Andy's Story

This is our "black son" Andy. We met him about 7 years ago through our church. He was a drug addict in total rebellion against anything that even smelled like maturity. He was down on his luck and needed a place to stay and we had a room to rent. So Andy moved in. For two years he struggled with drugs, God and us. But we loved him anyway and he started calling us "Mom and Dad". His real parents live about an hour from here but he decided to adopt us. So we began calling him "our black son". Then Andy met Charlene, a beautiful red-headed single mother. They fell in love and got married. Soon Charlene was pregnant and about 4 years ago Lucas was born. But Andy still struggled with the drugs. It was starting to rip his beautiful family apart.

Just before my parents' anniversary party in January we received an email from Charlene with an urgent prayer request. Andy was driving his motorcycle when an elderly man pulled out in front of him. Andy landed head first into the pavement and was in critical condition at the trauma unit. It was a miracle he was alive as he hadn't been wearing a helmet. (We later learned that if he HAD been, he would have broken his neck and probably wouldn't have survived.) He had at least two skull fractures, broken vertebrae in his back, broken ribs, brain injury, etc. But he pulled through and after a week in ICU they moved him to a regular room. He was in the hospital and/or rehab for a month and came home in a back brace that was supposed to be on for 6 months.

But the real miracle was that he was totally delivered from drugs, cigarettes and rebellion!!! And all without any withdrawal symptoms!!! We were all so very excited! Three months later the brace was off and his brain was working better than they'd expected it to. He's still on the pain meds, but he's doing so much better than anyone predicted that we're marveling in this miracle!

And last night God did more miraculous work on Andy at the Florida Healing Outpouring in Lakeland, Florida. We could only go for one night - drove 3 1/2 hours each way to get there. But it was well worth it! While standing in line waiting to get in some of our "neighbors" asked if they could pray for him. After we were finished, he bent over and stood up twice and said "I'm not so stiff anymore!" WOW! Later he was in the mosh pit during the singing time (2 1/2 hours) and was dancing and jumping and everything! He said "I used to do all that when I partied and I figured I could do it for God now even though it hurt a bit." By the time he sat down in the seat, he was no longer in pain!!!!

So I just wanted to share his story. I'm not the only one who receives miracles! God is SO good! And now I promise to talk about scrappy stuff again. Thanks for being patient with me. :)