with practical advice.
One of the things I will never forget is the fact he would see me off before I go to work, this was the time I was working as a call center agent where the hours are so unusual. It was affecting his health and I told my mother that he better stop seeing me off to work at 2am (I’m 29 already), but my mom said he wanted to do that as he would not be able to rest until I actually get in the cab and send him an SMS that I am safe.
He was relieved when I quit my job.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
This is very heartwarming and inspiring.
May GOD continue to shower you with all HIS blessings which you lovingly and willingly share to all of us!
GOD Bless!
a very heart warming and nourishing article!(as always!) i almost cried! if i was not only in the internet shop, i believe i would have cried! a very timely reflection! thank you very much Bo! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Thank you so much for your inspiring article. I’m so blessed that I still have my father to express my love and how fortunate Iam having having him as my Tatay.
Catching up with 20 years were apart for him being an OFW in KSA. Now that both of us are in UAE we have time to be a Tatay and a daughter once more.
Love you Tatay.
Bo,
OMG!!! Very inspiring, touching..
Thank you!
Wow Bro Bo. This is a very inspiring article. Thanks for inspiring us..
More power. I know GOD will bless us more.
Speechless. It’s so beautiful yet so true!
Thanks for more inspiration that comes through your writing.
Looking forward for your sequels. GBU always, Bro Bo!
very touching brother bo. thanks
Thank you so much Bro. Bo. Most often, I cry when I read your stories but the feeling when I cry is somewhat happy. Tears of joy, kumbaga dahil talagang nakaka-inspire ang mga articles ninyo. My son just approached me and told me that he got a “zero” in his debate presentation. He was very disappointed & nervous when he approached me. I told him to just try better next time and to prepare well. Coincidence, I was opening your email when my son approached me. Thank you so much again. May God continue to shower you & your family with abundant blessings!
WOW!!!
another very inspiring article…
thanks kua bo for inspiring us always,,,
more power and god bless you always!!!
It’s as if you’re speaking in front of me. I feel every words you\’ve written on this article. It\’s as if you know exactly what\’s on my mind. I just lost my wallet with all my money last saturday It was supposed to pay bills, credit cards, groceries, allowance and specially a gift for my dad onhis birthday tomorrow. I started asking God WHY? I badly needed the money…are you testing me oh Lord? i guess this article answered my questions. God need not to test my for my love unto him. He will listen and he knows exactly what i needed even before i ask him. He loves me even if i am sometimes doubtfull of his greatness. For the lost money : will i guess i could still live without it; God provides: God never abandons his children
another inspiring article! bro. bo… may god bless you always.. and keep on sharing such beautiful and inspiring stories!
bro.bo
i read this over and over again…it touches my heart..thank you very much…great realization……
It was very touching indeed… you make me feel so special after reading your article today… for having a wonderful and loving caring Tatang (as we called him)… he loved us unconditionally, all of us his children and being the youngest I felt his love more because when I was born he was already 50 yrs old and he wanted to spend more time with me. He’s always there for me. Now that he’s gone with the Lord, I really miss him. He’s a great father and I thank God for giving him to us.
Thank you very much Bo, for all the inspiring articles and messages you shared with us…more power and congratulations! God bless…
Thanks bro. Bo for this very inspiring and enlightening article. God Bless!
My father was a good father I pity those who are like in the stories of Bo, I have met some friends with same experiences as they have. My papa would have his own shortcomings but I thank God not only for papa but for mama and for the whole family for all the unfailing love, support and inspiration…
God Bless you more Bo..
Thanks for sharing this. I believe that I have one of the greatest dads in the world. This article made me appreciate and love my dad even more. =) may you continue to inspire everyone. Thank you for being a blessing to us.
Really an inspiring message for me….
I again remember how much our LOving GOD love me so much…
thank you
beautifully and wonderfully said… very spirit filled… Amen to this Bo. May God continue to be present in your life
Man, sorry but this took so long to read.
