1 00:00:38,001 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 2 00:00:41,501 --> 00:00:45,181 Speaker 1: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 3 00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 4 00:00:48,161 --> 00:00:54,011 Speaker 1: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 5 00:00:54,191 --> 00:00:57,311 Speaker 1: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 6 00:00:57,651 --> 00:01:00,091 Speaker 1: just good content. This one means a lot to us. 7 00:01:00,491 --> 00:01:03,271 Speaker 1: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 8 00:01:03,491 --> 00:01:05,671 Speaker 1: so many of you filled out a few months back. 9 00:01:05,991 --> 00:01:08,571 Speaker 1: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 10 00:01:08,611 --> 00:01:11,550 Speaker 1: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 11 00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:14,180 Speaker 1: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 12 00:01:14,471 --> 00:01:15,441 Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. 13 00:01:18,461 --> 00:01:24,821 Speaker 2: Life Audio. Good day and welcome back, friends and loyal listeners. 14 00:01:24,961 --> 00:01:31,001 Speaker 2: Welcome newcomers to the story behind podcast. Behind what? Well, 15 00:01:31,061 --> 00:01:35,601 Speaker 2: behind any of the news that might make us sad, fearful, grumpy, angry. 16 00:01:36,411 --> 00:01:42,601 Speaker 2: We have collected inspiring stories and positive headlines at GodTube.com 17 00:01:42,681 --> 00:01:47,601 Speaker 2: and LifeAudio.com, where our team has gone out and scoured 18 00:01:47,661 --> 00:01:50,711 Speaker 2: the web for some of the best stuff that you 19 00:01:50,931 --> 00:01:55,891 Speaker 2: may have missed in your feed or in your news watching. 20 00:01:57,171 --> 00:02:00,961 Speaker 2: It is officially sweater weather here where I am today, 21 00:02:01,131 --> 00:02:05,401 Speaker 2: and I hope you get to experience the and the 22 00:02:05,481 --> 00:02:09,721 Speaker 2: encouraging signs of fall. I don't know why this time 23 00:02:09,781 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 2: of year has always been my favorite and the most 24 00:02:13,271 --> 00:02:17,430 Speaker 2: uplifting when actually what we're seeing is nature dying or 25 00:02:17,810 --> 00:02:22,571 Speaker 2: more accurately going dormant for the winter, the harvest ending, 26 00:02:22,591 --> 00:02:27,411 Speaker 2: the growth cycle, curling up for a nap, but maybe 27 00:02:27,461 --> 00:02:31,081 Speaker 2: it's because we're all exhausted and we need some of 28 00:02:31,141 --> 00:02:36,180 Speaker 2: that time off. Our most recent episode, if you were 29 00:02:36,231 --> 00:02:41,871 Speaker 2: with us, was about lost things and people. And today 30 00:02:41,951 --> 00:02:45,270 Speaker 2: we've got a slight variation on what does it mean 31 00:02:45,310 --> 00:02:51,050 Speaker 2: to go from lost to being lost, almost forgotten as 32 00:02:51,171 --> 00:02:54,571 Speaker 2: if you don't exist anymore. And I wonder, is anything 33 00:02:54,711 --> 00:03:00,631 Speaker 2: ever lost to God who knows where everything is, where 34 00:03:00,691 --> 00:03:04,511 Speaker 2: everyone is? what stage of life they are at, and 35 00:03:04,631 --> 00:03:07,601 Speaker 2: who meets us where we are. Think about that for 36 00:03:07,621 --> 00:03:10,020 Speaker 2: a minute, and I'll be right back with a couple 37 00:03:10,041 --> 00:03:20,941 Speaker 2: of long-lost stories for you on Story Behind. All right, 38 00:03:21,041 --> 00:03:25,751 Speaker 2: our first story today is about a long-lost son who 39 00:03:25,791 --> 00:03:29,171 Speaker 2: met his father and dozens of relatives in an emotional 40 00:03:29,791 --> 00:03:34,491 Speaker 2: family reunion. This story comes to us written by Heather Rickman. 