The Malachi Vision is a restoration of God’s people and nations by fathers prioritizing the raising ofgodly children for the Lord in this generation and for generations to come.

Malachi Dads Newsletter February 2007

Volume 1, Issue 1

The VisionThe Vision for Malachi Dads

by theMalachi Dads Leadership Team

Malachi Dads began with a vision: to address the millions of children across the nation growing up in homes void of fathers. Thisvision quickly became a passion as the facts emerged and the trend of the fleeing father proved itself the culprit. At closer look, itbecame evident that, of these missing fathers, a relatively large portion were in prison or absent from their young children becauseof prison sentences.

As the big picture grew bigger, the outlook grew dim. Incarcerated fathers began to fall into the backdrop, giving way to a cycle. Thiscycle consisted of a generation of kids who began to follow in the footsteps of their incarcerated fathers. Statistics show that childrenof incarcerated dads are seven times more likely to go to prison than other kids.

This destructive cycle launches a two-pronged assault on the lives of innocent children. It first robs them of the fundamentals of atraditional family and upbringing by displacing the father from the home. It also tarnishes the image of the cornerstone, the head ofthe house, the father.

The second prong of this assault is comparatively psychological in nature. Nonetheless, relatively simple, it leaves the child to inheritprison as an optional outcome of life. Or, in more extreme cases, prison becomes a rite of passage.

These circumstances gave birth to the vision of incarcerated fathers reaching out to their children, not only with arms, but with love,which extended past prison walls that would teach their children that prison was the result of poor choices. Therefore, prison shouldnot be an option or an experience another generation should undertake. A solution was on the horizon to aid these incarceratedfathers.

“One Day with God” was born, an event to unite caring fathers with their loving children, some of whom had not seen each other inyears. This event was succeeded by a now annual event, called Returning Hearts Celebration.

To complement the Returning Hearts Celebration, Malachi Dads was established. A prison-based ministry, Malachi Dads wasfounded with an agenda to teach effective fathering techniques, preparing dads to convey love, support, and fatherly advice whileencouraging fathers to utilize all forms of communications to nurture these relationships with visits, phone calls, and letters.

This year marks the first year of the Malachi Dads program. It consists of a 12-month period of fathering courses from a biblicalperspective. These courses will equip fathers with the tools they need to communicate deterrence to their kids.

We believe this new program will break the cycle of crime in many families and create a new culture of godly children, who know thatthe bad choices of their fathers do not have to affect their futures in a negative manner.

Upon completion of the Malachi Dads course, fathers will graduate the program in time to spend a full day with their kids at theLouisiana State Penitentiary Rodeo Arena grounds – a safe haven, packed with games, activities, food, and most of all … goodfathers!

At Malachi Dads, we pray that we can inspire not only incarcerated fathers, but dads across the nation and around the world. Wepress on to become examples of what it means to prepare the next generation for success. Our children are our legacy, our future,and our hearts. As God’s Word teaches us: And He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of children totheir fathers (Malachi 4:6).

He fought to hold back the tears,as he experienced emotion after emotion.Joy for what God had given him.Resentment for what was taken from him.Fear of what to expect, and happiness asto what God had in store for them. As hebegan to read her letter, he began to sobuncontrollably, with each word piercing hisheart. The letter read as such…

“Dear Father, “I wish you were here right now. You

make me feel happy. Every time I hearyour name I hear an angel. You are mylove and passion and I feel lovecoming towards me.

Sincerely,Sierra

P.S. I Love You”

Since then, Oliver is now in theprocess of building a healthy relationshipwith his daughter. He constantly writes toher, encourages her to read her Bible, andexplains to her what God is doing in hislife. Coincidentally, his son lives only 20minutes from his daughter. They even hadthe opportunity of spending Christmastogether. Oliver said, “Now I amoverwhelmed with God’s love, restoration,and deliverance power.” Oliver now knowsand understands why he’s in MalachiDads. It pays to trust God, even when wedon’t understand what He’s up to.

By Keith M.

Brother Oliver came to theMalachi Dads program with one question,“What am I doing here?” He pondered.He proposed that question to God and tohimself. Due to the long separation andlack of communication between him andhis son as a result of hurricane Katrina,Oliver wondered to himself, “How can Ishare with my son what I am learninghere in Malachi Dads?” Nevertheless,despite his reluctance, Brother Oliverremained faithful and continued to attendthe Malachi Dads meetings.