Just the same, its well and good.
Love it. Can I say, I feel like I don’t have a problem because I have GOD…
This is very inspiring.
thanks for sharing us the wonderful stories and experiences u had is so touchy msde me cry, so inspiring and educative. More power to you and your staff………Keep it up and do keep helping others by building a strong relationship with the LORD.
Thank you so much. You have enlightened me more about DADDY.
Keep it up BRO.
my father was a spoiled son. he was sort of irresponsible because most of his income, he spent for himself. but even though he was like that, he never spanked us or berated us for low grades and misdeeds during our younger years and even when we were already grown ups. he just smiled and would say tsk, tsk, tsk. yet we were more afraid of him or more in awe of him than of our mother who spanked and scolded us most of the time.but i do not say our mother was bad, her style was just different. i believe that was the way our father showed his love for us and that was the way we were disciplined, by not torturing us or physically hurting us. and we always remember him fondly
thanks a lot brother bo for keeping me always cry from all your sensible stories yet very informative about God’s unending love, the kind of cry that touches me deeply with answers to all our worries.It made me feel better once more…i just simply missed my Dad whom i believed has returned to our Great Father few years ago..they both are looking after me and my family…
Hi,Kuya Bo,
Thanks God for giving us a “Father”,on his image.
What an amazing story…thanks again
hi Bro Bo,
thank you so much for sharing us this inspiring stories. actually i am very blessed to have a father like mine because i saw and witnessed his battle to change his life, he used to be a drug addict for so many years. actually with your testimonies i have now the courage to face my problems here in dubai, UAE. i know that GOD will always be at my side to guide and protect me. please pray for me.
your post made me appreciate the fact that my Father in heaven gave me to my father here on earth.
i had an uneasy relationship with my father when i was a kid. i looked at him as this forbidding man who’d punish me every time i did wrong with i thought was too much enthusiasm and alacrity on his part. he also was so strict and spent too much time in the fields.
when i got to meet God the Father the first time a decade ago, i realized that what my father did was what a loving father would do despite the fact that it must’ve hurt him when he had to discipline me with a well-placed but firm smack on my hiney.
now, i have my mom and my dad to thank for who i am and what i can do today. i might not have understood the toughness of their love during the times when i was testing my and their limits but now i fully understand and appreciate that love.
and yest, their love was reflective of God the Father’s love for me: faithful, gracious, and ours no matter what we did or wherever we went. they may not have been showy in their affections but i knew i could roam the world and still have their support no matter what. that kind of love gave me courage to do the things i needed to do to realize my dreams. their love let me be, but it was there to catch me when i fell. (thank God i never fell much.)
your reflection made me teary-eyed because i don’t think i haven’t thanked them enough yet, despite thanking them before, for loving me the way they did. and i’m missing them, because i’m in strange shores and running to them whenever i skin my knees or bang my shins at this time could be way expensive.
may God continue to bless you in your ministry of helping befuddled children of His like me to keep close to Him and keep listening to Him speak. i thank God for you, bro. bo.
wow!
wow!
wow!
god bless you more bro!…father mario
Thanks Bro. Bo for this realization about God. I understand better why I’m acting this way as Dad to my kids.There’s a missing link somewhat in our relationship…I myself lost my Dad when I was 8yo and no father figure that I can rely on.I pray that I’l be abetter Dad now.
what a powerful message! you touched me deeply and tears just flowed. yes, its true, my Father loves me like i am the apple of His eyes.. a one on one relationship… as if i am the only one that matters to Him.. that’s His great love for all of us! a very, very special love….
hi Brother Bo.. thank you so much for this wonderful article.. i am crying right now.. i love God the Father …
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This is so nice. It really made me cry. Thanks Bo for sharing these inspiring stories. Nakakagaan ng pakiramdam.
