I love testimonies about God doing unusual things, especially when it comes to the lengths He'll go to in order to draw someone back to Christ. A few nights ago we got to spend some time getting caught up with one of our few friends who "gets it" in regards to PM, and she had a wonderful testimony re: her "prodigal" returning to our Father, as well as the unlikely way in which that happened.
She has a son who, though he was raised a Christian, has had a life long battle with substances. To add to that, a few years back he fell in with some bad apples, got caught with them while they were committing theft and did time for it, was in a truly crazy drug based marriage, and for awhile lived out in the woods in the homeless community near Nashville. Everyone but God and his momma had given up on him, and his mom is the quintessential intercessor about whom gospel songs are written.
It was during his homeless season, exactly three years ago, that our daughter was on a nearly year long bicycle trip, and came to live with us during the winter months. She, too was raised in a Christian home, claims long ago to have embraced the "faith" of atheism, is a research scientist, and right now has no desire to hear the gospel, let alone spread it. "But God..." as they say.....
Unbeknownst to us, his plight and the result of his choices really got to her, and she used to lay awake at night worrying about him, (who knows, maybe she even prayed for him!
) She was understandably afraid for his life. Also unbeknownst to us, even though she isn't walking with God, the fact that she would save her money, get in shape, get a bike, plan her route and endure all that she did while on her trip, made him lay awake wondering what in the world he was doing with his life. "If this' little girl' can do it, then so can I," he told himself. Providentially he got a bicycle, and literally pedaled away from his broken state. For the past two years he has been clean,sober, walking with God, is living in FL with an elderly gentleman who is an excellent example of "living godly in Christ Jesus," and has held down a real job with a real paycheck. It is the longest time in his life that he has been a contributing member of society.
Now, to our knowledge our girl hasn't "changed her tune" re: returning to her roots, but we both have chuckled at the prospect of having this young man who became like a little brother to her look her in the eye some day and say, "You know, God really used you to show me that I needed to get right with Him..."
Truth is often stranger than fiction, and I hope this encourages some of the many of us who have kids who have "squandered their inheritance," as it can sometimes be a long wait of modeling the Father's behavior of going and looking to see if they are coming back home to His fold. When they do, what a party heaven will throw!
:lol:
She has a son who, though he was raised a Christian, has had a life long battle with substances. To add to that, a few years back he fell in with some bad apples, got caught with them while they were committing theft and did time for it, was in a truly crazy drug based marriage, and for awhile lived out in the woods in the homeless community near Nashville. Everyone but God and his momma had given up on him, and his mom is the quintessential intercessor about whom gospel songs are written.
It was during his homeless season, exactly three years ago, that our daughter was on a nearly year long bicycle trip, and came to live with us during the winter months. She, too was raised in a Christian home, claims long ago to have embraced the "faith" of atheism, is a research scientist, and right now has no desire to hear the gospel, let alone spread it. "But God..." as they say.....
Unbeknownst to us, his plight and the result of his choices really got to her, and she used to lay awake at night worrying about him, (who knows, maybe she even prayed for him!
) She was understandably afraid for his life. Also unbeknownst to us, even though she isn't walking with God, the fact that she would save her money, get in shape, get a bike, plan her route and endure all that she did while on her trip, made him lay awake wondering what in the world he was doing with his life. "If this' little girl' can do it, then so can I," he told himself. Providentially he got a bicycle, and literally pedaled away from his broken state. For the past two years he has been clean,sober, walking with God, is living in FL with an elderly gentleman who is an excellent example of "living godly in Christ Jesus," and has held down a real job with a real paycheck. It is the longest time in his life that he has been a contributing member of society.Now, to our knowledge our girl hasn't "changed her tune" re: returning to her roots, but we both have chuckled at the prospect of having this young man who became like a little brother to her look her in the eye some day and say, "You know, God really used you to show me that I needed to get right with Him..."
Truth is often stranger than fiction, and I hope this encourages some of the many of us who have kids who have "squandered their inheritance," as it can sometimes be a long wait of modeling the Father's behavior of going and looking to see if they are coming back home to His fold. When they do, what a party heaven will throw!
:lol:
