Nana Holds-From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Thanks for joining me today. Wow, only six more days until CHRISTmas! I hope you have been able to keep an eternal perspective during this season and are experiencing the true gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control! Now that’s an eternal perspective. Grab your coffee and come on in.

About six weeks after that day that changed all of our lives, Bryce got a “job” transfer to a place that allowed visitors. It was a place we were familiar with because we had gone to see my son there for a season several years ago, a place of recovery with a home-like atmosphere, a place that I never stop thanking God for because life-changing seeds were planted in my son’s life that have rooted and in the not so distant past, began to sprout out and reach others! Teen Challenge will forever be on my top 10 blessing list!

I can’t even begin to tell you what a miracle it is that he’s there, let alone how he got there, but out of respect for him and his journey, that’s all I’ll say about that. To God be the glory and trust me when I say that He does work all things out for His glory for the good of those called according to His purposes. Bryce was “called” years ago; he just didn’t know it.

Within a few days of his transfer to his new “job,” Teen Challenge called George and asked him if we could take him to get a physical and some shots and they also let us know we could bring his clothes and personal belongings. This was another miracle because usually when a student begins the program, they do so with the understanding that they don’t get to have visitors for the first 30 days!

That visit is something I’ll cherish for years to come and it was time that helped ease the pain of the past, a time where we

received some answers to some questions and some suspicions confirmed, and a time where my stepson, for the first time affirmed me. It didn’t erase the past by any means, but understanding always eases the pain, and clarity makes it easier to move forward. When we hugged him good-bye that day, our hearts were much lighter than they had been in the weeks prior, and his last words lifted me off the ground for the whole trip home: “I love you, Kim.” I can’t even begin to put into words how thankful I was that for the prior months, I had hung on to the Father’s garment, sometimes with white knuckles, in order to show this young man love!

We found out about family visiting day just a few days before it was scheduled and I began to prepare Bryden by letting him know that Daddy had gotten a promotion in his job and now he’s somewhere where we can go and visit him. Unfortunately, because of the short notice, I couldn’t get out of a commitment, so George and Bryden went. I’ll forever wish I could have seen what my husband described as he saw his daddy for the first time in almost eight weeks!

They pulled into the church parking and sat for just a few minutes before they saw the Teen Challenge van. George says, “Bryden, there’s your daddy coming in his work van.” Bryden’s eyes followed Papa’s finger and he began to shout for his daddy. George got out of the truck and went around to Bryden’s side and began to get him out of his car seat all the while Bryden was saying “daddy, daddy, daddy.” Talk about an excited little boy. George set him down on the ground and by that time, the van had parked and the guys began spilling out of it.

Suddenly, Bryden pulled away from Papa and with a burst of energy that matched a rocket. He bolted across the parking lot shouting only one word in the happiest of voices: “Daddy, daddy, daddy. . .” It was like each time he said it, he gained momentum. And oh, what I wouldn’t give to have seen Papa as he tried to keep up with him, protecting him from any oncoming cars until Bryden landed ever so enthusiastically and safely in his daddy’s arms.

Joyfully,

Evinda