Thanks for the beautiful article, Bo. Your children are truly blessed. In 2004 I attended an affair where Oprah Winfrey was a guest speaker. She shared her secret to success. As a little girl growing up in the poorest of conditions, she was told that she is a child of God and that God is her father. She believed that. And that is her secret to success. She believed and embraced the truth that God is her father.
God bless you, Bro. Bo, for being His instrument in talking to me… I’ve been bothered with a lot of thoughts about my own father and the father of my kids who have both abandoned us… I hope your message reaches out to more people because we have an increasing number of “fatherless families” right now…
Bo,
Masyado akong tinamaan. My name is even in your article. Thanks.
galing galing mo tlaga Bro. Bo,, God bless us all. pls continue to pray for us…
Sweet story, very funny post and touching entry. I was brought up by a Catholic and an Aglipayan, despite being fatherless, my grandparents, though different in religion names, made it a point that I don’t feel left out. I am now a Born-Again Christian, which enriched my faith more with God. I wish I could say the same about my ex-husband, but the fact remains that he still deserved respect from my children, he left us for another woman. I made a point with my children that my separation with their father doesn’t have anything to do with what they do and don’t do, it doesn’t have anything to do with their value because they are valued and loved period. I think a good prayer would be “Lord, I pray for your fatherly presence everyday for my children, evident until repentance (because children also have fallen nature too.), and to have favor in your eyes, everyday, prospering them in every step of the way.” Just sharing my thoughts.
it is so lovely..
sobrang tumatagos sa puso ko.
Thank you kasi ganito pala si Lord.
napakalimited ng tingin ko sa kanya.
Thank you for inspiring us Bo!
Praise God for your article! My father was dead long time (he passed away when i was 9 yrs old, i’m now 29) and reading this made me miss him evenmore. But it made me stronger and faithful knowing that God (my Father) never abandoned me otherwise, because for the past 8 yrs now, He’s been walking with me every step of my missionary work . Thank you for the affirmation & inspiration to do more for Him and with Him..my Super Dad! hehehe..:) God bless you and your ministry!
Very timely for me. I was praying last night to God and I told him I wonder if he really cares for me or does he really listen to my prayers. I have a lot of unanswered prayers. Maybe because I have a wrong fatherhood as you’ve said in your article though I have a stepfather. I haven’t seen my father since I was born though we’ve talked before over the phone only. Now, we don’t have communication anymore and I don’t know his whereabouts now. I hope he’s still alive and I still hope to see each other.
Bro. Bo,
Wish na sana tumagal at humaba pa ang service mo. And dumami pa ang kagaya mo. Marami kang natutulungan spiritually and emotionally…
May the Good Lord Bless us!.
Thanks
Belle
I can relate very much with this article brother Bo.
I would also like to add that for men struggling with same-sex attraction, the father-son relationship plays an important role.
I think that there is a crisis of manhood and fatherhood in our society today. No father is perfect, but I urge all the fathers out there to prioritize your family and spend more time to your children.
No amount of success in your profession or career can ever compensate for your failure at home and you as the head of your family will be answerable to God if you neglect to do your duty as the spiritual head and foundation of the family.
With your permission brother Bo, I would like to post links related to fatherhood in my blog here so that many people will come to understand how painful it is to be deprived of a father’s love. Visit these links:
http://couragephilippines.blogspot.com/2009/06/father-wound.html
http://couragephilippines.blogspot.com/2009/06/healing-mans-father-wound.html
Thanks brother Bo and keep inspiring people.
God bless.
I had watched the video about Dick Hoyt and his love for his son Rick. I think it was shown during one of the Feasts at Valle Verde… talagang nakakaiyak … amazing love.. grabe.. inspirational talaga ang pagmamahal ni Dick sa kanyang anak.. unconditional.. he accepted his son without questioning God… napakabait tlaga ni Lord… Bo sana dalasan mo pa ang write ups about God’s love.. yan ang need ng mga tao ngayon…
could you please quote some bible verses sa mga write ups mo…
also request lang din.. how do we know if fund raising is too much… how do we measure that? and how do we convince people to believe in worthy christian projects without forcing them to help?