41 00:03:36,171 --> 00:03:41,601 Speaker 2: For 19 years, Joshua Schneelock watched parents arrive at a 42 00:03:41,661 --> 00:03:47,421 Speaker 2: German Catholic orphanage and take other children home. Each time, 43 00:03:47,481 --> 00:03:51,291 Speaker 2: the same question settled into his young heart. Why is 44 00:03:51,351 --> 00:03:56,931 Speaker 2: no one coming for me? Joshua was never adopted, but 45 00:03:56,991 --> 00:03:59,851 Speaker 2: he never stopped believing that somewhere in the world, he 46 00:03:59,891 --> 00:04:04,281 Speaker 2: belonged to someone. and every day whispered the same prayer 47 00:04:05,141 --> 00:04:09,201 Speaker 2: as he thumbed his rosary, please, one day. I want 48 00:04:09,221 --> 00:04:15,501 Speaker 2: to meet my father. More than five decades later, that 49 00:04:15,561 --> 00:04:21,841 Speaker 2: prayer was answered. Joshua's wife, Nicole Pavelka, gave him an 50 00:04:22,041 --> 00:04:27,140 Speaker 2: ancestry DNA kit. She worried the search might bring him 51 00:04:27,201 --> 00:04:31,181 Speaker 2: another painful rejection, but she also wanted him to know 52 00:04:31,260 --> 00:04:35,261 Speaker 2: the truth. He has a family, Nicole said, two kids 53 00:04:35,411 --> 00:04:40,691 Speaker 2: and myself. He belongs. With help from a genealogy professional, 54 00:04:41,270 --> 00:04:45,931 Speaker 2: Joshua found several cousins. Then came the call he had 55 00:04:45,991 --> 00:04:50,511 Speaker 2: waited a lifetime to receive. I think I found your father. 56 00:04:52,431 --> 00:04:55,651 Speaker 2: Arthur Colbert had served in the military in Germany in 57 00:04:55,651 --> 00:05:01,961 Speaker 2: 1969 and 1970. He returned to the United States without 58 00:05:02,061 --> 00:05:05,181 Speaker 2: ever knowing he had left a son behind and made 59 00:05:05,221 --> 00:05:09,001 Speaker 2: a life in Texas. If I had known, I would 60 00:05:09,021 --> 00:05:13,861 Speaker 2: have brought him back, Arthur said. A DNA test confirmed 61 00:05:14,481 --> 00:05:21,831 Speaker 2: their relationship with 99.99% certainty. We found him, Joshua said. 62 00:05:23,791 --> 00:05:27,830 Speaker 2: When father and son finally met, Joshua placed his treasured 63 00:05:27,891 --> 00:05:31,891 Speaker 2: rosary around Arthur's neck. It was the same rosary he 64 00:05:31,931 --> 00:05:35,571 Speaker 2: had held while praying for his father as a lonely boy. Then, 65 00:05:35,751 --> 00:05:40,291 Speaker 2: on a Saturday in Jefferson, Texas, Joshua walked beside his 66 00:05:40,341 --> 00:05:43,761 Speaker 2: dad into a room filled with more than 60 relatives 67 00:05:44,261 --> 00:05:48,961 Speaker 2: waiting to welcome him. Your home, baby, your home, his uncle, 68 00:05:49,481 --> 00:05:54,481 Speaker 2: Derek Colbert, called out. For the child, who had spent 69 00:05:54,521 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: years wondering why no one chose him, Those words reached 70 00:05:59,681 --> 00:06:03,961 Speaker 2: across a lifetime. The biggest fear you have as an 71 00:06:04,081 --> 00:06:07,301 Speaker 2: orphan is to be pushed away, Joshua said through tears. 72 00:06:08,591 --> 00:06:10,851 Speaker 2: That's the biggest gift you can get, to be loved. 