Amen, and AMEN!!! And btw, Sean, HAPPY FATHER’s DAY to you!! While you may not have biological children of you own, you have been a “FATHERLY” figure to many! She may not see with her eyes, but I believe she sees with her heart! And soooo many others you have visited in hospitals, etc! And you are certainly an inspiration to a young college girl, going throat many trials and tribulations at this time. Oh, and don’t forget the dogs! What a heart you have! So, with that being said, HAPPY HONORARY FATHER’s DAY! May you have an Awesome one!
This is a beautiful display of what the grace of God does for broken, sin-filled people. It sets us free to be who God made us to be. You, Sean, are deeply known and deeply loved by the Creator of the universe. Thank you for letting us walk with you on this journey. Happy Father’s Day.
Forgiveness, especially for trauma, has to be the hardest thing ever. I learned to forgive someone a few years ago and lifted a huge burden. But mine was easy because another person forgave me for the same thing. Thank you for sharing your darkest memories. Hopefully, we can share some of your burden and lighten it for you. I sometimes wonder if you read any of these hundreds of comments to your thoughts. Maybe thousands since some reply on FB. Just realized we love this relationship with Birmingham Sean. Your daddy was badly flawed but look how his son turned out. Happy fathers Day, Sean. You are an inspiration to so many now and I doubt you would be the man you are without that childhood. Some would say God had a plan.
This is the most powerful and beautiful post I've ever read. Sean, you are like a little piece of coal that turned into a gold nugget. It's hard to find the words, but you are so enormously special.
God bless you over and over, and also your father, wherever he is.
The picture of you shows a cute lovable boy who deserved to be loved. As you learned, your father did not have love to give. Chemical imbalance and/or self-hatred did not allow him to. You broke the chain of dysfunction which gets passed from generation to generation. You are free to love yourself and others. What a glorious thing
I am 73 years old and still working on what I went through. Just remember, how you treat your children will always stay with them and I am not perfect.
While I wasn't physically abused, my father was an emotional abuser. He made my mother's life miserable as well as me and my younger siblings. She left him after 12 years of marriage & I'll never understand why she stayed that long. I never got the chance to ask her because she died at a young age. He, however, lived until 2009 at 87, a miserable, lonely, angry man. I do not miss him & really have no good memories of him. He taught me only one thing - how not to treat others.
Sean, thank you for sharing such a raw & vulnerable part of your life with us. It may take some of us longer to forgive, but you've done it with grace and dignity.
Absolute beauty and professing a story of God’s sweet redemption here on Earth. Your kindness to allow us along on your transforming journey is such a gift … thank you seems insufficient.
I, too, stood at my mom’s casket at 12 years old with my own snot trickling out of my nose after she, too, took her own life for very similar reasons to your father (add in chronic 7 year illness). BUT I, too, have a redemptive story where Jesus has been exceedingly present since that mid-August day, drawing me to Himself. It is hard to put my gratitude to Him into words - yet your writing just helped!! Thank you Sean!! May you and I continue to recognize and relish His sweet pursuit ♥️
Love you Sean. I believe you help countless readers by your true life stories. Though I have never suffered physical abuse I do understand heartache, loss and the reminders. On this Father’s Day I am reminded of One who has guided me through my darkest days. I feel blessed to open prayer with ‘Heavenly Father’…….I leave this story with the smiling image, engrained in my thoughts, of a precious smiling schoolboy! Little did he know how much he would contribute to helping the lives of others. God bless!
Bless you Sean. You are a man who has found his way to his true Father and understands love, grace and mercy. God bless you for sharing this with us.
Amen, and AMEN!!! And btw, Sean, HAPPY FATHER’s DAY to you!! While you may not have biological children of you own, you have been a “FATHERLY” figure to many! She may not see with her eyes, but I believe she sees with her heart! And soooo many others you have visited in hospitals, etc! And you are certainly an inspiration to a young college girl, going throat many trials and tribulations at this time. Oh, and don’t forget the dogs! What a heart you have! So, with that being said, HAPPY HONORARY FATHER’s DAY! May you have an Awesome one!