My husband is on and off our house since last year because of his unfaithfulness as a husband.
My 3 sons have found a home in the Feast since my husband and i separated for the second time last May.
Last Sunday’s talk on God as Father is so touching that I saw my eldest son (17) and my second son (12) cry several times. I know their deep longing for a father but I know God has blessed us and loved us so much because this experiences and learnings in the Feast will truly make them good fathers someday.
reading this article seemed to be easy for me at first, until that fierce looking daddy appeared in the forest. tears came gushing out of my eyes instantly. I was amazed how could this story suddenly made me a cry baby. It was a funny experience… I missed my dad more, I loved my dad more.
Thank you very much brother Bo. You really know where to hit the spot and make our lives meaningful…
I was touched. I felt so special.
I’m really connected, thanks you so much, ang gaan-gaan ng feelings.
Fely
Hi Bo,
This article is just a great timing for me. My father had a stroke recently that made her half body paralyzed. since then, he started acting so different. he’s always mad, he says profane languages to my brothers and even accused mom of having an affair with another man (which is definitely just his imagination). I tried to talk to my dad and told him to just forget all the bad things that happened and move on. I told him to pray and ask for God’s guidance. but i knew he already given up, he already lose hope, he even stop praying and reading the bible. Bo, my dad is so hopeless now. no matter how we try to explain to him to move on and be strong he never wants to do anything anymore. as a result, we are all having a hard time dealing with him especially my mom.
Bo, please help me pray for my father. to never lose hope and to believe in God once more. help me pray that he may be able to enjoy the life and the many opportunities that God gave him. the chance to change for the good, the chance to make things better for him and for his family.
Thank you Bo for always giving me answers to my questions through your stories. Thank you for always being a blessing to all the people who really need spiritual strength. You are God’s gift to us. you are our grace - our free gift from God.
God Bless Bo.
Isel
ang gaan-gaan ng feelings, maraming salamat
sir Bo,
maybe if im not in the office my tears goes into flood..hehehe….thanks sir Bo!im in a deep heartache for the reason of unfaithfulness right now but the father give me the strength to overcome this situation ………im a father too and i want to be an IMMANUEL,GRACE,DULCE,FIDES to my son..
pls pray for me sir BO….MARAMING SALAMAT!GODBLESS YOU ALL
RAUL SR.
I love the different meaning of Daddy. I was touched by every part of what you wrote.
On the other hand, I was prompted though by the Head of States consulting with their spiritual preacher in the States. I pray that our Head of States would find time to ask God for guidance in their governance.
Bo, you made me cried and laughed in this article. May our good Lord continue to bless you.
Bro. Bo,
This is the first time I shed my tears in your article! By sharing this story with us I feel how God loves His people no matter what and whoever he/she is. Truly, God’s love is unconditional and thru’ people like you I would like to always praise Him, thank Him and glorify His name. God thank you so much for loving me unconditionally!
Dear bo, thanks for these articles.
So nice.. Since I was kid ( 5 years old ) I never feel father’s love. Cause my father has been died at that moment.
But I believe, if he still alive now. He will all that kind of father in him.
So this article really help me to found out what kind of father’s love.
With this article too, you make me and bring closer to God. I believe He will provide the best way for me.
Thx
Bro. Bo,
Thank you so much. Words cannot express how much your stories has hit home…… May God the Father continue to bless you, your family and your ministry.
Bro. Bo,
A big thank you for sharing us those wonderful stories. Make us realize, how God love us.
More power to you…..pls. continue to write those inspiring stories…God bless you and your family.
Lilia
Hi Bro Bo.
In this time that I’m experiencing an overwhelming trials (i know that there are people who has much bigger problem that i have
….. ). Your teachings have always been my inspiration to go on and continue living in a positive way..
