photo credit simmbarb sxc.hu

I felt a strong pull to go to this meeting, and I didn’t know why.

I hadn’t been to an Aglow meeting for some time. The woman speaking had been abused as a child, and spoke of her struggles as an adult. She spoke of not being able to trust authority, and especially men.

At the end of her inspiring talk, she asked people who wanted prayer to come forward. When she got to me, she put her hands on my head and began to pray things that touched my heart. She spoke things of hope, and prayed about things I had not told anyone. At the end of her prayer she said, “Lord, give her an older gentleman who will show her an unabusive love.”

I left that meeting inspired. If she could overcome what happened to her, then maybe I could overcome the things that had happened to me. And she had prayed for me to have a spiritual father. That is something I had wanted for such a long time, but hadn’t told anyone.

The next year, a man I’ll call Dave walked into our lives. He taught the Cleansing Stream Discipleship class at our church. This man didn’t just teach the class, he mentored us. He poured his heart into us, and helped each of us not only become free, but be better people. He became a father figure to both my husband and I.  I was so happy that God had answered that prayer and given me a spiritual dad, someone who lifted me up, believed in me and encouraged me to be the best that I could be.

After a year of teaching our class, because of a family situation, Dave had to move to another state. We all prayed for him the last day of class. But when it was time to go I couldn’t hold back the tears. Here was this older man,  an answer to prayer, who had lifted me up when so many others had torn me down. And now he was leaving.

The question that reiterated through my heart was God, why would  you give me a spiritual dad and then take him away?

The first retreat after he left was the hardest. That question still lay on my heart.

The day after the retreat,  in the quiet of the morning, I heard God say,  I have been your God, but I would really like to be your Father.

All that day I cried and cried. All along I thought God had taken my dad away, when really, He was here all along. I have a Father in heaven that cares about me, loves me, and lifts me up, helping me to be the best I can be.

I have a Heavenly Father.