"The Way of the Father" (Michael W. Smith)

TITLE: The Way of the Father: Lessons from My Dad, Truths about God
AUTHOR: Michael W. Smith
PUBLISHER: Rocklin, CA: K-Love Publishers, 2021, (208 pages).
 

It has been said that our views about God the Father are connected intricately to our relationships with our earthly fathers. Sharing intimate details about his late father, the popular musical artist and performer hail his father as his hero, devoted supporter, coach, diligent worker, his father, and how his life empowers his faith with his Heavenly Father. Smith opens up with how his father would bring his team to a Dairy Queen despite losing 30-0 in a baseball game. While some people celebrate with special treats when their team wins, his dad celebrates with the team regardless of the result. This demonstrated his dad's grace to see the team bigger than any game results. He was a deacon in Church, heading up many leadership roles from pastoral search to layperson's roles. His decision-making with regard to promotions or job opportunities always centers around God and family. Not surprisingly, he gives up promotional moments for the sake of his priorities. This is not something that a lot of people could do. Even though his dad was often tough, he had tender moments like during the aftermath of the Marshall football team air crash. Smith learns that the strength of a person is not defined by how much grit one has but how caring one is. Smith's dad checks out all the boxes. The rest of the book contains many powerful lessons about the impact of his father on him. Lessons such as:

• Grieving with those who grieve in the light of the Marshall disaster
• How his father accepted and graciously treated his girlfriend like his second daughter
• Love according to practicing 1 Corinthians 13
• Showing kindness to strangers by serving them
• Learning to pray through different circumstances
• Praying for strangers as God prompts
• Selfless focus on others
• and many more...

My Thoughts

This is an intimate portrait of the close relationship between the famous musician and his dad. Throughout the book, readers can sense the positivity flowing through the pages with comfort and gratitude. Comfort in terms of fond memories of having enjoyed a good relationship. Gratitude in terms of the many lessons gleaned from his life. As a semi-biography, one gets to understand the background of how the musician became the person he is. Those who know his music will get to appreciate the lyrics in a deeper manner. Smith is overwhelmingly generous in his own retelling of his father's stories. That shows how much he misses his dad. Yet, the way he writes this book presents a journey of healing as well. Grieving takes many forms and writing a memoir of pleasant moments with his dad definitely helps in the overall process. He takes us from the beginning all the way to the very end, how his dad gets dementia and the final days before he breathes his last at the care home. Knowing that his dad is in heaven gives an immeasurable sense of comfort and peace. This intimacy is special, and I am glad to know of such a powerful link especially in a society where healthy father-son relationships are few and far between. 

This book might trigger different reactions in readers about their relationships with their own fathers. Those who grew up with absentee dads might read this book with envy. Others with dads were are not as perfect as Smith's might say that such relationships are rare. Let me add to this plethora of emotions by saying that when we read this book, first put our own sentiments aside and just enjoy reading the story of a wonderful relationship to thank God for. Regardless of our own relationships with our fathers, we can still praise God for how He has touched the Smith family and how He has used their gifts to bless the rest of the world. Don't let our own backgrounds misrepresent what the book is about. When we do that, we honor Smith's memory of his father and Smith's humble acknowledgment of the lessons learned. Once we do that, we might learn about what it means to be a better father or parent when our turn arrives. While we cannot change the past, we can lay the foundations for the future. If this book can help us do something better as a father or a son, a parent or a child, that would have worth the price of this book.

Michael W. Smith, a multi-platinum recording artist, has won three Grammy Awards, forty-five Dove Awards, an American Music Award, and has sold more than fifteen million albums. He has also given back to the global community, having raised funds to battle AIDS in Africa alongside U2’s Bono; started Rocketown, a safe haven for young people in Tennessee to meet and find hope, and has helped to improve more than 70,000 children’s lives through Compassion International. With a career spanning more than four decades, Smith has also starred in two films and written fourteen books, including a children’s book series. He lives with his wife, Debbie, in Franklin, Tennessee. They have five adult children and sixteen grandchildren.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of K-Love Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.