My Dad, My Shepherd

June 14, 1968, it was a stormy night. Lightening, thunder, howling wind were all deafening as my Dad put my sister and I to bed that night. While he was tucking us into bed we heard a tree branch snap and hit the roof, it shook the house.

"Where is Mommy? How come she isn't putting us to bed?" We asked our father. "She is at Choir practice" was his reply. "When will she come home? I'm scared Daddy, what if she doesn't come home? What if she dies in the storm?" We had so many questions! Dad tried to calm us down, relieve our fears and help us to feel safe but it was not working.

We were relentless, we wanted to know the answer. "Dad, what if Mom dies in the storm and never comes home?"  He began to explain to us that she asked Jesus into her heart and if she died she would go to heaven.  She would be safe and happy with Jesus. I asked, "If I die will I go to heaven?" "Have you asked Jesus into your heart?" He asked. "No" was my response. "Well then you won't go to heaven" he told me. A look back on his curt answer it seemed a bit harsh to tell a four year old. I felt a panic overcome me and knew I did not want to die without Jesus. It was then that I asked my Dad to help me to receive the most precious gift I have ever received - the gift of salvation! I prayed that prayer that evening I thank the Lord for my Father for many things but especially for being my Sheperd that night and leading me to Christ.

I cannot imagine how different my life would be if my Father did not have a personal relationship with the Lord. Not only would he have not led me to the Lord, but it would not have been important to him to find a wife that had a passion for the lost. I can only guess that we would not have gone to Bethesda Church or Calvary Memorial Church. Dad attended Milwaukee Bible Institute and continued on to the Mission field, not as a Pastor but as a builder. Because of that, I went to Grace Bible College (MBI's name & location was changed).  Because of his creative way to serve the Lord we have tried to emphasize to our children to combine your love for the Lord with something you enjoy doing and serve the Lord in that capacity. Not everyone is born to be a Pastor.

Right now my parent live in AZ, not far from the border of Mexico. Three times a year they minister to the people of Nogales.  They cross over the border and hand out food, clothing and Bibles to sometimes up to 500 people.

Thank you Dad, for loving the Lord, sharing Christ with us, showing us the importance of attending church, having us grow up knowing the importance of a personal relationship with the Lord and the importance of marrying someone who loves the Lord as well. I am extremely thankful for our godly heritage.  I pray we can continue that godly heritage with our children as well.