Five weeks into the program, hemiraculously discovered he had a nineyear old daughter of which he had knownnothing about. Oliver said, “One could notimagine my mixed emotions. I continuedto pray and ask God for guidance.”Diligently, Oliver found counsel in God ashe still felt a sense of uncertainty andconfusion. Was this really his daughter,and if so, how could he explain his nineyear absence? When is her birthday? hethought. How tall is she? What’s herfavorite color? Does she like sports? Isshe a good student? Does she have thefamily features, but most importantly,would she understand?

After a thorough investigation byfamily and friends, Oliver received a letterfrom his former girlfriend confirming thefact that he was the biological father oftheir daughter. She went on asking for hisforgiveness for her own selfishness inconcealing their daughter’s identity.Ironically, his daughter was just asinquisitive as he was, and wanted to knoweverything there was to know about herfather. After writing her, anxiouslyanticipating a response, he remembersher first letter like it was yesterday. “As Iapproached the desk for mail, there was apicture on top of an envelope of a prettylittle girl, dark and lovely.” The sergeantsaid, “This picture dropped out of one ofthe envelopes, so I assume it must beyours, Oliver.” By the grace of God, thelonely antagonizing wait was over. Thiswas his little girl.

Kingdom Stories

First batch of Malachi Dads

Malachi Dads Leadership Team

“Generations of fathers determine thephilosophies of life, religion, work habits,and family patterns of every nation – itsculture.”

Norm Wakefield

As arrows are in the hand of a mightyman; so are children of the youth. Happyis the man that hath his quiver full ofthem: they shall not be ashamed, butthey shall speak with the enemies in thegate.Psalm 127:4-5

.”

From the Heart of a Malachi Dad

Secondly, be a role model. As a figure worthemulating, God has placed a prominent role that afather is to play in the life of a child’s development.As our children develop in our ever-changing world,they are looking for positive examples to follow. If werecognize our worth and importance, not only will weprovide our children with the role model that theymay be looking for, but we’ll be able to teach themthat God is our ultimate role model because we werewonderfully made in His image.

Lastly, try not to be overbearing. Ourchildren are like fresh flowers that are planted by astream of living waters. Of course, they depend uponus for sound advice and direction, but they needample room to grow and make their own decisions.We should encourage and teach them about theimportance of having a prayer life, so that they’llbecome sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit,which they’ll come to depend on later on in theiryoung adult lives.

In conclusion, these are just some of theessential ways that fathers can enhance theirrelationship with their children. God has equipped usto do a mighty work in their lives. It is my hope andprayer that we continue to sow into the lives of ourchildren, for they are the greatest gifts that any fathercould ever receive.

When I Move, You Moveby Randy F.

Making a connection with our kids can bethe most frustrating aspect of being a Malachi Dad.In the best case scenario, we will only see our kidsabout eight hours a month and have sporadic phonecalls and/or letters. Every one of the methods ofcommunication can be described as “contact points.”It is crucial at these times, we take full advantage ofthe example Jesus left for us to follow to make animpact on our little ones.

In order to make a profound, lastingimpression on our children, we must remain mindfulthat our walk with Christ, and our talk of Him, canonly be meaningful if they are consistently exhibited.We must think, speak, and live like Christ bydiscipline and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Onemight ask why this is important. Rarely does anyonerecall a child expressing their desire to obey theirfather, but often we witness kids wanting to be liketheir father. Therefore, to ensure we raise up godlychildren after us, we must rise up, and be godly menbefore them. For some this may be easy, however,for others it may be easier said than done.

We have provided some practical tips, ideas, andreminders on how to possibly make a seeminglyeasy connection to our kids.

• Have an icebreaker, as well as an ice-melter.Be prepared with a gift, story, joke, or passageof scripture as a warm gesture to get theconversation going.

• Smile. A smile goes a long way with kids whoare usually happy creatures. This creates acomfortable atmosphere in which a child’scharacter can thrive.

• Devote all your attention to your kids. There isnothing a child loves more, than to have agrown-up all to themselves, hence the phrases:“My Mommy” or “My Daddy.”

• Engulf yourself in the world of your child.Familiarize yourself with the interests of yourchildren. Know his/her hobbies, friend’s names,favorite teachings, and future aspirations oftheir lives. (These things may change often.)Make your child’s world the center of youruniverse.

By Robert J.

As we maintain a healthy balance withinthe life of our children’s upbringing, we are to teachthem that responsibility happens to be one of themany keys that will keep them from dangerouslifestyles. These dangerous lifestyles are contrary tothe way God has called us to raise them up. WhenJoseph and Mary reared Jesus in Jerusalem andGalilee, they were sensitive to their son’s needseven though God’s grace was sufficient. Teachingour children how to respond in a complex world thatdoesn’t have time for God, is of paramountimportance if we expect them to love God and theirneighbor as they love themselves.