I pray that our Daddy in heaven continues to be with me (my Emmanuel).. To be Dulce, Grace and Fides of my life
THANK YOU BRO. BO…
I wish i can attend your Aug 29 seminar.. Ms. Beckie gave till yesterday to pay the 475, unfortunately I was not able to hit the deadline bcoz, till now i even dont have the money to spend in our daily needs..
I know in gods time i can attend that truly rich seminar…
Bro.Bo,
thanks for this inspiring piece…
I guess, being a good PARENT should be a task for both the mother and the father. We should all strive to be with our kids, be God’s gifts to them, be sweet and loving to them always, and be faithful and believe in their capabilities. I see God to be that kind of Father to me…I have always drawn my strength from Him…and I feel so loved by Him.. a love that I am able to share to my family, friends and the needy.
GOD BLESS YOU always =)
Bo, you never fail to inspire us always. Thank you for your stories and words of wisdom. May God continually guide and bless your family and ministry!
Thank you!
great, bro bo! amazing!
thanks Sir Bo! for always inspiring us.. God bless you! =)
Sometimes I wonder why it’s so hard to fully trust someone - even God… Every time a person says “trust me”… I would say yes but still hold back a little just in case. It was for contingency purposes…
But right now I can’t help but think how wonderful it would be to trust a person fully…. what would it be like to trust in GOD fully? I guess I’ll never really know until I just do. haha.
Thanks Bro. Bo. This is a really soothing article.
Thank Bro Bo for a truly inspiring article! This will be one of my favorites. God bless!
Bro. Bo,
You may not realize it but you’re not only a father to your two sons. You are a father to all of us, whose lives are touched by your inspiring words and stories. The guidance you’ve shared is one characteristic of a superdaddy.
Salamat Daddy! hehe
God Bless You More. Thanks!
I am such a lucky one to have a very good father, one that is sweet, trust and believe in me, accepts me in my lowest and pushes me to aim high. Together with my mom, he inspires us to know God deeper, though sad that he has to be home to our Creator 6 years ago. When he passed away, i know he lived a short yet very meaningful life. That also inspires me that if I have to choose for a partner in life, I want someone like my dad. My dad may not be a perfect husband to my mom, but sure he is a perfect one for us as a father. (Oh..miss my dad much now)
And now that i have my own family, much as I would like my hubby to be a perfect partner, I wanted him more to be the ideal father to our daughter, FAITH =) coz I know, having a good parents gives a lifetime impact to a person’s well being.
Bless you more Bo!
I was so touched while reading this, I cried. Thank you Bo, for reminding me of how great God’s love is.
i was your seatmate on the flight going to the states. you are indeed a good writer, with much substance, and i am glad i met you.
you started out this blog describing your trip and its purpose. i will be interested in seeing how you put what you learned into practice. Heaven knows our leader(s) can benefit from a lesson or two.
Speechless ako…overwhelmed with this very inspiring article. Will send this to my sons/daughters so they may also profit from it. Thanks a lot. Bo.
Thank you very much for always having something in store for us, whenever i feel so frustrated with life that is seems i will give up.. your wisdom always hits the ace! God bless you!
Thank you, Bo, this is so beautiful… Reading how you describe the ways that God is a Daddy to us makes me cry as i can feel His immense love for me, even though i am a sinner…
Dear Bo, For the first time since I signed up, I am writing a response to your article. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to. I did, many times, but never found the strength to express how you have touched me, incredibly. But with this one, I am still choked, and literally had to take time off from my desk to clear my head.
You see, we had a father like one of those you mentioned. And I have prayed long and hard for the love to forgive him. And I have searched but found none in my heart. I know I am just part of the statistics abandoned and deeply scarred by the troubled marriage of my parents, which drove my mother to the brink of self-destruction. I used to blame her, you know. I used to think it was her fault. But it wasn’t, and I hurt deeply because of this guilt. I sadly may have pushed her away more, instead of helping her overcome the hardship he put her through. I later learned she was just trying to protect us, and our father, by pointing the blame on herself, so we wouldn’t think ill of the man she loved, so we were protected from the thought that he may have been a “bad” father.
