It was Father’s Day in 2004 at the age of 8 in my home church when I publicly gave my life to Christ. (The actual day was June 20th, yesterday, but I’ve always remembered “Father’s Day”…) Just a week or so before that day I made a decision that changed my life, though I didn’t really know the depth of that decision until much later in life.

Today I look back on how that decision has impacted me and what God has brought me through because of it.

Because of my decision to follow Christ and be adopted into God’s family, I’ve been able to cope and endure through the loss of my earthly father. This was kind of like our day every year, seeing as how I was baptized on Father’s Day. Every year, I’d say “Dad, I was baptized on this day so it’s kind of like my birthday too.”

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!

Tie them around your neck as a reminder.

Write them deep within your heart.

Then you will find favor with both God and people,

and you will earn a good reputation.

Proverbs 3:3-4

Today I grieve. Dad would always play golf on this day unless it rained but I don’t recall many fathers days it rained. If it did, he still watched golf on the TV.

Today is a day I’ve been thinking about for weeks with all the advertisements and posts about dads. This is the first Father’s Day I’ll be without my father here in this realm.

Every year I’d try to find the BEST card to get him. I’d get one but then find a better one later on. I eventually created a stack ~ I’ll pick one of these next year! It’s become a collection. Now it’s become this reminder that he’ll never see them again.

I’ll never walk into the living room and see him sitting in his recliner and give him his Father’s Day gift. I’ll never really have a reason to get a new hat for him, a new golf polo or golf balls. I’ll never be able to do so many things.

Out of all the people in the world, I wish I had been able to spend more time with my Dad. Out of all the people in the world, I’m glad I’ve gotten to share this special day with him for so many years. He was so proud of my decision and he loved that it was on Father’s Day all those years ago.

I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

3 John 1:4

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12 NIV

My life is changed because of my two father’s in life. Both are in heaven. One day I’ll see them both because of the faith I’ve put in Jesus Christ.

Happy Father’s Day. 🙏🏻

The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

Psalm 103:13