Australia’s Largest Christian News Site

Sometimes, life feels like a grinding race. Over time, the daily routines of work and school, for those of us with younger children, commuting, chores and everything else that accompanies 21^st-century life can steal our joy.

But it doesn’t have to be this way!

With some inspiration and forward-thinking, us dads can be the fount of joy for our families. After all, it’s how we men are wired. As bestselling author and counsellor John Eldredge so eloquently writes in Wild at Heart:

“Deep in his heart, every man longs for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to rescue.”

Even though life can be a grind, the truth is life should be an adventure. As men, we should heed the call of adventure and answer it as much as possible. Our lives, and that of our families, depend on it.

As Glen Weeks, salt of the earth maintenance manager and father of 3, explains in the video:

“As dads, you’re trying to create moments … and you’re trying to think of different things on weekends or during the week. I try and spend time, something simple like coaching my son’s soccer team or going on a bike ride. It doesn’t have to be extravagant at all …

Camping is a way to get away with your kids … with some effort, because everyone’s pressured by time, camping is quite simple. You get a tent and some food, and away you go.

The kids love it. It’s an adventure for them too, and it gets them out of their normal day-to-day schooling and other things they do … It’s just quality time that the kids can remember …

Whether or not it’s doing camping, you might be doing something else, but you need to be doing something, an activity, where it’s just that one-on-one time where you can spend that quality time with your kids.”

Glen’s excellent encouragement for dads was filmed several years back at one of our Dads4Kids Fun Camps. This year’s Dads4Kids Fun Camp is coming up next weekend on 1-2 November 2024 at Coolendel Camp, located on the beautiful Shoalhaven River three hours south of Sydney. Craig Shipway, a great Dads4Kids friend and father of 6, is helping us organise it.

If you’re able to, we’d love for as many dads and their kids as possible to join us. There is no age limit for dads (grand-dads are welcome too) and their kids; however, dads and grand-dads are responsible for their own children, so it is important that you feel comfortable with the age of the children in your care.

To find out more, watch our recent documentary or find all the details and book in here! Please contact Craig on 0418 241 457 or via email cashipway@yahoo.com.au if you need more information too.

Lovework

To quote the greatest bestselling book, the challenge for us all is to “lay aside every weight, and the sin (wrongdoing) which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1, NKJV). By creating fun-filled memories with your kids, the race called life can be less of a grind and more of a joy.

Yours for answering the call to adventure,
Nathaniel Marsh

P.S. If you’re situated near the NSW South Coast, please join us at the Dads4Kids Fun Camp, 1-2 November 2024 – Spread the word! If you can’t be there, plan your own family adventure. Remember, it doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive. Whatever you do, work towards answering the call of adventure with your kids – you won’t regret it!

P.P.S. If you’re encouraged by the work of Dads4Kids and would like to see us continue, please consider supporting Dads4Kids here.

___

Republished with thanks to Dads4Kids. Image courtesy of Adobe.