When we have Faith and Love, we have Hope!

From 6-20-14

One morning I was cleaning the gym floor and I heard sounds coming from our stadium. I looked out the window of the door and saw one of our most popular teachers and she was sobbing away. I went to her and said,"Granny, what's wrong?" She continued to sob and said,"nothing." I put my arm around her shoulders and said in a rather stern voice,"What's wrong with you?" She proceeded to tell me her story. Her eldest son had been gone from home for over a year. He had taken up with a girl and had adopted the "hippy life." He would call home ever so often wanting money, and they would send it to them. She continued,"We told him we were not going to send any more money, but we loved him--and if he would come home we would do anything to help him straighten out his life! I feel that I will never see him alive again. The lifestyle they have chosen will end their lives." I knew there was only one thing to help solve her problem, so I told her," I know someone that can help us, let's pray." So with tears flowing from our eyes, we asked God to heal this relationship, and bring her son home. Every month or so I would ask, Granny about her son, and she would tell me he called. "He would tell about the beads they were selling. Every time he called, I would tell him how much we loved him and we would and we would help him if he would come home." This went on for almost a year when one day her face was aglow with happiness. I asked her what was going on, she said,"My son has promised to come home. He said he loved us, that he was tired and wanted to give up his nomadic life, and, again,that he loved us." I asked about his female companion. She proceeded to tell me that he felt if they continued with their lifestyle, doing the things they were doing, they would both end up dead. She told me she was going to attempt to contact the girl. Granny said," I don't know how to contact the girl, but I know how to contact her mother."About a week later she came to the gym and told me more of the sad story. Granny had called the girl's mother and the woman told her," I don't ever want to hear that girl's name again, she has hurt us so badly that we have given up on her. Please don't call us again." Well, Granny's son came home and they began helping him to enter a new life. He wanted to get a job and maybe go back to school. He was on his way back--thanks to the love his family gave him. A few months later, Granny told me that her son had received the news that his "hippy companion" had died of an overdose of drugs. The point to be taken from this story is: WHEN WE HAVE FAITH AND LOVE, WE HAVE HOPE!