Hi, and welcome to Five Word Prayers Daily, a five-day-a-week daily devotional where we share the word, prayers, and our heart.

I'm Lisa Whittle, and I welcome you to just five minutes with me, which I trust and pray will be five minutes well spent.

Well, this is a special show for me today. I honestly didn't even plan it this way, but when I realized it, well, I smiled.

Today is February the 16th. My daddy's birthday. I honestly didn't even plan it this way, but when I realized it, well, I smiled.

Today is February the 16th. My daddy's birthday. My dad is in heaven, and this is his first birthday. We won't celebrate down here with him being with us, but I have a feeling he's having

the best birthday of his life. And I can't think of a more appropriate topic than what we're

going to talk about today on this day for me.

And it actually has to do with the last words my dad said to me three days before he died.

But I promise, it's not a sad show, not in the least.

In fact, it's a show truly all about love and joy.

Thank you. Joy. So some of you listening know this background a bit, but my father had a rare brain disorder called progressive supranuclear palsy. It's a mouthful to say. And he deteriorated

over the last two years of his life going from a shuffle

in his walk to a cane, to a walker, to a wheelchair, to finally not being able to sit up by

himself, to finally going to heaven on April the 2nd of last year. I was with him when he took

his last breath. And what a privilege. He died on a Sunday,

which was most appropriate for a preacher, I think. And on the Thursday before when I went to see him,

he spoke to me his last words. I was getting ready to leave, and he said to me this, I love you,

Lisa, which he often said. But then he paused and he said three more words, these three words,

with great joy. It was almost like a benediction of sorts. At that point, my father was having

a lot of trouble speaking, but he wanted to say all he could to me, I knew more than just the

beautiful but regular, I love you. And the words with great joy meant everything to me

and are something I know I'm going to carry with me for the rest of my life. Because truthfully,

...