It’s been one year today since God took my Dad home. As many of you have experienced loss, some days are easier than others, while other days are are extremely difficult to get through.

The past year without Dad has had its challenges. I never would have thought we as a nation or as a world would go through the things we’ve gone through. For some of us, we had to begin those challenges without some of the ones we love most. For others, you’ve lost someone in the midst of these challenges. I don’t know which is more tragic, but know that there are many just like you.

I’ve felt like I’ve learned and grown as a person and in my faith in the past year. Taking time, especially in this age having nothing but time at home, I’ve been able to read His Word and spend a good chunk of my “free” time reading and discussing grief and suffering. What do we do with it? I’ve learned that it’s not good to bottle it up. I’ve also learned that it has a purpose. We can’t let grief control us or our lives, but, just what my Dad would have said, grief shouldn’t be used negatively or used as an excuse. Knowing this doesn’t make it easy, but it’s something to strive toward over time.

The past year I’ve been able to laugh and cry remembering Dad. I’ve been able to recall things he’d say or things that happened that were so incredibly just DAD. Many times, even recently, I’ve found myself crying over the fact that he’s not here on earth. I’m just a little girl who wants her Daddy again. I’m always going to be that girl.

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about Dad in some way. I want my time on earth to be well spent, to make Dad proud, to be a good and faithful servant to God and for His purposes, to make it Home and see Dad greeting me at those pearly gates.

Today, I leave you with this short and sweet post that somehow sums up my feelings – that I know in my heart that it’s not just goodbye, but a see you later. I hope you’re as encouraged by the promise of Heaven as I am.

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Hebrews 13:14