[__ Prayer __] God's Hand Through a Loss

[Mike]

As some may know, we adopted 2 of our 3 children after fostering them for a few years. We took two sisters in, and 3 years later we had their pink slips. That was about 13 years ago. The older one was 3, and the younger one was 1 when they first came to be with us. Their parents were homeless and unmarried. The older one has vague memories of them, while the younger has none at all.

Last night I got a call from the mom who adopted their two older brothers. We've always kept the boys and our girls in close contact. She told me she was leafing thru a local paper and saw in the obituaries that their birth-father had died. It turns out, a drug overdose.

For you ladies that remember what it was like when you were 16, and for you men who ever knew a 16-year-old girl, imagine hearing that a man who you haven't seen in 13 years, whose face you vaguely recall, whose blood you shared, who you've always wondered about, who you thought maybe one day you'd actually meet, died. That door closed before you ever were allowed to peek thru it. Our now 13yo is not really impacted by this news, but one day it will probably mean more to her. Our 16yo, as you might imagine is struggling through this. No one knows where the birth-mom is if she is still alive at all.

God made these girls champs, and He gave them hearts to love Him. Through all this, their worry was: Did he know Jesus. Was he spiritually lost in addition to being physically lost. Here's how our great God settled this. They found his body in an empty lot about 15 miles from where we live. On his person, in his coat pocket was a journal he kept over the years. He wrote scripture in it and expressions of his faith. He also wrote directly to his children who he hadn't seen in over a decade. He hoped one day to meet them. He told them how hard he was trying to battle his addiction and how he wanted to get clean for their sake. He begged them to stay away from drugs. Isn't that AMAZING!!??

To keep this post to a reasonable length, I'll just finish with this. As it is, there are 4 children ranging from 13 to 20 who need peace about this. If they aren't experiencing grief today, there will be days ahead sooner or later when they will. We love our girls as much as we love our son my wife gave birth to. They know that, and we know they see us and love us as their Mom and Dad. That said, no one can deny the complex way this is impacting their lives. Please ask our God to embrace them in their times of hurt, whether it's today or tomorrow.

Be blessed.

 

[Kathi]

and God Bless you for adopting these two young ladies and giving them a loving and Christian home.

 

[Eugene]

Brother Mike, that is an incredible.testimony of God's provision, and healing power to His own. May God continue to bless your family, and especially bring complete peace to those children He left in your care.

 

[Mike]

Thank you both. I see this as much as much of a victory story as it is a prayer petition. What a gift to know he was thinking if them throughout the years and knew our Lord. But, very sad nonetheless.

 

[Deborah13]

Bless you and your family and the family of their brothers.
I will pray for those children.
Praise God for being present in their father's life and for that journal, that is a gift.

 

[reba]

Mat 6:8 .....: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

 

[Classik]

Oh Mike...our dear Mike. 'Tis indeed a touching story. Sure - God has a way of completely healing people. Glad that you are there for them as a father - both spiritually and phyisical -and in all ways.

I have seen their pics before: all of you people, and I still remember their looks faintly.

 

[GrannyJ]

May God give them peace and understanding at this time, and may he give you wisdom to see and respond to their needs.

How awesome that they were able to have access to that journal; truly that is a sign that God is with them through all of this.

 

[Mike]

Thanks again to everyone. True, they were given a gift with the journal. Many kids who enter the foster system are not as fortunate and never find out anything about their parents. Knowing when they know from it will be a blessing to last a lifetime.

Still, there will be hard days ahead.

 

[Ella Mo]

God is our provider. I pray that God will supply and nourish them, give them peace and joy.

 

[Chopper]

You're a good man Mike. God loves it when He looks for someone who will take in orphans and love them the way you do. At some point you must have said in your heart, "yes Lord, I'll stand in that gap for those girls." May God bless you beyond what you could ask or think for your great love for those in need.

 

[Mike]

I'm not being falsely self depreciating. I'm being very honest. There's nothing heroic about being a foster parent. Most would admit they receive at least as much as they give. In our case, way more. I almost feel guilty when people hand out compliments. I understand why you'd say that Chopper, but if circumstances presented the need to you, I'll bet you'd do it, too. And then you'd understand why I say what I say.

 

[Chopper]

I'm not being falsely self depreciating. I'm being very honest. There's nothing heroic about being a foster parent. Most would admit they receive at least as much as they give. In our case, way more. I almost feel guilty when people hand out compliments. I understand why you'd say that Chopper, but if circumstances presented the need to you, I'll bet you'd do it, too. And then you'd understand why I say what I say.

I hear you Mike, and that's why I think so highly of you. I honor you with my praise, just like Jesus will when He says "welcome home my good and faithful servant. I know that you are just being a good servant, and that's what I like.