That's Incredible
"We have seen wonderful and strange and incredible and unthinkable things today!" ( Luke 5:26 Amp)
I sat nervously around the table as I looked at the other parents. Some were
in couples, but there were others who were alone as I was. As each parent
started to tell their story I was thinking about how it would soon be my turn to
speak, "What exactly would I say? " I found myself sitting at the table of a ,
"Tough Love" meeting. I was here following the advice of a friend, who thought
as a single parent of three teenage boys, maybe the support of a group, might
help me to be tough in the places I lacked being strict.
I had recently been praying about an issue over one of my sons, who had
previously been through an ordeal with drugs. I thought this demon was well
behind us when all of a sudden I started getting hints of the problem returning.
But I needed some harder evidence to get my son to confront his own sin.
My suspicion began to arise as he started receiving more phone calls than
normal. Each time I would confront my son or the caller on the other end they
would just say they were the friend of a friend. So I went to God in prayer with
this issue and asked that He would somehow lead me to some cold hard evidence to
confront my son with and prompt him to admit to getting help.
Confronting this issue alone was not easy. One day a friend of mine suggested
that maybe I should try the counsel of a support group. I was uncomfortable with
the idea for a while. Then one day while pondering the idea again, I decided it
would not hurt to see what it was all about. Hence....here I was.
My turn had now come to speak... ignoring the butterflies in my stomach I simply
said what was on my mind. I needed proof and support in confronting my son. I
don't even remember the responses I received at the time, only that each parent
there was quite empathetic. But the meeting was not yet over. In fact, it was
just about to begin, as soon as we would hear the next two parents finish their
stories. I tried to get my mind off of me and listen attentively as the next two
ladies would tell their tales. One was an update of what had happened since the
week before, but the woman two seats down from mine was also new to the group,
and as she opened her mouth to speak, I was about to receive some INCREDIBLE
news.
This woman was distraught and her story was very much like mine. Her son too was
into drugs and she had caught him red-handed on the phone, speaking to someone
that could lead him to a source. She was out to get this perpetrator on the
other end of the phone who's name was........ I looked over at her in amazement
and interrupted her as I said to her.. "That is my son!" The whole group gasped.
It looked as though I now had my proof. How could this coincidence have come
about?
I don't recall much of the rest of that meeting ,other than afterwards
exchanging numbers and information with that mother.
With the help of the Lord , the rest of my story went well. The next day I laid
the evidence out to my son and he relented to me. That day we went for drug
rehab.
Today he is a responsible father of two children, has a stable job and a changed
life. All due to the answer to a prayer, and my willingness to step out for some
much needed support.
To this day I still stand in awe as I remember the hush at that table as
everyone stared in amazement at what had happened, and our expressions
saying.... "That's Incredible."
Anettee Budzban lives in Wildwood,IL. She has a writing ministry called,
"Writings From The Heart " and sends messages to friends and others.She is the
author of the book, "Life Changing Inspirations" and has been published on e-zines
and in magazines which include, Angels On Earth. She writes a devotional column
in her County's Daily Herald. Her e-mail is
ahrtwrites2u@aol.com (Received on
Friday, August 2002)