A Best Friend for Gabriel

I really don't want anyone to misunderstand what I am about to write.

There are many adults in our lives that love Gabriel a great deal.  Most of these friends pray for us on a regular basis.  Many of them have visited us at one time or another when Gabriel is in the hospital.  One couple keeps Gabriel over night every three months or so while Emily and I go away to our little "retreat."  So Gabriel and our entire family are surrounded by a myriad of  adults who love him, shower him with gifts, pray for him, and wish him well.

But it has long been a prayer of ours, especially Emily that God will bring Gabriel a friend.  That someone will come into Gabriel's life, overlook that Gabriel doesn't communicate in the same way as other boys and girls, and accept him exactly as he is.  A few weeks ago our prayers were answered.

A new family started attending Calvary recently.  AJ, started attending Gabriel's class.  As the story goes, on one particular Sunday the class was getting to be a bit rambunctious.  Because Gabriel is unable to physically get out of the way of any foot traffic, the class's teacher asked AJ to "protect" Gabriel.

Well, that was all the invitation AJ needed to befriend Gabriel.  Since that time, AJ has been Gabriel's most ardent supporter.  Recently, Gabriel has his second visible seizure while at church.  One of the pictures with this post is actually from an performance their class did in the sanctuary a mere minutes before the seizure.  To say that AJ was worried about Gabriel is an understatement.  His mother relayed to me that AJ was walking around the house asking his family to pray, pray, pray “that Gabriel’s brain would behave.”

AJ is Gabriel's greatest cheerleader.  I have been posting videos of Gabriel's first steps online.  This past Sunday AJ was very excited to personally congratulate Gabriel on his walking success.

We've experienced a great deal of blessings this year!  God has been truly gracious to us.  But, no blessing of the past year is as cherished as a best friend for Gabriel.

Thank you, AJ!  And thank You, Lord!

 Glen