Happy Father's Day!

This was my daddy's 18th year to lead Father's Day service at Pinedale Assembly of God. He started leading it in 2003. I see the time and effort that He puts into it each year; the excitment on his face as he heads to church that morning. We talk through every year together, he asks my opinion on things, but he always leaves a surprise for me that he plans between the Lord and him. I was moved to tears this morning, just thanking God for these 18 years and graciously and mercifully giving him the opportunity to do this. In mid-2002, things looked bleak when my daddy was diagnosed with kidney cancer. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me, and I remember kneeling at the end of my bed crying out to God that if my daddy had to go, I wanted to go on home to; he was my everything and I couldn't lose him in my life at almost 19 years old... but God... He stepped in and gave my daddy another chance at life. My daddy is a very private and quiet man, and I had never really seen him scared in life or concerned like I did that year. I felt numb, and it's still a blur to me at times. I do remember him telling me that the tumor was malignant, and that the cancer had already spread to other places and chemotherapy wasn't an option. I was in my 1st semester at college, thinking my world was about to crash around me, and how was I going to move forward?! But the prayers of healing over my daddy from some faithful prayer warriors at Pinedale touched heaven the week before his surgery. I'll never forget the look on the doctor's face when he come out to talk to the family after my daddy's surgery... he said, "I don't understand what happened, but the tumor was outside of the kidney and the cancer had spread when I looked at the reports, but when I went in to do surgery today... I found the tumor and all of the cancer contained inside the kidney"?! We knew what had happened, and I think that doctor and hospital staff found out what it meant to be Pentecostal that day! Once daddy got settled in a room, I left Shelby Hospital, drove over to the University of Montevallo, took my first college final exam for biology and ended up making an A in that course. Daddy wanted to make sure I didn't miss my exam, that's just the way he is! He lost a kidney, but he still remains cancer free since December 2002, and his other kidney continues to function well. Not a day goes by that I don't thank and praise God for His hand of healing over my daddy's life! Thank you to my Heavenly Father for my earthly father, and giving him the opportunity to lead this service each year since that dreadful year. God saw past that year and what was coming; my daddy's calling (Bro. Jackie's calling at Pinedale)! He loves the Lord, the church, playing the bass guitar, singing to God, his family, and he still works hard to provide. Happy Father's Day to my daddy of faith. I love him so!! 2♡21. 

I pray this encourages someone, and to remind you that God's report can triumph the doctor's report.