You can probably tell I’m just pouring it all out, I don’t think this response is cohesive or very well written, but I had to let it out. I am desperate for guidance, yet I have no one. I’m glad I have your articles. I’m glad for people like you who are instruments in healing the broken like us. I’m not sure if you may find the time to read this, but if you do, know I am still praying for healing of this wound he left. Thank you, I know you are with us in our prayers. God bless you.
This blog is very inspiring. It’s very hard to make my dad genuinely happy. I wanted to give up on him altogether. But this entry gave me new hope. Thank you.
Very touching & inspiring article, thank u bo. Bo….Im glad, coz I have a wonderful father ( & mother too) who loves us unconditionally….Thank God!
Thank GOD there’s Bo! This is amazing, absolutely amazing. It makes me wanna love GOD all the more. God made my Papa Boyet a loving father even though he’s not perfect. I’m happy to have a Papa Boyet on Earth and I’m joyful to have God as my father in Heaven. Thanks a bunch, Bro. Bo!
Thank you Bo for a very beautiful article, because my personal experience of God or my (PEG) God is a Loving Father and Mother. Why I said this because of my experience in the family.
Bro. Bo:
Super!
I do lovE this aRticLe…
u maDe mE cry again bRo. Bo….!
God really loves mE so mucH….!
whewww…this is very touching and moving…… :((
Hello Bro. Bo
Thank you for a very beautiful article. Know what? My husband and my son are not in good terms. Imagine how painful it is for a mother like me to be living with a husband and a son who are at odds with each other most of the time. I had been so happy to have a son, but never I had an inkling that when he grew up he will bear grudges with his father, a father who, you guess it, will and cannot be perfect. In addition, one of my daughters is also not in good terms with my son. Every healing mass I attend I asked Father God/Jesus for healing of relationships in my family. And now, here comes another big problem. We are having financial problems. I know God is with me through all of these
and will eventually be out of these problems.
God bless you!!!
This inspire me so much. Thank you for always sharing such an inspiring messages. Every time I pray I always call Him father. Thanks…it helps a lot to my faith to God.
kuya bo, salamat po sa inyong inspiring article na ibinahagi sa amin. God bless you always.
Helo bro.Bo!!
Thanks a lot for this touching article. I was teary-eyed while reading this. I felt so blessed to be among the people who has an access with your article. This article made me reflect of my own personal relationship with my God at present. Thanks a lot bro. Bo. May God continue to bless you as a father and a husband to your wife and more blessings to your ministry….More power!!
ei. bro,
TNX FOR A VERY INSPIRING STORY… YEAH GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME….
very inspiring bo. it brings back memories about my dad. when i was a kid he was a teacher but a tough one. i remember when i was in grade 1 i used to stand beside his desk at night and reciting the multiplication table- i will not sit or sleep until i perfect it, i was so afraid then. up till now i am afraid of numbers especially when multiplying (i think i got traumatized psychologically with that). when i graduated in elementary, again i stood up in front of him while he scolded and berated me on why i did not have honors. i was crying while my classmates were passing our house to the school. he did not attend my graduation. when i was in high school he was so caught up with his responsibilities as a politico in our barangay. he was not my first dance during our junior-seniors prom becase there was a valentine party of politicos that he has to attend (js prom was a big deal for teenagers like me back then). sitting here now and reading your articles has brougt all the painful memories i had with my dad, but through it all i never felt any hate towards him- pagtatampo yes but the feeling of so much hatred to the point na magrebelde never entered my mind. now that i am working and have a husband, i keep praying that when i have a child i will be the best mom and dad to her. of course i will love my husband so he will give back my love to our child. and as for my dad, he is retired now but is having problems with the gsis pension. he is not receiving any money so i am sending him every month and texting him mostly telling him that i love him and to hold on to his faith. he replies thanking me of my generosity and the love and care i give.
i may have had those experiences but i am very thankful i did not walk the hate- path for my dad. i love you dad, and thank you brother bo for this article. i will text my dad again : )
I thank God for my dad..
