Justin Drake

“Hearing the kids play, laugh, and saying funny things puts a father’s mind at ease, telling him that he’s been doing a good job and getting to enjoy it. Then you hear a song that puts your heart and mind back to a past that is hard to deal with and you sometime just lose it in a moment. Hearing Stephen Curtis Chapman’s “Cinderella” and remembering Chloe in that moment took me back to when I was holding her in my arms, but it wasn’t joyful at the time, it was sorrowful.

After four years I still have a very hard time talking about it, but one thing I don’t have a problem with talking about is that one thing that I will forever thank her and my Savior for, my salvation and humbling towards God. Chloe brought me closer to God than anyone before, it didn’t happen overnight, but after some crying, anger, sadness, and depression I heard the Lord’s message through the church we started going to, Lakeside Fellowship. I remember I started having hope again and I was asked if I wanted to do a bible study with the pastor and another guy that I have a grown a great friendship with.

We started reading through the Book of John and I remembered reading some of this stuff in my early college days. I started reading the Bible more and more and the picture of Jesus started making more sense than it had in years. I remember the first sermon at the church we started going to and I learned more in an hour than I had the last four years.

After a few weeks on September 11, 2006 I accepted God’s gift of grace and redemption into his kingdom. While me, my wife, and another friend prayed while I was accepting this Gift, I remember a burden being lifted off my shoulders. It was like I didn’t have to worry about Chloe anymore, because I knew she was being taken care of in Heaven with my Lord and Savior. This does not mean I don’t grieve, I think about her every day, at least once if not more…but I don’t worry for her, I long to see her again.

I know when I do pass on from this life and to Heaven I know I will dance with her every chance I get. As the song played in my head I imagined myself dancing with her and knowing that the clock will never strike midnight when I see her again!”

(Chloe’s Daddy)