We all have Fathers.

Some have really good fathers, others really bad ones. And some, for one reason or another, don't have a father. Maybe he was never part of your life, or maybe he was, but he has passed away.

Regardless of your situation, fathers, or a father figure of some sort, are an important part of our lives. A quick google search results in multiple reports of the effect of a father being present in a child's life vs being absent. And some of the statistics are frightening. A 1998 study by the Department of Justice showed that 63% of teen suicides, 70% of kids in juvenile detention, and 75% of teens in substance abuse programs had no father figure growing up. And several of the statistics in the report have gotten worse since then.

The importance of fathers or father figures in our lives can not be understated.

But regardless of the situation, there is one Father that loves you very much. One Father will never leave us or abandon us. One Father who was willing to do whatever it took to be with us.

Whether you had a great father or a lousy one, God is there. Whether your father was there for everything you ever did or you never knew him, God is there. And He gladly calls us His children. All we have to do is ask.