I’m so blessed and thankful because he is my dad!
God loves me that much for He gave me a wondeful father as my dad.
Thank You so much Lord!
I thank God for my dad..
I’m so blessed and thankful because he is my dad!
God loves me that much for He gave me a wonderful father as my dad.
Thank You so much Lord! =)
tear jerker. hmp.
It’s inspiring,
Thank you Bro. Bo for keeping us inspire in Life and learn to have a good christian life.
GOD is really a Gift Of Daddy. Speechless….
we are dreaming of having you on one of our annual retreats for our students long time ago. hoping someday it will come to a reality…
Bro. Bo, this article is wonderful! Wish that this whole wide world could be real close to our ABBA!
awesome!!!
Another…Bo-wonderful, Bo-rrific,Bo-spiring; Bo-some messages coming from a wonderful creation of GOD that made it easier for all of us to grasp what the LORD wants us to know more of HIS FATHER, OUR FATHER…NOW…the challenge–APPLICATION…no matter how INSPIRING this article is all about but WE will not make Bro. WORDS ALIVE…these will only be letters & words, phrases & sentences that means nothing…LET THESE WORDS BECOME ALIVE..NOW!
Bro. Bo,
thank you for these wonderful and awesome stories! it really feels good to know that God in His unconditional love and infinite power uses people like you to let us know that His love is everywhere and no boundaries.
I’ll be praying for you Bo that God may continue to use you as an instrument of His great love for all mankind. Thank you for being you. May God bless us all!
wala na ko masasabi. they have said the things I want to say. again, you have inspired thousands of people. keep it up. we love you Bro. Bo.
dear bo,
thank you for sending me this very inspiring msg..I’m so inspired especially when you said that whatever is my sin God will forgive me..Very timely because I always ask for God’s forgiveness for the wrong things that i’ve done..i’m sincere in asking for His forgiveness and i know that He knows it..No one can hide on Him,no one can lie on Him coz He always know what we do..I commited a very big sin..you know what it is i aborted my child..it is already 5 weeks and i let a hilot massage my womb..after massaging my child got lost..after that incident i felt something in my heart..it beat very loud i knew God was sad for i did the wrong thing..Please help me in asking His forgiveness..I’ve already admitted my sins..God please forgive me..
Hi Bro Bo!!!
Praise God!
Your blog made me love DADDY GOD so much more!!!
Thanks a lot!!! Am looking forward for more!
(”,)
One of your best Bro. Bo!!! Thank God for the wisdom he has given you and thank you for your generosity in sharing it to all of us.
Hi Bro. Bo, thank you so much for these very inspiring and eye-opening stories. I shed a tear just by reading about dulce as well as the father and son team. This made me realize how blessed i am even in my hardships and struggles in life. As always you never fail to amaze me with your wisdom. I am looking forward to the next articles. Thank you. May God bless you more.
Jean
dear bo,
thank you for sharing these stories. we are praying for our own father because we could not understand the changes in him. we are praying that God would lead him away from occasions of sin. we pray for our mother, too that she may have the strength to accept her own failures and shortcomings and so papa and her may meet halfway. thanks for the emmanuel, grace, fides and dulce stories you shared. i am blessed today because of them and because you shared them with me.
God bless you more!
Bo,
I’m so happy at na survived ng mga characters mo their sad experiences. Wishing them a more peaceful, cheerful, and grateful life ahead.
Bro. Bo, keep up the divine work!
