My thanks to those who have already answered my plea for postage.  We still are in need of stamps.  If you are interested in helping, read more about it under the ++WHAT'S NEW AT THE MARIAN MANTLE GROUP? Section under “Newsletter.”

            May we all be joyful today, for a lamb has returned to the Shepherd’s flock!  For all of you who are in pain and praying for the return of your prodigal, I ask you to set aside your hurt for a moment and rejoice for this family.  May their story help you gain strength and courage to believe that, with God, the seemingly impossible CAN happen, DOES happen, and WILL happen, in God’s time.  May their story help you to persevere in your prayer and your love for your own prodigal.

            Read the words (below) of this mother carefully.  Note where she says:  “If you had asked me 3 weeks ago,…” and “God has impeccable timing…”  Let us never doubt that God is working in our own situations even though we cannot see it.  Let us never doubt that things are not happening fast enough.  Perhaps our own prodigal situation has something similar to the 11 year old brother in that family.  We never know what circumstances need to/are coming together for the movement of God to become visible to us.

            As we listen to their story, let us heed, and take to our own hearts both the words of the psalmist when he sings, “Weeping may endure for a night, but JOY cometh in the morning” and the words of the mother when she added her prayer request in the last update, “Each day he is away from us and the Lord, is a day CLOSER to his return.”  May that confident prayer be on all our lips this day.

            Here is the mother’s story as she sent it to me:

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God Bless you and the group!  We had a Christmas miracle.  Our son, who the group has been praying for, called us at Christmastime (after over a year with no contact).  He is turning his life around, he apologized for the pain he has caused us and is trying to stay in contact with us now.  If you had asked me 3 weeks ago, I would have said this change was close to impossible.  God Bless us all.

  Our constant prayer, and that of his 6 siblings, has been for him to return to God, and if it was the Lord's will, to us.  Well, he told his father that he has a new girlfriend, her name is Marie (why doesn't that surprise me) , she is Catholic and they go to Mass every Sunday.  Praise the Lord.

  Thank you doesn't begin to cover what I am feeling.  God Bless you all, we truly love you and pray for each one of your intentions.  Please continue to hold us in prayer.

            Although we have not met, I consider you my friend and pray for you always (and the rest of the group).  Share anything you want [of this story] maybe it will bring hope to someone else who thinks that all hope is lost.  It is funny how once I adopted the mantra of, "everyday we don't hear is a day closer ‘til his return," he did.  God has impeccable timing.  In fact, our 11 year old son had finally broken down and cried only one week before we heard from his brother.  God knew he would not be ready until he got past his anger and moved on to grief.  He was ready to hear from his brother.  God Bless.  All the group will remain in our prayers and please keep us in yours, this is only the beginning of a new journey.  In Him whom all things are possible,  In Christ,    ~New York

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     May God bless all of us and grant us His Peace.  May your new year be blessed.