Especially Fathers

Josh Sallee's Performance

I'm writing today's blog the night before at one of my son's performances. Tonight he is performing for 150-200 people in downtown Tulsa. He travels and performs several times a month. He is very talented and loves what he does. His music has taken his mother and I to places we would have never experienced without him. We support him and his dream. I'm proud that he is unique from so many other performers in his genre.

Josh has worked very hard, for a long time to achieve his dream. I'm not surprised to see the seemingly fearless courage and determination that he has mustered. He has always had a strong mind and will. Fathering this strength hasn't always been simple, but without it he would have never pursued his dream, nor would he have stayed so determined for this long.

I have always seen great potential with Josh. He has always been one of the best at whatever he has set his mind to do (golf, basketball, college GPA, and now music). I also see so much potential for Josh to use his musical platform to address social concerns and other pertinent messages to a crowd that is largely not listening to the message from the traditional church.

I will also admit that, like every father, I wish for him to have much success but am also concerned about the potential pitfalls that are lurking to take him down. Every career choice, every decision, every relationship has potential pitfalls. The music business has a long and sordid history with artists who have fallen due to a variety of public pitfalls.

I trust my son. He has a deep faith in ways that impress me. My prayer for Josh remains the same as it has always been since he was a little boy – That God would use him to do great things for His glory.

In our NBMen’s ministry we fathers have challenged one another to bless our children with the following two statements:

1. Tell your children that you love them. I have always told my kids I love them. It is rare that I hang up the phone with out having told each of my kids that I love them. I haven’t been the perfect father, not by a long shot. But I am confident that my kids know that their dad love them.
2. Tell your kids that you are proud of them and specifically explain why you are proud. I am proud of Josh for many reasons. I am specifically proud of his focus. His motivation and concentration on building his music career has been typical of his fearless courage and determination.

Sunday I am preaching a true story of a father who loses control of his son and faces a bottomless regret that will not subside. As I prepared the sermon, I was reminded how much I love and am proud of my own son. Keep it up Josh. God is going to use you for His glory!

• Ephesians 6:4
• Colossians 3:21
• Psalm 103:13
• Proverbs 3:11-12
• Malachi 4:6