I grew up in a two-parent household and have been blessed with an amazing father who loves me and sacrifices for me. And I admit, I never considered the pain of the many who lacked such privilege growing up.
I never even realized the importance of fathers in the home until I heard this bleak statistic. “Children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools and 20 times more likely to end up in prison. They are more likely to have behavioral problems, or run away from home or become teenage parents themselves.”
Blair Linne, poet, speaker, and wife of famous hip-hop artist Shai Linne, knows this too well. She didn’t grow up with a father at home. And in her first book, Finding my Father: How the Gospel Heals the Pain of Fatherlessness, Blair shares her story of growing up without a present earthly Father and finding her ever-present heavenly Father.
The book tells two stories intertwined together. The first is about the hardship of growing up with an absent father. Here, Blair is candid and raw about the pain and hurt she experienced growing up without a father and the unhealthy ways she coped with it. She shares how she unknowingly lived the frightening statistics of children from a broken home and how the wounds of her upbringing followed her into adulthood.
The second story is about Blair’s discovery of God as her heavenly Father and how His love healed the pains of her fatherlessness. Here, Blair shares how she came to know the Lord, the ways and people He used to bring her healing, and how His truth broke through the lies and fear that fenced her life. Blair also explains the theology of God as a Father, comforting words, and advice for those from fatherless homes.
Shai also shares his story of growing up without a father, finding God as His Father, and becoming the father he never had. His chapter also has encouraging and practical advice for the fatherless, especially young men.
I couldn’t relate much to the book since I grew up in a two-parent home, but the book still blessed me for a few reasons.
First, it opened my eyes to the challenges of fatherless children. I knew the statistics, but I never knew or understood the pain and hurt that goes with it. Blair’s story exposed me to this reality.
Second, it gave me a deeper understanding of God as a Father. Blair explains the significance of having God as a Father and how He cares for us as children. It is something I never fully appreciated. It reminded me of J.I. Packer, who said that adoption is the gospel’s highest privilege. It is a blessing available to all believers, not only the fatherless.
Third, it prepared me to love and serve those who have grown up without fathers. I don’t know anyone who grew up without a father, but should I meet one, I trust I will be more empathetic and understand their struggles thanks to this book.
And fourth, it provoked awe towards God. It amazed me how God not only healed Blair but gave her a new story and built a new legacy for her and her family. So much so that her children cannot fathom the idea of a child born out of wedlock when it was Blair’s norm for most of her life.
In conclusion, Finding my Father is a delightful book with an inspiring story of hope that will benefit all Christians. It is saturated with the gospel and powerfully illustrates its transformative power in our lives. And it is beautifully written by an incredibly skilled wordsmith.
I recommend it to all believers, especially those who grew up without fathers.
Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the Lord; exult before him! Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
Psalm 68:4-5
The Good Book Company graciously gave me a complimentary copy, and this is my honest review.
