Detailed Timeline of Main Events 

1959 (Approximate): The author is born.  

Early Childhood – October 1983: The author experiences an “ideal childhood” with her “superhero” father and “extraordinary mother.” She develops a very close relationship with her father, viewing him as her “superhero, savior, mentor, best friend, the wind in my sails, and my steady rudder.” Her parents’ hearts are “knit tightly together as one.” 

October 27, 1983: The author’s wedding is planned for this date. 

October 24, 1983: The author’s father passes away at the age of 53 due to cancer. The author, having just turned 24, is devastated, describing it as the “most devastating event” of her life. 

Shortly After October 24, 1983: The author cancels her wedding, which was planned for just three days after her father’s death. 

October 1983 – October 1985 (Approximate): The author experiences a “long, painful two years” of shock and grief, with many “triggers” that cause her immense pain, such as seeing elderly men, fathers holding daughters’ hands, or father-daughter dances. 

October 1983 – December 14, 2001: The author’s mother lives alone, never recovering from the loss of her husband. 

Prior to the Book’s Writing (Undated): The author often desires to share stories about her father but hesitates, fearing friends would feel bad or jealous comparing their fathers to hers. 

Prior to the Book’s Writing (Undated): The author has a conversation with her friend Michael about the Bible and comparing earthly father’s love to Adonai’s (God’s) love. Michael points out that the author’s positive experience with her father gives her a unique understanding of God’s love and an “obligation to share it with others.” This conversation is a “profound moment of clarity” for the author, leading her to understand how an earthly father’s love shapes one’s view of the Heavenly Father. 

December 14, 2001: The author’s mother passes away, also due to cancer, though the author states she died of a “broken and shattered heart” from the loss of her husband. 

Undated (Current): The author decides to write “Forward: My Father, My God: A Daughter’s Love Story,” focusing on her father to help readers understand Adonai’s love, and dedicates it to three types of readers: fathers, women seeking partners, and everyone seeking a father’s love. She plans to include a scripture verse at the end of each chapter emphasizing her father’s nature. 

Cast of Characters 

The Author (Narrator): The daughter who wrote “Forward: My Father, My God: A Daughter’s Love Story.” She experiences an idyllic childhood and an incredibly close, loving relationship with her father. His sudden death at her young age (24) is the most devastating event of her life, profoundly shaping her worldview and understanding of love. She eventually feels called to share her experience to help others understand God’s love. 

Daddy (The Author’s Father): Passed away on October 24, 1983, at the age of 53 from cancer. He is portrayed as a “superhero, savior, mentor, best friend, the wind in [the author’s] sails, and [her] steady rudder.” He was characterized by his all-encompassing love, joy, compassion, empathy, kindheartedness, concern, guidance, humor, warmth, acceptance, adoration, and a desire to be his daughter’s “knight in shining armor.” His love for his wife was equally strong, and their hearts were “knit tightly together as one.” 

Mommy (The Author’s Mother): Passed away on December 14, 2001, due to cancer, though the author attributes her death to a “broken and shattered heart” following her husband’s death. She is described as an “amazing, exceptional, and beautiful woman” and an “extraordinary mother” who perfected the author’s ideal childhood. She never recovered from the loss of her “adoring and protective husband.” 

Michael: A friend of the author who plays a pivotal role in encouraging her to write the book. He contrasts his own difficult relationship with his father with the author’s loving one. He highlights the author’s unique understanding of Adonai’s love due to her father’s influence and convinces her of her “obligation” to share her story so that others, including himself, can more tangibly feel God’s love. 

Adonai (God): Referred to as the “Heavenly Father.” The author uses her earthly father’s profound love as a lens through which to understand and feel Adonai’s “masculine, heroic, super powerful, all-encompassing love” and “unconditional love.” The book aims to show that Daddy’s loving heart is “the very heart of God.”