I was lying in bed on a weekend morning, fully awake. As I was about to rise, a voice came to me. The voice was in my mind only, but it seemed very real. As I had never knowingly had such an experience, I thought my imagination was playing a trick on me.

The voice said, "You will get the babies," and "I have come to teach you love."

You see, my wife and I had been yearning and praying for some time now for babies to adopt.

I knew it was God speaking to me. But I still had doubts about what I was "hearing." To be told by God that our waiting would really be over was so startling to me that before I had realized it, I had replied, "Prove it."

God said to go to the three letters, and that I would find the word "love" in all three letters.

A strange sensation came over me, like the feeling when you get goose-bumps from some phenomenon.

The "three letters" had been written by important people on our behalf to the adoption agencies. I went to the letters and, sure enough, the word "love" was found in all three of them.

Sometime later, my wife and I did get the babies -- just as God said. They are brother and sister.

I found out from this encounter that God is love, not an emotion. It gave me a new understanding and a feeling of well being.

And as a father of two babies, I learn more deeply each day the meaning of His words, "I have come to teach you love."

I thought you might enjoy the poem on the babies' certificate of adoption. Strange -- or is it? -- that the poem speaks of God and love in such profound ways.

An adopted child is greatly loved, and soon becomes a part,

Of everything that treasured, and held closely to the heart.

An adopted child is looked upon with special tenderness,

And he or she will always know the warmest, sweet caress.

For those who adopt children find joy in little souls.

A baby's smile can help them on towards their chosen goal.

God knows how much mankind cries out for pure unselfish love.

And so, He sends adopted ones seemingly from above.

Broken hearts are mended,

In manner meek and mild,

Truly blessed are those who have

An adopted child.

-Author Unknown

Jerry D.

Sarasota, FL