“You know the plans you have for Jake... .” (Jeremiah 29:11–13)“Fulfill every good purpose in Jake’s life... .” (2 Thessalonians
1:11–12)
“No matter what are the plans in Jake’s heart, let your purpose
prevail in his life.” (Proverbs 19:21)Spontaneously, I looked over to the lawn chair next to me
and asked Khara if she would like to see how I prayed for my
son. As she took the tattered pages from my hand, you could
almost feel a spiritual and emotional connection occur between
us. She quietly read the verses and smiled, then handed them
back to me without speaking. I think we were both too choked
up to speak to each other.
At the campground, Jake and Khara played as a team in
every competitive sport possible. For every reason, Khara was
a perfect fit for my son and his big Italian Tirabassi family, but
most especially because she loved God, had a passion to play
sports, and wanted, like my son, to dedicate her life to mission
work.
The following Thanksgiving, Jake and Khara came to us and
asked if they could get married on Easter weekend on a beach
(of course)! They especially wanted all visiting family and
friends to join us for Easter services the day after their
wedding. How could we say no?
A few months after the wedding, I found a thank-you card
from my new daughter-in-law tucked away in my purse after I
dropped the newlyweds off at the airport. I couldn’t help but
see the payoff of twenty-plus years of praying for the wife of
my only son. It read (of course I’ve saved it):