The Daddy Files: How I Survived the Secrets and Found the Truth that Heals

Everyone has a father.

Not everyone knows who he is.

Melissa Jean Rod thought she did-until one surprising detail on a military document unraveled everything she believed about her past. What followed was a decades-long journey through hidden truths, aching questions, and the kind of grace that only God can give.

Part memoir, part spiritual detective story, The Daddy Files is a powerful exploration of identity, forgiveness, and faith. With unflinching honesty, hard-won humor, and a deep trust in the God who never walked away, Melissa invites readers into the wreckage of father wounds-and the redemption that followed.

This is more than a story about DNA. It's a story of divine fingerprints on every page. Of healing that doesn't make sense on paper. Of learning that our truest identity isn't found in bloodlines-it's found in belonging to a Father who never lets go.

If you've ever questioned where you come from, whether healing is really possible, or how God could redeem your story, The Daddy Files will speak to your soul.

You'll laugh, you'll cry-and you just might start to believe again that nothing is wasted in the hands of God.

About the Author

Melissa Jean Rod is the author of The Daddy Files. She helps women navigate father wounds, family secrets, and spiritual identity with honesty, hope, and a good dose of humor. A wife, mom, “Honey” to four grandsons, and former nanny turned accidental detective, Melissa was raised in the small town of Cut and Shoot, Texas (yes, it’s real!) and has been piecing together her family story one plot twist, DNA test, and prayer at a time.