I thought I had posted this on my blog somewhere before, but I can’t seem to find it. I wrote it shortly after my dad’s sudden death and it was published in the Baptist Bread on December 28, 2009. I recently uncovered a photocopy of the article, which I’d placed in a zipper bag. I’m sure I intended to place it at his grave as a personal memorial, but I never did it. I think my mother was worried it would become mere litter as it endured the days, nights, rain and wind in the cemetery. I realized that it didn’t have to be at his tombstone to be a memorial. Perhaps the fact that it was published at all is memorial enough? Perhaps – and  I hope this is true – that my life, my testimony is an even greater memorial to my amazing dad.

I still own the rights to this short piece about my dad, so I’d like to share it now for Father’s Day. Thank you so much for reading.

2 Kings 4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

My dad was not a pastor or a preacher. He was, however, the greatest Christian I have ever known. I was an eye witness to his daily walk with the Lord. Since I had no younger siblings,  my dad was my best friend. We did almost everything together. I saw his strengths and his weaknesses. I watched him face the daily grind in the secular workforce and never once lower the banner of “Christian” from above his life.

I was not worried when my mother called me on July 28, 2004, to say he was in the hospital. I had peace. I headed to our Wednesday night church services with my family as usual. On the way to church, my heavenly Father impressed upon my heart that my dad, my “partner” in youth, was going to the place for which he had lived; he was going home to Heaven. The sermon that night was from the above passage entitled “It is Well.” The hymn, “It Is Well with my Soul” was Dad’s favorite! On that night, the Lord gently wrapped his loving arms of comfort around me and said, “He’s coming home tonight, but it is well.”

I served my Savior as a child because of my parents’ faithful walk with the Lord. I serve Him today because of my own. I know from experience that though the burdens press heavily upon me, with Christ’s presence, it is well!