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Another Daughter
By: T.R. Michels (2001)
I try to live by Romans 10:9, which states, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." I try to tell every one I meet that I am a Christian, and I try to live like a Christian. If we, as Christians, don't try to do those things how can we expect to reach out to those who don't know Christ? And how can we expect to get through to them? If we are really trying to live as Christians we have to "Proclaim the good news." Every once in a while I get confirmation that, through me, God has touched someone's life, and gotten through to them.
Of all my children, my youngest daughter Tawny (fifteen at the time of this writing) is probably the most like me. She is confident in her beliefs about God, Christ and the Holy Spirit; and she is very outspoken about it. Several of Tawny's friends come over to the house regularly, but the one who is here most often is Kayla. Kayla's parents are divorced; her father is an alcoholic who has remarried; her mother lives with a boyfriend. Kayla lives with her mother on weekdays, and stays with her father on weekends. When things get difficult at her father's house Kayla usually asks if she can come and stay with us, and of course we let her.
About six months after first coming over to the house to visit Tawnya, Kayla began calling me "Dad." I didn't think anything about it at first, because when I was young I called several of my friends mothers "Mom." Then one day I asked Kayla why she called me "Dad." She said, "Because you're the Dad I never had when I was little." (Kids can make you cry at the worst of times.) I told her, "That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me." Kayla is like a daughter to us, and we love her.
On December 22, 2001 Kayla called at 12:30 PM and asked if we could come and get her. So my wife Diane drove five miles to pick her up. While she was waiting for Diane and Tawnya, Kayla got on the computer and wrote a letter, which she read to us the next day. I think her letter clearly explains why I keep saying that as Christians we all need to confess with our mouth's that "Jesus is Lord."
Following is a copy of Kayla's letter to Tawnya.
Dear Tawny,
Over the past years you have been so good to me, even when we were upset with each other. But you know what? That just proves what kind of a friend you really are. And the little things you do show what kind of a person and friend you can be. Your personality and determination of religion can really inspire people. I know it has inspired me. And I hope that it continues to as the days go on.
I am truly grateful for what you and your family have done for me. You gave me a warm and caring home when I wanted to get away from my own. You gave me love and hope. You and your family gave me something to believe in when I thought that I had nothing left to believe in. And as I sit here and think of the important people in my life, you and your family come to mind. And I now know why. God has truly blessed me by being able to have more than one "family." I am so grateful that your family is the other family in my life.
I really don't know what kind of a person I would be without the love that I have from you and your family. And I don't know where I would be without you and your dad. You both have impacted me in a way that no one else could ever do. You were there (and still are) for me when I needed to "talk," when all I really did was cry. You were more than willing to stay up till all hours of the night just trying to get through to me, and help me through whatever I was going through. Your father (and mine now) gave me the love of a dad that I never had when I was little. He cared for me, and he still does. He's behind me all the way, and when I fall you and he are there to help me pick myself back up. And all I can say is THANK YOU.
What I am even more thankful for is that you and your family have helped me believe in God more than I EVER had in my life. And I do believe in Him with my whole heart! And I believe in you, your Dad, your Mom, Dallas and your grandma's. It was all of you who helped me see who I really was and what I was really doing with my life, and how to fix it. Even though I am still working out a few things, I am happy to say that all the advice that I have ever received from you has been helpful. Thanks a million, God Bless!
Love Always & Forever
Kayla Jean Amundson
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