A Beautiful Story of Family Restoration
Hello friend! I’m excited because today my Handsome Man’s going to share his side of our restoration story! You know, the one where everything started with a grave mistake, but how God turned it into something awesome. You can hear the beginning of the story here, and Audra’s perspective here. So, let’s sit down to that amazing cup of coffee I’m smellin’, and Brad, the floor is yours!
Brad’s Side of the Story:
“I’m pregnant!” Two words that are normally received with cheers of joy but in the wrong time and context can cause your heart to leap into your throat. That’s exactly what happened when my girlfriend told me those words. My next thought was “now what am I going to do?”
Unfortunately, I heeded some terrible advice and I walked away…no I RAN away!
A few years passed and I came to understand the great love and grace God has for me. I was able to now take responsibility for my greatest mistake. After signing my paternal rights away all I could do was a trust that God could and would take my mistake and turn it for good. HE would bring restoration!
The small picture, the only one I had, of a little baby girl stayed with me, tucked into the pages of an old Bible. I’d pull it out from time to time and pray,
God, wherever she is, lead her to You. Put people into her life that will tell her about Your love. And Father, help me find her at the right time and place.
I didn’t realize it at the time but years before God restored my daughter to me, I had turned my heart toward her. And that is always the beginning of a reconciliation.
When Celina and I started dating, I told her about the daughter I had, out there somewhere, and that I was believing God would restore her to me. I asked if she would accept me with this mistake, and in classic Celina fashion she took some time to think it over. Boy! Did that ever cause me to nervously sweat it out!
I knew she deserved someone who had no skeletons in his closet. Of course, I’m very thankful that she said YES and as many times since then, she extended grace to me. In that action, Celina gave me the power to become a better man.
Fast forward to 2010 and a very random Facebook message from an old friend asking if I ever wanted to meet my daughter. I replied “Absolutely! It’s what we’ve been believing for!” So, through the marvel of social media I was able to finally make contact with Audra.
It was a little strange writing her and saying, ‘hey, I’m your father…”, but it was the beginning of a restoration process that has taken us on a wild, God-ordained, God-inspired and God-directed ride. All because He helped me turn my heart towards my daughter. (To be continued)