Thank you so much Bro. Bo for this very inspiring article! ^_^ I believe that God is always loving, faithful and merciful to his children. My parents separated when I was only three years old and I grew up with my mom. But my dad still supports my studies and he sees that I’m in a good condition, and that I’m very grateful and thankful for. But sometimes I don’t hear from him for almost a month, I guess he’s too busy with his business. My parents’ separation gave me an unstable family foundation but whenever this troubles me, thinking of “What if my parents did not separate? I might be happier right now and have lesser problems.” I just think to myself that God is always with us and that His love for us is enough to mend any “disability” we have in life.
when i first opened this email, i thought i wouldnt be able to read it because it’s a lengthy one, but lo and behold with God’s grace… . i was really touched and blessed when i was reading it…. May the Good Lord bless you always, Bo!
Bro Bo,
This story made me love the Lord Jesus more. He is my only father, my only true friend .I cannot count on my biological father for he is too busy for himself. For my mother, she is a taker mother so i cannot count on her either and im even sometimes afraid to talk to her because everytime she talks, either she asks for money or blame me for my faults. The Lord has always been my companion as i journey through this life. I always cling on to Him and pray for help, for guidance ,for miracles.
Thank you for inspiring me to continue to trust on to the Lord Jesus all the time.
It’s so inspiring. I grew up without my father. At age 6, my parents separated and we were left under the care of my grandparents. Until now, I am still yearning for my father’s love and care.
I have a lot of emptiness inside my heart but I know God has and will always fill it up.
hi bro. bo…i just pasted the link to this site (this article in particular) in my FB account…hope you do not mind…if in any case you have an FB group or account..pls. announce so I can share your insipiring articles to my friends…
May you continue to inspire more people…
God bless!! =)
Dear Bro Bo:
Daddy is indeed Emmanuel and by your preaching you continuously affirm that He is with us. Thank you.
The other day I was looking back to how I was just 3 months ago and I told my husband that I must’ve experienced depression during that time. But I think what kept me standing was that through those times, I kept imagining and feeling Jesus embracing me everyday. I would cry and cry and feel always out of breath but I kept imagining His embrace and this kept me intact. Now that I have by God’s grace, kept the faith and after reading your article, this time I will imagine God the Father’s embrace.
Thank you Daddy, thank you Bro. Bo.
Dear Bro. Bo,
I had difficulty reading through this article….i just can’t see clearly through my tears.
I lost my father due to cancer 15 years ago.I am the only daughter. We really never had a very close relationship.But few months before he died my mother told me that I am his favorite. I was surprised and then wonder, how come I never felt that?
Our family is not a hugging family. I never even had the courage to say I love you to him though I know that he was dying.It was my biggest regret.
But what happened helped me, now that I have my own family. Me and my husband hug our kids a lot and we always assure them of our love no matter what.
and to TATAY salamat po sa lahat at mahal ko kayo!
Godbless to all!
Thank you Bro. Bo. This article is very very timely, and I think to most of us, long overdue.
For months now, I have been struggling with my situation. I am a solo parent to a toddler. While my anger to his father has waned, it was overpowered with a feeling called love. A friend of ours asked that if my love could accommodate his failings. I told him, that if it were just me, maybe it could. However, we have a son, and I wouldn’t want my child to witness what broke my heart/dreams. I don’t want him broken into pieces like what he did to me. Besides, he was the one who abandoned us. He never stood up for us. What kind of role model would he be?
A friend of mine said that for me to heal, I need to picture Jesus as my husband, and God as the father to my child. I couldn’t imagine it initially, but I’m sure I would be greatly helped by this lecture series of yours.
Thank you. You always emphasize what a Godly father and Godly husband should be. If our human males do fall short, we always have that reassuring thought, that not all is lost. We have reliable loved ones in heaven.
Hi Bo,
Thank you for this amazing article.
God bless!
Hi bro… OMG!.. I’m very much touched with those inspirational stories of yours… It made me think of how my father is a father to us… and that, God really loves me because He gave me the father I have today… Thank you so much for everything!… God bless you…
wow!!!
this is one of the amazing story ive ever read..
i cant help but crying(ahuhuhu =0)
Bro(wow santino effect..ahehe)!
Salamat ulit for inspring us…
=)