03/29/2025
A Testimony of Tina M. Todd, Roanoke, Al - from years past.
Today, March 29, 2025, God has laid on my heart to share a testimony that is very near and dear to my heart. On November 8, 2000, my father passed away from liver and lung cancer in the Forsyth Medical Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We had only known from October 31, 2000, that he had cancer. This was a serious blow to our family. My husband was traveling for work and as soon as we found out, we called him home. My dad made the call. All my dad asked his doctor for was to put him to sleep so he can just be done with the suffering. The doctor gave him more morphine that was allowable and gave my mother the release button. She did as much as she could to keep dad comfortable. About 7:32pm, on November 8th, daddy took his last breath. Of course we cried. My husband, Tom, was locked in the bathroom. The nurse came in to verify that my dad was truly gone. Once she left, Tom was able to step out. We thought that was kind of odd.
But we all got to say our goodbyes.
In the following year, I was depressed, agonizing over my daddy’s death, I just could not shake these feelings of remorse. Tom was concerned and he tried to get me to go to a clinical psychologist, but I resisted thinking I could handle this problem. One day, God told Tom to get me to this revival in a neighboring city, Tom begged me to go to this church in Kernersville it was not our primary denomination. I flat out told him if I agreed to go he would have to be quiet because I knew he was excited, and I really did not want to deal with him. See, after my dad died a piece of me died as well. I had no peace in my heart. I did not know how to get that back. Was I Christian? Yes. Was I depressed? Yes. I had asked God to heal my dad, and He had not. I felt let down and was considering su***de.
So anyway, we got to the church and found a seat about middle ways. I was never one sitting up front. The church had a guest speaker that night. This speaker was preaching about healing, not just physical healing but spiritual and emotional healing. At first I wanted nothing to do with what he was talking about. The preacher started talking about bringing all your cares to the altar and he’d pray with each one of us. Then I felt a POWERFUL urge to go up front. I know I had tears in my eyes, and I told Tom, I have to go up there now! Someone or something says I need to go. He offered to go with me. I said no. This is for me and me alone. So, I went up front and got in line with everyone else. We were all standing in front of the altar side by side and this preacher came by praying and laying hands on us. I was not paying attention to what was happening around me. I was just facing forward. The paster went to touch my forehead and before he could touch me, I was not in the church anymore. Tom said I went down like lightning and laid there at least twenty minutes basking in the presence of God and my daddy.
Now here comes the most magnificent part of my testimony. I was no longer in the church, and I was not afraid. I was in a celestial area. There were clouds, beautiful clouds with bright yet soft lights. It was so peaceful. I had this bright but soft light come up to me there. I knew who it was…. Jesus. He said to me “how can I help you my Child?” I looked at Him and I asked, “Are You the One and Only Who can help me? Who can help with my aching heart?” He asked me “Are you the child who is missing her daddy?” “Yes Sir I am”
Then He gently looked at me and He saw that I had tears in my tears, the same tears I had cried many nights. He said, “Since you know who I am and you have asked to see your daddy, I will allow that to happen.” I had closed my eyes in the spirit, and I opened them and there was my daddy standing in front of me. What I saw was amazing. I saw a man who was about 33 years old, and he had his hair and his teeth. He was so handsome. Very few wrinkles. I was so amazed. I was overjoyed to see him looking brand new, not since I was a child did he look as he did that night. It was such an honor. But I did not get to see his body, only his head. His body was like Jesus, celestial.
Daddy told me that right now was not my time. He knew what I was considering. His words to me were so lovingly given that he loves me and misses me. He said he would be waiting for me when my time was right. We never touched each other but we said we loved each other. I closed my eyes and the next thing I saw was the church ceiling and I’m lying on the floor. I was trying to get up on my feet, but I was shaking, I had little strength immediately. I saw Tom and wanted to tell him what had happened, who I saw and most importantly who I spoke to, but all I could do was cry and every time I tried to talk to anyone about this experience, I cried. It took me several weeks to tell the story in its entirety and my life has never been the same since that glorious presence on me. I look forward to the day of uniting with my parents again.
