Several years ago, my second son, Steve, tried out for the high school football team. One day he walked into my office and proclaimed with great excitement, "Dad, I made the team!"

I turned and said, "Yeah, but are you starting?" Steve walked away crushed. At the time, Steve was a junior in high school, and I just assumed that he would make the team. I was so preoccupied that I didn't take the time to understand what was important to Steve. As fathers, we need to take time to find out what's important to our children and then make those things our priority and focus.

The apostle Paul compares his ministry to fatherhood: "We dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God" (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12). None of this will transpire unless the father is in the house. Make sure you attend their sporting events or drama presentations--whatever is important to them--even though it may mean making a sacrifice and giving up something else you would like to do.