The news is filled with stories of despair, death and destruction. These seemingly

ubiquitous tragedies of life often slowly deplete us of hope. Too rarely do we hear stories

that breathe life. Occasionally though one comes across like this one and it reminds me,

there is a God, he’s my God and he’s a God of hope and deliverance! He loves us and

wants good, not despair.

Ten years ago a family from the Pittsburgh area (not far from where I went to college)

reported their 14 year old daughter, Tanya, was missing. When I see flyers for

missing children, I generally assume they have died or are unfindable. I wonder if this

family ever gave up hope. But, praise Jesus, they just found her!

Tanya had been living with a (now apprehended) security guard from her middle school

for the past ten years – only two miles from her father’s home. The man manipulated her

mind, convincing her that she was unwanted, undesirable - he was the only one who

cared about her. So she stayed with him, believing a lie.

Six months ago she started visiting a nearby convenience store. The owner befriended

her and offhandedly she shared her story, still believing it for truth. God redeemed, and

the girl has just been reunited with her father and will see her mother today for the first

time in 10 years!

I read a story like this and think, man, how can there not be a God? And not just an existing

God, but a God who so passionately loves his children that he continues to try and save them.

It was he who put the flicker of a thought to visit the corner store.  And it was he who helped

the owner recognize the need for friendship. Jesus is victorious and Satan loses!

To read the full story go here: 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060323/ap_on_re_us/missing_girl_found;_ylt=Ak6s5HmvEoxSqqP3mRblUiSs0NUE;_

ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-