In sowing into the lives of our children sothat they will make a difference later on in life, hereare a few essential ways to enhance our role as afather. First of all, be sensitive to your children’sneeds. Learning to listen to our children’s spokenand unspoken concerns can take them a long way intheir development. Our children depend on ouremotional and physical support when things don’talways go right in their lives. As fathers, we need tolet them know that things are going to be okay.

Connecting

Returning Hearts volunteerspraying with fathers

“Father’s Day”

§ We encourage you to continue to keep writing in your journals. Remember, this journey we’re embarkingon is much bigger than we were. Always be mindful that we’re creating a culture and that culture startswith you.

§ If you have not done so, please fill out the evaluation form for last year’s Returning Hearts Celebration.You can get one from any member of the Malachi Dads Leadership Team or at the Chaplain’s office.

§ DATE: Returning Hearts Celebration, September 8, 2007§ Begin inviting your families now, and begin praying for them.§ Registration for Returning Hearts Celebration coming soon.

Reminders

Going Deeper in Him

“One father is more than a hundredschoolmasters”.

~ 17th century English proverb

For He established a testimony in Jacob,And appointed a law in Israel, WhichHe commanded our fathers, That theyshould teach them to their children,That the generation to come might know,even the children yet to be born, Thatthey may arise and tell them to theirchildren, That they should put theirconfidence in God, And not forget theworks of God, But keep Hiscommandments.Psalms 78:5-7

and expect Him to move again. He is so muchgreater than our last experience, and wants to do somuch more in our lives.

Just think. What would have happened ifMoses had stopped at the burning bush? God wouldhave had to find somebody else or the children ofIsrael would still be in Egypt. What would havehappened if Paul would have stopped nearDamascus? We would not have those beautifulletters God used him to write.

Jesus took three of His disciples upon amountain to pray. As Jesus prayed, His countenancebegan to shine as the sun and his clothes were whiteas the light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appearedand were talking to Jesus. The disciples heard aboutthese two great men of God. I am sure they readScripture and were taught of their faith. Now,hundreds of years later, they show up on a mountaintalking to Jesus. Can you imagine what’s goingthrough their minds? This is an awesomeexperience! So awesome, Peter said “Lord, it is goodfor us to be here, let me build a dwelling place foryou and the prophets.” At the end of that verse, theBible says that Peter did not realize what he said.(Luke 9:33) Sure, it was good for them to be there,but it wasn’t good for them to stay there. When wehave those mountaintop experiences with God, weare always tempted to make tents and dwell there,but like Peter, we really don’t know what we aretalking about. The key is having an intimaterelationship with God, so when He moves, youmove. Just like that!!!

WHEN I MOVE, YOU MOVEBy Ronald O.

Many times we get comfortable where Godhas brought us to, but God is so much more than ourlast experience. There is so much more! I amreminded of Elijah in 1 Kings 17. The “word of theLord” came to Elijah saying get up, go eastward, andhide by the brook called Cherith. God told him todrink from the brook and eat from the ravens that Hecommanded to feed him. Elijah obeyed God, but“after a while the brook dried up.” Hold up! Wait aminute! Did not God send him to the brook? Yes, butHe didn’t send him to the brook to fall in love with it.The brook was only there to temporarily sustain him.God had planned for him to meet a widow, so shecould experience Jehovah-Jireh.

I think the problem with our churches todayis not that God isn’t moving, it’s just that He movedsomewhere else and we didn’t follow. We are gettingstuck with the last move of God, but God isscreaming, “Come on! There is so much more!There is a widow I want you to meet.”

I believe that denominations were born outof an experience with God. One group of Christiansexperienced Him through baptism, so they becameBaptist. Another group experienced Him how theFirst Century church did on the day of Pentecost, sothey became Pentecostal. God gave another groupof believers a method of evangelizing, so theybecame Methodist, and the list goes on and on.Denominations are built on an experience with God,but God did not intend for us to fall in love with theexperience. He desires us to fall in love with Him

From the desk of the Malachi Leadership teamThought for the Day

“What lies behind you, and what lies in front of you are tiny matters compared to what lies within you.”

4 "Remember the law of Moses My servant, even the statutes and ordinances which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel. 5 "Behold, Iam going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. 6 "And he will restore the hearts of

the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse." Mal 4:4-6

Fathers at the Returning HeartsCelebration