73 00:06:12,791 --> 00:06:15,190 Speaker 2: Joshua had once been a boy with no family coming 74 00:06:15,231 --> 00:06:19,171 Speaker 2: to take him home. Now he stood surrounded by more 75 00:06:19,211 --> 00:06:23,851 Speaker 2: love than one room could hold. Looking back, Joshua offered 76 00:06:23,891 --> 00:06:26,031 Speaker 2: a tender message to the boy he used to be. 77 00:06:27,251 --> 00:06:33,001 Speaker 2: He said, You never gave up. You had faith. And 78 00:06:33,041 --> 00:06:37,861 Speaker 2: perhaps one final detail shows just how deeply father and 79 00:06:37,921 --> 00:06:43,510 Speaker 2: son were always connected. Despite spending 55 years apart on 80 00:06:43,551 --> 00:06:49,651 Speaker 2: different continents, both chose the same profession, insurance sales. Joshua 81 00:06:49,671 --> 00:06:52,221 Speaker 2: had spent his childhood wanting to be picked up and 82 00:06:52,261 --> 00:06:55,681 Speaker 2: taken home. At last, his family was there to say, 83 00:06:56,701 --> 00:07:01,971 Speaker 2: We found you. You belong to us. I'm reminded of 84 00:07:02,041 --> 00:07:05,071 Speaker 2: John 14, 18. I will not leave you as orphans. 85 00:07:06,271 --> 00:07:10,991 Speaker 2: I will come to you. I absolutely recommend you visit 86 00:07:11,031 --> 00:07:14,011 Speaker 2: the link in our show notes to check out this story. 87 00:07:15,851 --> 00:07:19,661 Speaker 2: And I will be back in just a second with 88 00:07:19,701 --> 00:07:32,661 Speaker 2: another story of a long-lost item. Our second story today 89 00:07:33,841 --> 00:07:38,041 Speaker 2: comes to us written by Michaela Gordonei. This is about 90 00:07:38,081 --> 00:07:41,761 Speaker 2: a long-lost postcard from a man's late parents, which showed 91 00:07:41,861 --> 00:07:46,101 Speaker 2: up 26 years later, and he called it a postcard 92 00:07:46,181 --> 00:07:50,601 Speaker 2: from heaven. A man received a postcard from heaven on 93 00:07:50,671 --> 00:07:54,911 Speaker 2: an ordinary day when he opened his mailbox. The postcard 94 00:07:54,951 --> 00:08:00,321 Speaker 2: had been sent 26 years earlier by his parents. It's 95 00:08:00,421 --> 00:08:04,641 Speaker 2: been years since they passed away, so to suddenly receive 96 00:08:04,681 --> 00:08:08,781 Speaker 2: a postcard from them felt like a truly inexplicable gift. 97 00:08:10,341 --> 00:08:15,791 Speaker 2: The couple, John and Joanne Shepard, had been traveling in Copenhagen, Denmark, 98 00:08:16,541 --> 00:08:18,771 Speaker 2: and wanted to let their son Bob know that they 99 00:08:18,801 --> 00:08:23,591 Speaker 2: had landed safely. Bob's dad died six years ago and 100 00:08:23,631 --> 00:08:28,091 Speaker 2: his mother three years ago. It's a wonder why the 101 00:08:28,131 --> 00:08:32,971 Speaker 2: postcard got sent so many years later. Bob's postman believes 102 00:08:33,111 --> 00:08:36,391 Speaker 2: it probably got misplaced or fell behind a desk or 103 00:08:36,451 --> 00:08:41,790 Speaker 2: cabinet and was only found recently. They must have said, hey, 104 00:08:42,211 --> 00:08:44,311 Speaker 2: the guy still lives at the same address, let's go 105 00:08:44,351 --> 00:08:48,791 Speaker 2: ahead and send it to him, Bob said. John had 106 00:08:48,851 --> 00:08:51,551 Speaker 2: died during the pandemic and Bob never got to say 107 00:08:51,581 --> 00:08:54,550 Speaker 2: goodbye to him because he was not allowed to visit, 108 00:08:54,721 --> 00:08:59,771 Speaker 2: which still deeply hurts. bothers him. So this was to 109 00:08:59,810 --> 00:09:05,410 Speaker 2: me almost a postcard from heaven, says Bob. Joanne and 110 00:09:05,431 --> 00:09:09,341 Speaker 2: John were world travelers. Just a couple of the places 111 00:09:09,401 --> 00:09:15,060 Speaker 2: they went were England, China, and the Galapagos Islands. For 112 00:09:15,121 --> 00:09:18,041 Speaker 2: their celebration of life ceremonies, Bob made a chart of 113 00:09:18,101 --> 00:09:21,281 Speaker 2: all the places they visited and when, along with photos. 114 00:09:22,761 --> 00:09:25,711 Speaker 2: He's now happy to add this postcard to the collage. 