Phil,
Brook sounds like a real sweety who has finally found the right 
soil.  Thank you for being there for her.

I do know what you mean as far as seeing the difference between Brook 
and Gretchen.  We have a teenage boy who attends our church.  He has 
one older brother and they do not share the same father.  His mother 
is divorced from his father, but she is now working on digging down 
roots in Christ and her son is right there with her.  He has admitted 
that Greg is one of his heros and Greg does what he can to guide this 
boy.  The sad thing is that, at one time, Chris and this boy were 
friends.  But, this boy will graduate this year and is looking into 
college.  He is exploring his faith and asking a lot of 
questions.  Everytime Greg helps this boy, we can't help but wish 
that it were Chris, but like you said, you have to do the job that 
God sets before you and let him do the rest.  It hurts though, as a 
parent, doesn't it.
God bless,
Kathy


At 03:05 PM 2/10/2006, you wrote:
>Brad and Ned,
>
>Gretchen is freaked out over Brook.  this is because Brook's mind has been
>fried and she is a little more than weird at times.  So them living together
>may end up not working.  By the way, over two years ago, when Gretchen was
>on the street, sort of speak, Gretchen screwed everything that moved.  This
>included married men, Brook's own boy friend, and if someone would had held
>its head, as the old cowboy used to say, she would have screwed even a
>snake.  A little street talk there but when dealing with druggies, felons, x
>cons, and butt heads in general, they have trouble even understanding normal
>Christian communications.  Frankly, Brook seems to want to do what is right
>more than my daughter.  Brook still goes to work, no matter what, every day
>and right now, she has two jobs.  Gretchen will skip work, come home, say
>she is going to pick something up for the shop and be gone for 90 minutes
>when the store is just down the street, and a whole lot of other things
>along these lines.  Brook calls me and tells me where she is, when she is
>coming home, how she is getting home, never misses sunday services, has
>already prayed with me three times more than my own daughter, sits and talks
>and tells me about her fears, and literally tries to do what is right.  Yes,
>she is a little goofy at times when the panic and anxiety are off the wall.
>You should have seen me four years ago when I was even hearing voices.
>Brook isn't at that stage yet so thank God for that.  Gretchen is freaked
>about Brook for probably more reasons than one.  One being spiritual in
>nature, I think, but also Gretchen knows she could have easily ended up this
>way and still might.  with all that alcohol and drugs, and so called friends
>who screw you literally, using your body for their own enjoyment, your mom
>dying suddenly, your dumb butt dad leaving you and is no where to be found,
>and your own brothers and sisters missing, a car wreck that not only just
>about took your life but put you in the hospital for weeks and where someone
>was killed, by the way, the criminal boys in the van?  They weren't hurt and
>bailed out and ran before the cops got there.  Great friends, leaving you
>there to die and all.  So, ad some burn brain cells on top of all this,
>Brook has problems.  she may end up in a hospital and on medications.  In
>fact, it wouldn't surprise me if that did happen.  I learned something over
>the last three years of ministry that I never realized before.  I was
>praying about someone I was praying with at the time.  I told the Lord, this
>person may never be normal.  The Holy Spirit clearly said back to me, That
>isn't your responsibility.  You do your job and I'll do mine.  The truth is,
>the Lord said, this person does not need to be as they are now and the part
>you are involved in is all your responsibility.  The truth almost made me
>cry.  Why?  Because I realized that we don't have to do everything, we just
>have to do what the Lord has told us to do.  For once I realized God runs
>the show if we stay out of His way.  He just gives us the honor of watching
>Him do His work.
>
>Phil.
>
>Learning Jesus
>www.SafePlaceFellowship.com