I guess you can call me a mistake, or an accident, or at best a giant surprise-- because my parents didn’t plan on having me. And you might even call me slow or challenged because that’s what the doctor predicted I would probably be. Whatever you call it— I’m here!So herein lies the story:  One hot summer day my mom was feeling wobbly and nauseous as she carted her three boys off to their regular regime of hanging at the beach, taking in the waves and building castles in the sand. Being a healthy 29-year-old mom, she became concerned as her normal high energy began to diminish at the start of each day. After several weeks, she made an appointment with her doctor and he ordered blood work to be done.  Upon entering his office for the results, he said, “I have good news and I have bad news, which do you want first?”  My mom replied, the bad news.  He told her, “You have mononucleosis.”  She thought to herself, ‘well that’s not so bad.’   And then asked,  “So what is the good news?”  He replied, “You’re pregnant.” He recommended that she see her gynecologist right away to get an opinion about the pregnancy.  She seemed confused.  Opinion for what?  This would be her fifth pregnancy in seven years so she wasn’t getting the urgency about getting an immediate opinion.The Doctor explained that there could be a problem with the fetus given her infectious state. Upon meeting with the gynecologist, and much to her shock and dismay, he suggested she have an abortion because he had a concern that the infected placenta could possibly cause mental retardation in the fetus.  His flippant comment of “You’re obviously fertile given your history, you can just try again” was disconcerting to her moral compass. (Even though they weren’t exactly trying for another child!).Given my parents faith, abortion would never be an option. They didn’t even discuss the option, but rather placed the life of their unborn child in their fervent prayers to God. So the unknown hung over the entire pregnancy (this was prior to today’s massive in vitro technology), and my subsequent entrance into the world was highly anticipated.So it would be on Friday, April 13th, 1984, that I entered this world kicking and screaming-- and healthy as ever!  So I became the 4th son of John and Andrea Maher.  And now, in hindsight, it is evident, to see that what the devil meant for the evil destruction of my life, God meant for good and had a completely different plan and purpose for His glory. “For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mothers womb.  I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from you. When I was made in secret. And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book they were all written. The days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16).

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