Nurturing as a father with much compassion! Yes!
This is a beautiful display of what the grace of God does for broken, sin-filled people. It sets us free to be who God made us to be. You, Sean, are deeply known and deeply loved by the Creator of the universe. Thank you for letting us walk with you on this journey. Happy Father’s Day.
I need to drop my dad a note like this. Do you mind sharing Heaven’s address?
Me too.
Forgiveness, especially for trauma, has to be the hardest thing ever. I learned to forgive someone a few years ago and lifted a huge burden. But mine was easy because another person forgave me for the same thing. Thank you for sharing your darkest memories. Hopefully, we can share some of your burden and lighten it for you. I sometimes wonder if you read any of these hundreds of comments to your thoughts. Maybe thousands since some reply on FB. Just realized we love this relationship with Birmingham Sean. Your daddy was badly flawed but look how his son turned out. Happy fathers Day, Sean. You are an inspiration to so many now and I doubt you would be the man you are without that childhood. Some would say God had a plan.
Stephen,
Thanks for sharing a truth to us.
This is the most powerful and beautiful post I've ever read. Sean, you are like a little piece of coal that turned into a gold nugget. It's hard to find the words, but you are so enormously special.
God bless you over and over, and also your father, wherever he is.
You DID find the words, Susan, perfect words! Seaner IS " enormously special"!!
You are a good man, Sean Dietrich! ♥️
The picture of you shows a cute lovable boy who deserved to be loved. As you learned, your father did not have love to give. Chemical imbalance and/or self-hatred did not allow him to. You broke the chain of dysfunction which gets passed from generation to generation. You are free to love yourself and others. What a glorious thing
Well done, Sean.
From another child who was abused by her father. The most important lesson I learned from him was how NOT to treat my own children.
I’m 72 and I haven’t forgiven him yet. Thank you for letting me know that it’s time to start working on that.
I know that you don’t have children but you’re certainly a father to Becca and Morgan so Happy Father’s Day to you!
I am 73 years old and still working on what I went through. Just remember, how you treat your children will always stay with them and I am not perfect.
~Amen
While I wasn't physically abused, my father was an emotional abuser. He made my mother's life miserable as well as me and my younger siblings. She left him after 12 years of marriage & I'll never understand why she stayed that long. I never got the chance to ask her because she died at a young age. He, however, lived until 2009 at 87, a miserable, lonely, angry man. I do not miss him & really have no good memories of him. He taught me only one thing - how not to treat others.
Sean, thank you for sharing such a raw & vulnerable part of your life with us. It may take some of us longer to forgive, but you've done it with grace and dignity.
You just dropped one of life’s most important lesson in the most loving way.
Amazing what happens when we bow at the cross.
Thank you Jesus!
Thank you Sean and don’t stop writing.
This has moved me like no other of your columns. I am so happy you have found your peace.
I think your dad is having a wonderful Father's Day. I know if I were he, I would be.
❤️, Jim. 👍
Absolute beauty and professing a story of God’s sweet redemption here on Earth. Your kindness to allow us along on your transforming journey is such a gift … thank you seems insufficient.
I, too, stood at my mom’s casket at 12 years old with my own snot trickling out of my nose after she, too, took her own life for very similar reasons to your father (add in chronic 7 year illness). BUT I, too, have a redemptive story where Jesus has been exceedingly present since that mid-August day, drawing me to Himself. It is hard to put my gratitude to Him into words - yet your writing just helped!! Thank you Sean!! May you and I continue to recognize and relish His sweet pursuit ♥️
Love you Sean. I believe you help countless readers by your true life stories. Though I have never suffered physical abuse I do understand heartache, loss and the reminders. On this Father’s Day I am reminded of One who has guided me through my darkest days. I feel blessed to open prayer with ‘Heavenly Father’…….I leave this story with the smiling image, engrained in my thoughts, of a precious smiling schoolboy! Little did he know how much he would contribute to helping the lives of others. God bless!
So beautiful. No matter how much it hurts. Thankful for the cross. Thankful for my father and my son’s father.
Brenda,
AMEN
and I say again & again X 1000.
Hallaluah for the love of God.