"For we know that all things work to the good to those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose." - Romans 8:28.

Why do bad things happen to good people? I wish there was an easy answer to that question. I have heard many good approaches to this and if we read the book of Job we find that the friends of Job had some seemingly good answers but they were wrong. Just as many are wrong today who try to approach the bad and ugly of life in a simplified way.

In the beginning creation was perfect, and there was no pain, heartache, or death. We know what happened with perfection, Adam and Eve chose to eat of the forbidden fruit in disobedience to God's command. As a result, sin entered into the world and a perfect creation became imperfect. Adam and Eve were banned from the Garden of Eden, and as a result of their sin they were no longer physically immortal. Adam and Eve died a physical death, just as their descendants have had to die a physical death. The only exceptions were Enoch and Elijah who were taken to heaven without experiencing death.

On September 2, 1978, God blessed us with our second child, another son. We named him Nick and as with most parents, even before he was born, we had plans for his life. Those plans came to an end when the doctor called me at about 10:00 P.M. the night of Nick's birth. The doctor wasn't sure what was wrong but the baby was having difficulty and had to be taken to Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City. I followed the ambulance to Oklahoma City that night, praying all the way for my son.

Within a few hours after arriving at Children's Hospital, the immediate physical problems were solved and Nick was released for the intensive care unit. He remained in the hospital for most of the week while many tests were performed. A doctor eventually explained that he could say with 99% certainty that my baby boy had Down Syndrome. This Diagnosis was confirmed a few weeks later with a chromosome test. The doctor strongly recommended that I should consider allowing the baby to be placed in an institution. For me that was not an option, because I knew that Nick was my son and that God had given him to me, I just wanted to take Nick home. I still remember pulling into the driveway at my wife's parent's home with our new son. Jeanie came hurrying out and with Nick between us we hugged each other and Nick.

Why do bad things happen? I struggled with that and prayed and prayed that God would change Nick and make him "normal." One night I was determined that I was going to pray all night, if necessary, until God healed Nick. If it took longer than a night I was going to stay on my knees as long as was needed until God heard my pleadings and healed my son. I kneeled beside Nick's crib and began to pray. In less than an hour the answer came. No, God wasn't going to change Nick, at least not in the way that I was wanting. But it was going to be okay. God was going to be with me, and Jeanie, and Nick. Whatever might be ahead in the future God would be there with us and His strength would be sufficient. I haven't questioned God since that night.

Almost 19 years later (written in 1997) I can now look back and see that Nick truly has been a blessing to our family. In fact I believe that through Nick, God has given me and my family our greatest blessing. Nick has changed our lives for the better and taught us much about the real way of love. Not only has Nick changed our lives but he has touched and continues to touch and change the lives of many, many others.

When Nick was born my eyes were suddenly opened to a whole new world that I had been trying hard to avoid. Suddenly I could see a world of hurting people. Suddenly I could see others like Nick that were mentally handicapped, others in wheelchairs, others with incurable diseases, others mired in the disease of sin in a desperate need of a Savior. I was once blind to their world but through Nick I could see. Through Nick, God gave me a heart of love and compassion that is still being enlarged as God still works in my life through my son. Through Nick I suddenly had a desire more so than ever before to seek the comfort and love of my Lord God.

Because of Nick I began to be even more faithful in attending church, praying and reading God's Word. I began to seek what God had for me to do in this life. Surely there was more for me to do than simply make money and try to be a good witness in the process. Through Nick I began to hear the call of God upon my life. As I think about the horror of abortion, and of how now they can determine if a child has Down Syndrome early enough in pregnancy to abort it, I can only be thankful that we didn't have that option. How awful to have aborted God's greatest blessing upon our lives. How many hundreds of thousands are now doing exactly that.

No, things are not perfect in this world, but God is true to His promise in Romans 8:28 to bring good out of the bad for those who choose to love God and serve Him, "...who are the called according to His purpose."