What it Means to Be a Father- Guest Post From Jordan

I've never called him "stepdad" in my heart. Somehow, he found this impossible balance of never overstepping, never trying to replace my dad, but still never letting me feel like anything other than his own. When people asked him how many kids he had, he never hesitated. "Three," he'd say, without skipping a beat. I wasn't his stepdaughter. I was just his daughter. Plain and simple. From tying my cleats at six years old to coaching my soccer team until I was sixteen, he was there: every game, every muddy tournament, every snack duty. And yes, we took home first place trophies at every tournament...except for one. He doesn't like to talk about it. 

Through all the chaos and deep uncertainty that came after my brother's autism diagnosis, when our family was thrown into a world of therapy sessions, meltdowns, and constant appointments, my dad never wavered. Not just in being a father to my brother, but in being present for all three of us. Somehow, he made each of us feel seen. he was the steady in the storm, the calm when things felt impossible. Watching him parent my brother has been like watching someone do something they were born for.

When I think about what it means to be a stepfather, I'm reminded of the most powerful example of a stepfather in all of history: Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Matthew 1:24 tells us, "Joseph did as the angel of Lord commanded him. He took Mary as his wife." He didn't just agree to raise a child that wasn't biologically his; he embraced it wholeheartedly. Just like my dad did with me. And when I look at the way my stepdad loves me, I can't help but see the reflection of God's love. I didn't earn it. I'm not his blood. But still, he chose me. He chooses me. Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." That's the kind of love my dad gives me...unearned, unwavering, and undeserved. This Father's Day, I'm thinking of all the men like him: stepdads, biological dads, adoptive dads, grandfathers, uncles, mentors, and every man who has ever stepped into a role they weren't born into but loved like they were. Happy Father's Day. You are seen, you are honored, and you are so deeply appreciated.