What to write in a Christian Father’s Day card

Father’s Day isn’t as big a deal as Mother’s Day, but I believe that the value of a Christian father and his influence on his children is understated.

The impact of a father cannot be understated.

Did you know that children in father-absent homes are four times more likely to live in poverty? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 44% of children in homes headed by single mothers lived below the poverty line, compared to 12% in married two-parent households in 2022 in the USA.

Did you know that children with a present father are far less likely to get involved in risky behaviour? In fact, 85% of children in the USA with behavioural challenges come from homes without a father.

Closer to home, 76% of male prisoners in England and Wales come from households without a father figure. These sobering stats come from the CDC in the USA and the UK Parliament, reminding us just how vital a father’s presence can be.

Children who experienced a father's absence during early childhood (birth to 5 years) showed increased odds of depressive symptoms at age 14. This association was particularly strong in girls and remained significant even after adjusting for various other factors, according to a study published in Pubmed.

I have to include this here because while stats aren't the most exciting thing, I found the results of this study fascinating:

According to a Swiss study on church attendance impact done in 1994, Children are more likely to remain Christian into adulthood if their father is actively involved in the faith.

• If both parents attend church regularly, 33% of children remain faithful as adults.

• If only the mother attends, this drops to 2–3%.

• If only the father attends regularly, over 65–75% of children continue in the faith.

I don't know how much this has changed in the last 30 years, nor how different it is in the UK, but the difference is so large in this study I felt it is worth mentioning.

Please don't be disheartened if you don't have a dad in your life or you're a single mum. I presume that if you've searched for what to write in a Father's Day card, you have one to write, but I also want to encourage you if you don't and say that God redeems, and He can restore the years that the locust has eaten.

So all that to say, if you have a father who shares his faith and his life with you, you have a precious jewel and one worth celebrating and thanking him for this Father's Day.

What to write in a Christian Father's Day card.

To your own dad, as an adult

As an adult, writing a Father's Day card might be trickier than it was when you still lived with your parents. But their faithful love and care is still something to be recognised.

You can add on some humour by saying things like "Thanks for offering wise advice, dodgy jokes, and unconditional love since forever", which shows gratitude but also marks that you are an adult yourself.

Sentiments like, "Thank you for being a steady, faithful presence in my life, pointing me to Jesus, praying for me through every season, and always being just a phone call/WhatsApp message away (even when I should probably know how to do it myself)."

Or, "I’m so grateful for your example of integrity, quiet strength, and a life rooted in God’s Word. You’ve shaped who I am more than you probably realise." Some examples of how he has shaped you can be added here.

End with something light-hearted, like "I hope I inherited more of your patience than your gardening skills." ends the card nicely. 

Overall, something lighthearted with humour and plenty of genuine gratitude for who he is and what he's given you over the years of childhood and into adulthood will be the perfect tone.

To your husband from your child

In reality, a Father's Day card to your husband is as much from you as it is from them. Once your children can write, they'll no doubt (with some reminding from you) write their own cards. But in the meantime, show your appreciation to the head of your household with a card from them.

Of course, make this your own, and add in the things he does for you and your family that are meaningful to you. But something along the lines of:

Happy Father’s Day to the one our kids call “Dad” and I call “God’s best gift”
Thank you for loving our children so patiently, leading our home with faith, and making us all laugh - even when we know the punchline that's coming.

I’m so thankful for the way you reflect our Heavenly Father’s love every day - through bedtime stories, school runs, frequent prayers for us all, carry cuddles, the eagerness to jump in to fix things and everything else.
We’re blessed beyond words to call you ours.

Love you always, you're our favourite.

To a father figure, like a step-dad, a man who has taken on the role as dad in some way

You could tell this man how grateful you are that he stepped in when you needed a father, and perhaps even use some of the statistics above to emphasise how much of a difference having him in your life has made.

Thank him for his steady presence, his wisdom and kindness to you. Thank him for noticing, stepping in and stepping up.

Speak of his impact and how it has had a lasting effect on you and your life.

If you have children yourself, you could share how his role in your life has made you a better father, as you saw God the Father in him.

Add in some humour, an in-joke, something about his dad jokes or football technique - you know him and you know your relationship. Make it personal and show that he has been a real father figure to you all ways, not just spiritually.

Pray a prayer of blessing upon him, that God would be good to him, as he has been good to you.

Where to get a great Christian Father's Day card.

That is such a good question; I'm glad you asked! ;)

I have some lovely Father’s Day cards which encourage and support while being fun - hopefully, your dad likes adventures, books or games.

Many of the cards I have designed include a bible verse to add some spiritual encouragement and a faith dimension to the card, and have plenty of space inside for you to write a lovely message inspired by this article!

Find And Hope Designs Christian Father's Day cards here.