Fatherless Pt. 2:

Written by: Cathy Melgar

Growing up I had to face the hardship of having an alcoholic as my dad. He was always there, and yet, it was as if he was never there. I remembered feeling like he always chose his alcohol over our family. On his days off from work, when he finally had the opportunity to spend time with us, he spent his day drinking away. In fact, my home was filled with the smell of his beer and the sorrow of the rest of us dwelling in it.

Honestly, his addiction to alcohol made me feel as if I was second place in his life. It was at its worst when I was in middle school and in my early years of high school. When I needed a father to validate me and to demonstrate how much I was worth, to tell me how beautiful I was (just that affirmation a teenage girl desires to hear from her father), I never got that. No matter what I did to try to get his attention, good or bad, it was never enough to get my dad's hand off the beer can.

And then something happened, I came to God, or better said, He came to me. Although, my dad had his share of mistakes, Christ helped me to let go of my pain, resentment, anger and hurt. He helped me to look beyond my father's faults and cover them with a mantle of love. He also gave me the affirmation I desperately sought for through what He did for me on the Cross. He came, He died, He rose, and He did this all for me—all of it. I am worth every drop of blood that was shed on that cross, because He loved me. I belong to Him, and I am His daughter. I have received His Spirit of adoption and now I'm able to cry out Abba Father. But wait, He didn't do this just for me, He did this incredible act of love for everyone. So, find embrace in the arms of the perfect Father, Christ, and you shall never be fatherless!