115 00:09:26,351 --> 00:09:31,271 Speaker 2: and it's something that he will always treasure. It's incredibly 116 00:09:31,351 --> 00:09:35,191 Speaker 2: sweet that someone in Denmark found that old postcard and 117 00:09:35,231 --> 00:09:39,081 Speaker 2: decided to mail it forward to Bob. It means the 118 00:09:39,101 --> 00:09:43,641 Speaker 2: world to him that he now has this sweet memento. 119 00:09:45,721 --> 00:09:48,301 Speaker 2: I found our verse today to be so true for 120 00:09:48,381 --> 00:09:52,861 Speaker 2: anything like this that happens. It's never wrong to think, Additionally, 121 00:09:52,901 --> 00:09:55,941 Speaker 2: I'd just like to add one thought about long-lost things. 122 00:09:56,101 --> 00:09:58,701 Speaker 2: In Luke 15, where Jesus is telling parables about things 123 00:09:58,721 --> 00:10:00,501 Speaker 2: that have been lost, including the lost and prodigal son 124 00:10:00,621 --> 00:10:23,391 Speaker 2: who had taking his inheritance and run off with it, 125 00:10:23,711 --> 00:10:27,211 Speaker 2: and his father had no idea what had become of him. 126 00:10:28,331 --> 00:10:31,581 Speaker 2: As that son returned, the father said, Bring the fattened calf, 127 00:10:31,641 --> 00:10:36,101 Speaker 2: kill it, let us eat and celebrate, for this son 128 00:10:36,141 --> 00:10:38,931 Speaker 2: of mine was dead and has died. come to life again. 129 00:10:38,951 --> 00:10:43,591 Speaker 2: He was lost and has been found. And they began 130 00:10:43,611 --> 00:10:48,141 Speaker 2: to celebrate. Now, some of us know that's not the 131 00:10:48,181 --> 00:10:51,361 Speaker 2: end of the story. Some of us want to know 132 00:10:52,381 --> 00:10:55,081 Speaker 2: when we've never gotten lost, what's in it for us. 133 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:59,030 Speaker 2: But let us remember this. that we've really and truly 134 00:10:59,371 --> 00:11:03,911 Speaker 2: all been there. Long lost things have a way of 135 00:11:04,151 --> 00:11:07,851 Speaker 2: being found, and the Lord is no stranger to them. 136 00:11:07,951 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 2: He always knows where they are, and he always has 137 00:11:13,361 --> 00:11:17,621 Speaker 2: a way of shining down gifts upon us that we 138 00:11:18,361 --> 00:11:22,651 Speaker 2: sometimes don't even recognize. I'll leave you with that thought. 139 00:11:23,151 --> 00:11:26,491 Speaker 2: on this episode of The Story Behind. Thanks for listening today. 140 00:11:26,591 --> 00:11:31,201 Speaker 2: I hope today's stories of long-lost people and things remind 141 00:11:31,231 --> 00:11:33,511 Speaker 2: you of the ways God is still moving in the 142 00:11:33,561 --> 00:11:37,301 Speaker 2: world around us. You can visit the links in the 143 00:11:37,341 --> 00:11:41,381 Speaker 2: show notes to find the original articles, photos, videos, and 144 00:11:41,441 --> 00:11:44,881 Speaker 2: any resources mentioned in today's episode on the God Updates 145 00:11:44,921 --> 00:11:52,481 Speaker 2: blog at gottube.com. If you enjoyed these stories, be sure 146 00:11:52,501 --> 00:11:55,561 Speaker 2: to follow Story Behind wherever you listen to podcasts and 147 00:11:55,660 --> 00:11:58,901 Speaker 2: share it with someone who could use a little encouragement. 148 00:12:00,211 --> 00:12:05,331 Speaker 2: Story Behind is a Life Audio production. For more faith-based podcasts, 149 00:12:05,391 --> 00:12:11,851 Speaker 2: visit lifeaudio.com. I'm Sean McAvoy, once a long-lost thing myself. 150 00:12:12,251 --> 00:12:15,431 Speaker 2: Thanks again for joining me, and we'll find you next 151 00:12:15,491 --> 00:12:17,511 Speaker 2: time on Story Behind.