Yesterday I stood and looked in wide-eyed amazement at the beauty of my oldest daughter, Maricela, who is getting married in August. She was standing in the bridal shop with her beautiful white wedding gown and veil, modeling for me and her sisters. She was astonishing – she truly took my breath away. Just for a moment, I remembered the day I saw her when she was 18 months old at the top of a stairway, filthy from head to toe. My first thought was to run and get her so that she didn’t fall head-first down those stairs! You see, nobody was caring for this child.

That’s the way it is in the ghetto. Almost from birth, you’re on your own except maybe for an older sibling’s attempt to do what they can to feed and clothe the younger ones. At four years old, my son, Ricky (now 13), cared for his little sister, Jenny who was 2 years old, the best he could. He stole food for her and hid it to have something to give her to eat later. He found a place underneath a porch to hide her from the rain and storms. You see, in the ghetto, all that matters is the drugs and the next high or fix. The children are a nuisance until they are old enough to contribute to the lifestyle – that is, in some useful way.

So, tiny Maricela had stood at the top of the stairs that day in complete abandonment. She was alone to fend for herself at 18 months old! Hungry, filthy and in danger!

What a total contrast she was today in her beautiful white wedding gown, glowing in the peace of her life in Christ, preparing for her Bridegroom!

My heart was so full of love and thanksgiving to the Lord for this beautiful child, now grown up into a lovely and happy woman, soon-to-be the wife of the absolute most wonderful man in the entire world for her! I was overcome with gratitude to the Lord for the opportunity to raise her, love her, and see her married to a Godly man.

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Only God can give beauty for ashes! Only God can take the circumstances of a little girl’s life and change them so dramatically for her good!

Jim and I are so very thankful that God trusted us with Maricela. We are humbled that He gave her to us for a reason (her well-being), a season (until she is given to her husband) and a lifetime (always to be our daughter!).