I love you, Dad (an open letter to Brian Philp)

Dear Dad,

 

An amazing thing happened this morning at New Wine. Before the main speaker (Kenny Borthwick) came on to deliver his message, Karen Bailey, who was introducing him, asked us to pray for someone we were holding in our prayers. Now, I have to confess that I hadn't been holding particularly anyone in my prayers that morning, but I suddenly had an image of you in my mind.

 

I spun you round there - kind of like a 3D virtual dad in my minds eye.

 

Then Kenny Borthwick started speaking and I thought nothing more of it.

 

Until... he started speaking about his own father and how he was really grateful for him. His dad, who is still alive, was and still is a brilliant father. He carried on to say that many so-called 'Father Heart' ministries leave us looking back maybe slightly critically at our own childhoods as if we are deliberately looking for something wrong with them. We can even become petulant about it, saying to ourselves "even only that little thing had been different." It can lead us to be petulant instead of grateful.

 

I just wanted to say that I'm really grateful about my childhood. I'm really glad that you're my Dad. If I can be half the father to my own children that you've been to me, then I know my children will do brilliantly.

 

Thanks, Dad.

 

I love you.

 

Steve