Fathers hold a special place in our hearts and lives. They lead us, help us, and support us when we need it most. Most of all, fathers set an example of our Heavenly Father’s love for us — unconditional, patient, kind, and protective.
We recently sat down with Mike Struiksma, a member of our Board of Directors and an incredible father with a heart for serving others and changing the world.
As a father, Mike has dedicated his life to serving his family and leaving a legacy for his children. Every day, he takes time to send blessings to his family so they know how much they’re loved.
Here’s what he had to say about his role as a father:
Q: As a father, why is it important for you to share your faith, values, and passion for helping people in need with your family?
Mike works hard to lead his family using his Christians values
A: Modeling the Christian walk and encouraging my children to choose Jesus is the most important thing I need to do as a dad.
This started for my kids at an early age — teaching them Bible stories and songs, having family devotions at the dinner table, and modeling the holy habit of consistent church involvement. This included getting them involved in Sunday school and youth groups as soon as possible and throughout their at-home years.
But this also included loving others, as Jesus modeled for us. They will know we are Christians by our love … and I hope I have done a good job showing that love to others in both the giving of my time and my finances, and as an encouragement for my kids to continue the legacy.
My parents were great models for me, and I am so grateful for this Christian heritage, and that my parents are consistently faithful and intentional about passing that down to not only me and my brothers, but also to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
I especially like how the author of Psalms 78 put it: “ … we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders he has done … so the next generation would know … even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they will put their trust in God…..”
Q: You’ve taken several trips with World Help, some with your extended family. What were those trips like, and what impact did they have?
Mike, his wife, and the rest of his family have traveled around the world to help people in need
A: My wife and I have been so blessed to be able to partner with World Help in many ways, but especially to go on several trips. I will be honest when I say that I wasn’t all in until I went with World Help on a trip to Africa, and God shook my world and broke my heart.
I’m sure that my children were able to see the marked difference of my wife and me when we returned. I was blessed to be on that trip with some lifelong friends, and also blessed to come away with new friends, all brothers and sisters in Christ.
I was also able to see firsthand the awesome ministries happening in Guatemala, and the amazing things that were being accomplished in being the hands and feet of Jesus for so many people in an impoverished country.
Mike and his family traveled to Cuba to help spread the Gospel and provide essentials
Shortly before the outbreak of COVID-19, we made the trip to Cuba and were blown away by the explosion of home churches, the equipping of training and materials given to the pastors of these churches, and the pure joy of the Cuban believers.
What a blessing we were to them, but they were also an incredible blessing to us. Recently, World Help went to Cuba again, and I had planned to go with my son. Unfortunately, I was not able to make it, but my son went and was profoundly impacted, reaping the same benefits I had received just a few years before.
When World Help opened up trips again, my wife, sister-in-law, and I went with a group to Eastern Europe. We met their ministry partners in Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania. There, I was reminded that God is good, God is on the move, and He uses simple people like us to meet the needs of so many that need our help.
I’ve said it before, but it is worth noting that we are blessed even more than those we are blessing. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper, and whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Q: Can you share about the blessings you send your family each day? What inspired you to start sending them, and what do they mean to you?
Mike makes a daily effort to show how much he cares for his family
A: In 2019, we made an amazing trip to Israel with friends to visit the sites of the Holy Land. What an awesome experience. It made the Bible come even more to life for me, and I began to read God’s Word with different eyes.
The Pastor who we took with us on the trip to the Holy Land is a dear friend and devoted follower of Jesus. When we returned from that trip, he led the initiative to begin a daily small group in which we all read the same chapter of the Bible. We text each other daily and share other God stories happening in our lives. We also remember to pray for each other.
So, for the past 6 years and counting, this group has been faithful in daily building each other up. At the same time, I knew that this would be an excellent way for me to walk with my wife and kids, and the best way for us to stay connected amid our busy lives.
I now spend more time in the Word, and text my little family a daily verse uniquely for them, along with my thoughts of impact and application, and include a hymn or worship song that pertains to the verse and message.
Mike hopes to leave a lasting legacy of providing help and hope for future generations to follow
Then, a few years ago, my older brother passed away unexpectedly. He has three boys, and our families have always done everything together. One of the boys said to me, “Uncle Mike, you now have three more sons.”
At the time, it hit me squarely in the face, and I was overwhelmed by the responsibility of that prospect. I didn’t know what that all meant and how I was going to do that. So, I decided that, without knowing exactly what to do, I would start with Jesus.
So daily, I do the same for my brother Dale’s family, including my mom and dad. This was a God thing and inspired by Him. It has led to so many great conversations and growth for us all. And all this occurred because one faithful servant took a step of faith to build into the lives of seven men … and has now multiplied and resulted in us all blessing our families.
God is good, all the time. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Q: What kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind for future generations?
Mike strives to make an eternal impact both in his family and around the world
A: I am not perfect, but I have been saved. I don’t have all the answers, but I have a great God who does. I don’t always know the right way, but I have a Shepherd who leads me. I am going to keep living for Jesus.
It’s like what I like to say on the golf course when I play with people for the first time: “It’s not always going to look like it today … but I am trying.”
Thank God that for all my failures — His Son has paid my price and has made me perfect in God’s eyes. This is my heart for my children and my children’s children.
One day, I had a deep conversation with one of my sons. He made a comment that floored me, and I, in return, made a comment that floored him. He said, “Dad, I just want your life.”
After trying to grasp all he meant by that, I answered him, “Okay, if you want my life … then live my life.”
Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing fathers, both locally and all around the world. Thank you for being a source of strength, love, and support in your families and communities.
If you’d like to transform lives in honor of Father’s Day, you can give where needed most to provide people with essentials like food, clean water, clothing, God’s Word, and more.
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