another couple from their church at the
recommendation of their pastor. They had
been through a similar experience with
their daughter. Their advice was, “Just
keep loving her, just keep loving her.” Jim
and Barb did their best to take that advice,
and though they grieved, they sought to
prevent their grief from spilling over into
bitterness—or worse, self-righteousness.
Off in the big city, Cathleen got engaged
to her boyfriend, but that did not last.
She began dating her boss, a much older
man and a self-made millionaire who
showered her with all the glitz this world
had to offer. Despite the pleading words
of caution from family and friends, the
truth they shared did not reach her stone-
cold conscience. But she soon discovered
that her boss had a dark side. He was
frighteningly possessive and emotionally
abusive toward her. The freedom she
wanted from the rules of home and church
had led her to a trap and a cage of her
own making. Still, she stubbornly refused
to confess her sin, repent, and return to
her family.
“On Tuesday, December 2nd,” Cathleen
shared, “while I was drowning in my sin,
God in his mercy sent me a life raft in the
form of two tiny pink lines that appeared
on a pregnancy test.” Cathleen knew she
had two options. She could call her family,
admit her sin, and move back home. Or,
she could end the life of her child to keep
the favor of her boss, the glitz, and the
worldly wealth he promised to award her.
Three days later, unable to shake a
deeply held value for all human life—a
truth passed on to her from her parents—
Cathleen chose life. She humbled herself
and asked her dad to come and get her.
Jim was on another call when he saw
his daughter’s name on the screen. He
wrapped up his call and quickly answered.
Instinctively, he knew Cathleen was in
trouble. His response to his daughter’s
news was, “It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m coming
to get you.” Those words demonstrated
his fatherly love. He told Cathleen he
would call her back as soon as he figured
out the details. Jim immediately called
Barb and gave her the news. As they
wrestled for wisdom, Jim remembered
assuring his wife, “I don’t know what
God is doing. All I know is I’ve got to go
get her.” He left immediately and called
Cathleen several times on the trip. Jim
didn’t get to Cathleen’s place until late
that night. He loaded her things into the
family minivan and left the city as fast as
his conscience would allow him to fly. “I
felt like a paratrooper on a mission,” he
remembered. Looking back, even in those
early moments of rescue, Jim saw the
first glimmers of grace—God was working
in his daughter’s heart.
Cathleen shared in her testimony the
effect of her dad’s loving actions. “It was
a Thursday afternoon,” Cathleen recalled.
“He dropped everything he was doing and
drove sixteen hours to pick me up and
bring me home. This action of my dad was
the first of many ways that God started to
show me that true love is merciful and
sacrificial.”
Cathleen’s parents welcomed her home.
She feared that the church would scorn
and reject her, but that was not the
case at all. The church, along with her
family, gave her a beautiful baby shower.
She received all the baby supplies she
needed, along with countless cards and
financial support. Her mom became her
biggest advocate and was there during
the delivery of her son Dominic.
Solutions • 19