Because I know we welcome one of our siblings who comes almost every Sunday who is not Christian, yet she feels welcome here. Why? Because that is what you all provide. That love. [00:15:00] (18 seconds)

So Jesus once told his disciples, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Now, these words remind us that God's love, like truth itself, is often revealed gradually, with tenderness, compassion, and patience. God doesn't overwhelm us with more than what we carry. Instead, divine love unfolds in ways we can receive. [00:15:20] (29 seconds)

``He became their father, not by blood, but by courage, not by DNA, but by love. And over time, they adopted more children. He raised each of them with humor, guidance, and deep affection. Today, those children carry his name. But more than that, they carry his legacy. They carry the love he instilled in them, quietly, faithfully, every day. That is what makes someone a father. Not biology, not boldness. Not flesh, but faithfulness. Not obligation, but an open heart. [00:17:35] (43 seconds)

This story, in so many ways, bears the story of God. The triune, God, we honor today. God the Creator brings life in ways we do not always expect. Christ the Son calls us to see family beyond bloodlines, saying, Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? Whoever does the will of my Father is my family. And the Holy Spirit moves among us like breath, guiding us towards the truth we weren't ready to bear before affirming, comforting, and gently shaping us into love. [00:18:19] (41 seconds)

We do not worship a distant or indifferent God. We worship a God who claims us, adopts us, walks with us through trauma and transformation, through silence and revelation, a God who parents us still. [00:18:59] (17 seconds)

It takes strength to choose love over evil, to raise a child who may not look like you, think like you, or love like you. That is not weakness. It is holiness. It is one of the deepest reflections of God's own parenting nature to affirm children exactly as they are. You are queer, transgender, neurodiverse, questioning, wildly unique, and beautifully beloved. [00:19:35] (33 seconds)

As Mr. Rogers once said, you don't have to do anything sensational for people to love you. You are loved just for being you. That kind of love, the quiet, steady kind, is a heartbeat of true fatherhood. It's also the way God loves each of us. [00:20:08] (21 seconds)

This week, bless the dads in your life, but also bless the teachers, mentors, uncles, mamas who do both, foster parents, adoptive caregivers, and every person who says, you are mine, and I love you. That's what fathering in the image of God looks like. [00:20:55] (26 seconds)