[Verse 1]
Stephen's father always taught him how to fight
How to curl up when they beat him so they'd never see him cry
How to stay real quiet in the closet while he was hiding
From his dad, when he be drinking he would get a little violent
But there were things Stephen learned along the way
That he [?] to survive another day
He could hide from his father
He could run a little farther
But the only way to fight a memory was to pray
He'd say

[Pre-Chorus]
Anyone, hear me?
I'm broken but I'm breathing
Feeling kind of lonely
But I know what I believe in
Remembering my reasons to appreciate this treatment
The bites that got me bleeding
But I've been known to take a beating

[Chorus]
God, help me when I have a wife
That I'll know how to treat her right
And, God, help me when I am a man
To be the father that my father had never been
God, help me when I have kids
That I'll teach them how I learned that I should live
Help me remember to put nobody else above them
But most of all, God, help me show them that I love them
[Verse 2]
Back up
Stephen never had the backup
Living like a prisoner, with his back up
Against the wall, 'cause on one side of the wall was his father
On the other, he was more scared for his mother
She was on the bed, lying under the cover
All the [?]
She would discover all the things that her lover ever did
[?] too afraid to lose a kid

[Pre-Chorus]
Anyone, hear me?
I'm broken but I'm breathing
Feeling kind of lonely
But I know what I believe in
Remembering my reasons to appreciate this [?]
The bites that got me bleeding
But I've been known to take a beating

[Chorus]
God, help me when I have a wife
That I'll know how to treat her right
And, God, help me when I am a man
To be the father that my father had never been
God, help me when I have kids
That I'll teach them how I learned that I should live
Help me remember to put nobody else above them
But most of all, God, help me show them that I love them
[Verse 3]
If you're alone and
You're bleeding to avoid another beating
I need you to hear me
What I'll tell you won't be easy
They tore apart your home
You need to fight for your freedom
Call the cops and run away from them
You'll learn from my friend Stephen

[Chorus]
And I know that when you have a wife
That you'll know how to treat her right
And I know that when you are a man
You'll be the father that your father had never been
An I know that when you have kids
That you'll teach them how you learned that you should live
You'll remember to put nobody else above them
Most of all, I know that you know how to love them