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My parents were childless for the first ten years of their marriage. They loved children. My mother said she did wonder why they had none of their own.
However, she said with a smile, God always works things out in His Way and in His Time. After those ten years, my mother was pregnant.
All went well until the birth itself. There were complications. Labor began, but did not progress. My mother was in agony. After many hours, the doctor came out and told my father he was not sure he could save either my mother or the baby.
The doctor asked my father if he could only save one, which my father wanted saved. My father said without hesitation, he wanted both of them saved. He said he would never have told God what to do.
My father simply knew what he had to do. He walked back and forth outside the delivery room and prayed. He asked God to please spare both my mother and the baby.
God was merciful. Both my mother and the baby survived. The baby was perfect with no birth defects or any memory of his rough trip into the world.
Later after the baby became a little boy, he had scarlet fever. He was placed in home isolation with my mother. Once again, his survival was questionable. My father talked of how he would deliver trays of food through the window, as my mother battled to keep their young son alive.
Once again my father prayed. Once again God was merciful. Once again He showed He had a plan. The little boy survived.
My parents said they felt so blessed to have that one child, they never expected more. But eleven years after that first baby was born, much to their surprise, my mother was once again pregnant.
And yes, as you may have guessed by now, that first baby was my brother. That surprise baby was me.
God permitted us the joy of having those loving parents into their 90s. And today, November 3, 2025, my brother will begin his 89th trip around the sun.
He has been one of the most influential people in my life, both through the life he has lived and the teaching of God’s Word.
He has also influenced many other people throughout the world through his written and spoken testimony. He is still active today. I can’t keep up with him!
He has children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. When I think of all his family, which is now still expanding, I think of our Fathers … both our earthly father and our Heavenly Father.
Daddy brought us up, often saying, “Prayer is the biggest Power we’ve got.” Our father knew The Power of connecting with his Father God. He knew God had The Perfect Plan and He would always work it out in His Time.
And He has! Happy Birthday, Richard!
Here is a song that resonates with me. We are the children they waited for and we testify!
