21 
21 Bruce Carroll sang a song that was popular in the early 1990s, when I was just a preteen. But its message never grows old, and its title is simple: “Sometimes Miracles Hide.” When we’re in the midst of downright difficult circumstances, we can’t always see that God is doing something great in our lives. Sometimes challenges and hard times can be so heartbreaking that all we can do is survive. But then, once we’ve survived, we see that God was working a miracle right in the middle of our hardships.
I have seen Missy and Jase walk this kind of journey since 2003, when their daughter, Mia, was born with special needs. Missy will write more about it in this section of the book, but I just want to say that they have been amazing as they have gone through situations not many parents have to go through. I remember being with Missy in the ultrasound room when she first wondered if there was something different about her baby. From that day until now, she and Jase have dealt with some unique challenges, but they have met them all with faith and trust in God. Now everyone in our family adores Mia, and we love having her in our lives.
I am also aware that Miss Kay suffered some very hard times with Alan and Jep as teenagers. As Jep’s wife, I cannot even begin to thank his brothers and parents enough for the way they intervened in his life when he was in trouble. Sometimes I still get tears in my eyes when I think about how much Jep’s brothers loved him when they first told Phil and Miss Kay he needed help. Had the brothers not cared enough about Jep to plan a family meeting to confront him—and had Phil and Kay not practiced tough love—I might not have the husband and family I have today. I will always be in awe of how much Jep’s family loved him and grateful for the way they handled that situation.
Both Kay’s situation and Missy’s seemed overwhelming at times. Missy and Jase still face challenges. But both circumstances have proven to our family in up-close, personal ways that God can do miracles when it looks like nothing good can happen. When the world would refer to a situation as “bad,” not only can God work it for good, He can do something miraculous.