Who doesn’t enjoy hearing incredible, real-life stories that leave us amazed by God and how he works in someone’s life!  My family’s story is one of those and I hope you like it.

My wife, Julie, and I had been married for just over two years when we were approved for adoption.  At my ripened age of 47 I had never held a newborn baby in my arms, never changed a diaper and had almost no experience with kids.  Likewise, Julie had never been a mom and at 40-years-old, the door to having children was closing fast.

Julie’s work involved helping people with nutritional products, something she loves so much that she became her company’s top saleswoman in the United States. When her company decided to publish a national magazine for their 400,000 members, they asked Julie to be on the cover of their very first issue.

The magazine came in September, just a few months after we had been approved for adoption.  In Julie’s article, the interviewer asked, “What’s next in your life?” to which Julie responded, “My husband and I have just been approved for adoption, so we are going to be parents later this fall!”  I practically fell off my chair when I read this because no one had even returned our phone calls about adopting and I felt like the process was going nowhere.

I tried explaining to Julie how the adoption process usually takes many long years of waiting.  Then, flabbergasted, I blurted, “How could you have this printed in a magazine?”  Her response was so amazing and simple, “Mark, you have to have faith.”

In retrospect, Julie’s strong faith reminds me of the story of Joshua and the faith he had as he led the Israeli people into the Promised Land.  Joshua listened as God commanded, “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Can we even imagine being Joshua – or the Israeli people – when, after 40 years of wandering around in the desert, God said it was time?  Without hesitation, Joshua commanded the officers of the people: “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you will cross the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess’” (Joshua 1:10-11).  Talk about faith!

Back to our story; less than two months later, and with absolutely no forewarning, an adoption attorney called us out of the blue and said, “I have a baby boy who is going to be born in three days, and I’m wondering if I’m talking with the man who will be his daddy.”  I don’t remember, but I think I fell off my chair again!

Julie and I were both present for Michael’s birth. As I cradled my precious son, a great wave of love filled my heart as I literally wept and cried, “You have nothing to worry about because Daddy is here, and I promise I will always love you.”  My tears were of overwhelming joy, awe and love and then it got even better. . . Because in that very moment, the joy of our Heavenly Father’s love filled the room as God held Julie, Michael and I in his arms and whispered: “You too, have nothing to worry about because I’m here, and I promise I will always love you.” 

So, Julie, Michael and I became a family as we crossed over into our own Promised Land.  With strength and courage, we knew that God was with us!  Life was so good, we thought it could never be better – until Mother’s Day just a year and a half later.  

Once again, out of the blue, the adoption attorney called.  She said a precious, little baby girl was going to say hello to the world for the first time on Tuesday. This time with only two day’s-notice – we became parents again!  

That Tuesday, we were blessed when our precious daughter, Anica, was born and the promise of God’s love filled our hearts as we walked even deeper into our Promised Land as a family of four!  

How’s that for a glory to God story!  For Julie and I becoming parents not once, but twice, and with such short notice, was truly a miracle.  Miracles where “You gotta have faith.”

Our lives changed forever for the better when our children were born.  I even became a professional diaper changer and bottle washer.  But best of all, I understood our Father’s amazing love for all of us, as his precious children, in a whole new way.

That’s why I believe nothing is more important than to help our children see and feel the love of God, through Jesus, in their lives.  It was from this desire, that Thumbuddy books and music were born.  

Thumbuddy was created with your child as the main character.  Through it, they can discover how precious, special, and loved by God they truly are.  Thumbuddy books and music are like tender love songs from you and God, to your child, whose melody says, “I will always love you.”  

If you have some precious little people in your life, please visit PositiveKidsBooks.org today!  “I will always love you.”  Could any promise be more important?