college students would be great friends for my son!
So I threw out a suggestion: “Hey, if you need an extra
soccer player for the local coed games, my son would probably
join you on a moment’s notice! I could give you his cell
number, and you could send him a text message the next time
you need a substitute.” The girls took his number. The very
next Friday, Jake got a text message inviting him to play on
their team and he did. The following week, he was invited to
play soccer with them again—and because it was Easter
weekend, they all attended church together as well. I was
delighted—my son hadn’t been to church that many times in
the previous month let alone in one weekend. He went once
each on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and twice on Sunday!
Each day after that Easter Sunday and for many months to
follow, Jake spent time with one of the young women—the
cute, soccer-playing nursing student named Khara.
At the end of the summer, my son asked his dad and me if he
could invite Khara to join us for the Italian family reunion that
was being held at a campground in Ohio. We knew this would
be an important indicator of their future. So on the morning my
son left early to golf with his many aunts and uncles, I invited
Khara to join me at the poolside where I would be spending my
hour with God. She came along, and after about thirty minutes
into our quiet times, I pulled out my “Scriptures for Jake.” My
hands were shaking as I realized that the future wife of my son,
whom I had been praying for daily for well over two decades—
could be sitting next to me! I also realized that she hadn’t even
been born yet when I began to pray for my son’s wife.
I had been praying the following Scriptures: