I think it's much easier for a man to have children than for children to have a father. Children need their fathers more than we think. A father spurs a child on to succeed. A fathers love gives his children wings and confidence in life.

If parenting were an adventure sport, it would be the most courageous sport in the world. It involves venturing into the unknown, full of unexpected twists and turns, and is completely unpredictable. It is alsothrilling and rewarding. Parenting is by far my boldest adventure.

Many fathers believe the lie that they play a second-class role to the mother. If you are a father, I want to remind you that your children want and need you. You are critical to their well-being and success.

In preparation for motherhood, I read books, I watched people around me, and I learned what to do but also what not to do. I quickly realized that my schooling and tertiary education did little to prepare me for being a parent. I even attended antenatal classes to prepare for the birth, but that is where it ended. When my baby was handed to me after delivery, I never received a manual. Oh, how I wished they came with one!

Parenting is not something you do so much as who you are. You don’t “do” mothering. You don’t “do” fathering. You are a mother. You are a father. You are in the process of shaping a life and leaving a legacy.

Parenthood is a high calling. It’s our first mission field and our first place for discipleship. I think that it is one of the toughest places to make disciples. God loves family, and his heart is that parents disciple and raise their children.

Over the years I have often prayed for my children’s character to flourish. I have experienced over time that God is more interested in our character than in us having a comfortable life. It is, of course, through the hard times that we grow. We cannot experience the glory without the suffering. I have noticed that when my children go through challenging experiences, they mature in different areas of their lives.

A loving mother listens to her children with empathy. She accepts the negative and helps her child not feel overwhelmed by what is going on around them. She is comfortable with her child’s imperfections, and when she shows them this, her child will take her comfort into their personality. As a result, they will become comfortable with their own imperfections, too.

Parenting isn't something you do. It's who you are. You are a mother. You are a father.