A Father’s Story
“To all the women and men, girls and boys, who didn’t have the dad they needed in their life.”
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About The Book
When my two daughters were in junior high and high school, I always encouraged them to bring their friends to OUR house to hang out. I knew our house was a safe place for them and their friends. I wanted their friends to know that they were always welcome in our home, that they could relax and just be themselves, and that we were parents who were involved in our daughters’ lives. What I came to realize was how MANY households did not have a mom or dad, or both, involved in their children’s lives. How many of their friends were basically growing up on their own, learning about life the hard way. I learned how many of my daughters’ friends had parents who were deceased, divorced, or disengaged. I knew that because so many of their friends had commented to our girls, “Wow, I wish I had parents like yours
That is why I dedicate this project to all the men and women, boys and girls, who don’t have a dad in their lives. My hope, my prayer, is that somehow some of the writings contained in this book will be an encouragement to everyone who reads it. Perhaps there might be some fatherly advice or wisdom that you never received that can be discovered within these pages. Will there be any insights that can help guide your thoughts, words, or actions, in order to help you enjoy a better and more fulfilling life? Here’s what I know. We ALL have problems; we ALL have troubles in life. Granted, some more than others. However, while we experience brokenness through the relations we have, we can also find healing. May you find some sort of comfort and healing within the pages of this book.
Find warmth and wisdom in a tale of a home that welcomed all, offering the guidance and comfort of an ever-present parent. This book is a beacon of hope and healing, showing that in connection and understanding, there’s a path to a brighter, more fulfilling life.
What’s inside
What's the best advice you got from your mom and dad?
What's the most important thing you learned in school that actually helped you in the real world?
Is there a secret or key to happiness?
What did you learn about true friendships?
What should I do if I can't forgive someone?
What's the most important thing you learned about relationships?
What is the most important lesson you've learned about people?
How did you know when you were in love?
What have you learned about trusting people?
Does wisdom come from age?
A Father’s Story
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Definitions and Insights
Chapter 1 – About Our Family 15
Chapter 2 – When You Were Young
Chapter 3 – Your Adolescent Years
Chapter 4 – Things You Learned About Life
Chapter 5 – Growing Older
Chapter 6 – Becoming a Dad
Letter from My Dad
Post Journal Comments
Thoughts About the Topic of Dating
About CROP Ministries
About Faith
About the Authors
Preface
“Dad, Brook wanted me to say thank you for the lemonade you bought her at Panera,” my daughter Lizzy told me. “It was no big deal,” wa s my reply. It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was working around the house. My 21-year-old daughter had stopped by to say hi when she was out and about with friends that day. It was shortly past lunchtime, and I hadn’t had anything to eat. I asked them if they wanted to join me at Panera Bread for lunch, my treat. They said that they had just come from lunch and weren’t hungry, but they would come with me to hang out for a bit. At the counter, I confirmed if there was anything I could get for them. They only asked for lemonade, a super easy treat. “No, she really wanted me to be sure I told you how much she appreciated it. She kept asking me if I had told you yet,” she continu ed. “What? What’s the big deal? It was only lemonade,” I said. “You don’t understand,” Lizzy said. “Brook’s dad died a couple years ago. She really misses him, and you treating her to lemonade reminded her of that.” Wow. Brook was the same age as Lizzy and her dad was gone. My heart broke for her. I then reflected on something. When my two daughters, Lizzy, and Kaylyn, who is 2 ½ years older than Lizzy, were in junior high and high school, I always encouraged them to bring their friends to OUR house to hang out. I knew our house was a safe place for them and their friends. I wanted to know their friends and to get them to know both my wife and me. I wanted their friends to know that they were always welcome in our home, that they could relax and just be themselves, and that we were parents who were involved in our daughters’ lives. As I came to know their friends, and my daughters would give me insight into their friends’ households, this reality came to life: not all households, not all families were like ours. Not that ours was “better.” This wasn’t a competition or comparison, and I certainly had no illusions that all parents were involved in their children’s lives like we were. What I came to realize was how MANY households did not have a mom or dad, or both, involved in their lives. How many of their friends were basically growing up on their own, learning about life the hard way. I learned how many of my daughters’ friends had parents who were deceased, divorced, or disengaged. I knew that because so many of their friends had commented to our girls, “Wow, I wish I had parents like yours.”
Chapters
Pages
Step into the pages of a book where wisdom isn’t just spoken, it’s felt. Through the intimate exploration of life’s most poignant questions, this collection offers a mirror to our deepest struggles and highest hopes. Here, wisdom comes alive, not through grand declarations, but through the quiet moments of connection and reflection. It’s a journey that promises to touch your heart, gently nudging you towards the light of understanding and the warmth of compassion. This book is an invitation to find comfort in shared experiences, to see your own story reflected in others’, and to discover the strength that lies in vulnerability. Let each page turn be a step closer to the wisdom that weaves through the fabric of our lives, binding us together in the shared pursuit of a life well-lived. Welcome to a reading experience where every word is a heartbeat, every story a breath of inspiration. Your path to wisdom starts here.
Books purchased through this site will be signed by the authors.
About the authors.
– Kaylyn Martinez-Norris –
Kaylyn is the inspiration for the CROP Ministries program that her father developed and she is officially the first graduate of the first class ever conducted by her dad.
She shares to this day the impact that the program had on her relationship with her dad and with God. Kaylyn is now married to the love of her life Bradley-Anthony Norris, and they have two beautiful little boys named Anthony and Cayden. She is currently homeschooling her oldest son, Anthony. She loves to cook and bake. She can’t wait for the day her sons go through the CROP program.
– Mark Martinez –
Mark was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. He went to Arcadia High School in Arcadia and San Diego State University, where he earned his B.S. degree in Business Administration. Mark has had careers in both business and in Christian ministry, and he is the founder and creator of CROP Ministries. He was inspired to write and develop the program for his oldest daughter, Kaylyn, when she was 12 years old. He recognizes the importance parent-led teen mentorship program, so he wrote one. He and his wife, Jan, have been married for over 31 years and have their two daughters, Kaylyn and Elizabeth.
Kaylyn and Mark