A woman who was kicked out of her wealthy father’s house at sixteen for marrying a poor man ended up living on the streets with her four children after her husband passed away.
Steve Walton was not happy when his butler informed him that Pastor Morris was waiting to see him. After a long flight from Singapore, he was tired and not interested in hearing the pastor’s lectures or requests for community support.
He had the pastor brought in and, showing his impatience, said, “Get on with it, man! What do you want this time?”
“Mr. Walton, I saw Susan,” the pastor said quietly. Steve’s heart nearly stopped. His only daughter had left his house nearly fifteen years ago, and he hadn’t seen her since.
“Susan?” Steve asked anxiously. “Where? When? How is she?”
“I was in Los Angeles, helping out a friend with a mission for the homeless, and that’s where I saw her,” the pastor explained.
“Was she volunteering? Did you tell her I’ve been looking for her?” Steve asked.
“No,” Pastor Morris replied gently. “She wasn’t a volunteer, Mr. Walton. She’s homeless. She and her children are living in a car.”
Steve felt so dizzy he had to sit down. “Homeless? My Susan? With children?” he gasped.
“I’m afraid so,” the pastor said. “And she wouldn’t even listen to me when I told her to come home.”
“But why?” Steve asked angrily. “She’s not still with that loser, is she?”
“Her husband passed away three years ago, Mr. Walton,” the pastor explained. “She told me she wouldn’t bring her children into a house where their father was hated.”
Steve Walton felt a wave of old rage sweep over him. Even fifteen years later, Susan was still defying him! He remembered the scene in his study, and how Susan had looked him in the eyes as he ranted.
“Pregnant at sixteen, and by the GARDENER!” he had screamed. “We are going to have THAT taken care of, and HE’S fired! You will never see that man again!”
“THAT is my baby, daddy,” Susan had said with a trembling voice. “And HE is the man I love. I’m going to marry him.”
“You marry that man and you’re on your own, Susan, do you hear?” Steve shouted furiously. “No more money, nothing! You marry him and you get out of my house!”
Susan had looked at him with tears in her eyes. “I love you, daddy,” she said. Then she turned and walked away. Despite hiring detectives to find her, no one had been able to trace her.
“How many children?” Steve asked Pastor Morris.
“Four,” the pastor replied. “Three girls and a boy. Beautiful children.”
Steve picked up his phone and demanded that his plane be prepared. “Pastor, would you come with me to Los Angeles and take me to my little girl?” he asked quietly.
The pastor nodded, and within two hours, he and Steve were on Steve’s private jet heading south. When they landed, a limo was waiting to take them to a parking lot outside a large mall.
At the far end of the lot, they found a pickup truck with a tent set up in the back. Pastor Morris had told Steve that after Susan’s husband died in a work accident, the insurance company refused to pay out, and the bank foreclosed on their home.
Susan had packed her children and their few belongings into the old pickup. She worked as a cleaner at the mall and used the mall’s facilities. She also bought leftover food from the restaurants at the end of the day.
Despite everything, Susan managed to keep her four children fed, clean, and in school. As Steve and the pastor approached the truck, they heard cheerful voices and laughter. Two children tumbled out of the back, excited to see them.
The oldest girl, around fourteen, was laughing as she tickled a boy of about seven. When Steve and Pastor Morris approached, the children stopped and stared.
“Mom!” the girl shouted. “That old preacher friend of yours is here!”
From inside the tent, a familiar voice asked, “Preacher Morris?” Susan then emerged, and Steve saw the shock on her face when she saw him standing next to the pastor.
“Daddy?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
Steve was taken aback. His daughter was only thirty-one, but she looked much older. Her face was lined with worry and hardship, and her hands were rough from hard work.
“Susan,” Steve cried. “Look at you! Look at what HE did to my princess! I wanted so much more for you! And you married that loser! What could he have given you? Poverty?”
Susan shook her head and said, “He loved me, Daddy, and he gave me four beautiful children. He passed away, and I had nowhere to go, but I’ve done my best for my kids. I will always love their father, just like I’ve always loved you.”
Steve found tears streaming down his face. “Forgive me, Susan,” he sobbed. “Please forgive me. Come home, I want you all to come home with me. Let me help you take care of the children!”
As Steve held his weeping daughter, he knew that everything would be alright. Susan introduced him to his three granddaughters and then placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And this,” she smiled, “is little Stevie!”
“You named him after me?” Steve asked, amazed. “After what I did?”
Susan looked at her father and said softly, “I love you, Daddy. Don’t you know that?”
That afternoon, they all flew back to Texas together. It marked the start of a new, better life for the whole family.
What can we learn from this story?
– **Love Your Children Unconditionally:** Steve’s anger at Susan for loving someone poor led him to lose his daughter. Accept your children no matter who they love.
– **Don’t Judge People by Wealth:** Steve didn’t like Susan’s husband because he was poor, but he was a loving and dedicated father. Don’t judge people by their money or status.
Share this story with your friends. It might bring them hope and inspiration.
Is this really Elvis Presley? Even the Got Talent judges were confused after his shocking performance…
Few spectacles in the world of talent exhibitions manage to enrapture audiences quite like the iconic Elvis Presley. His melodies, charm, and lasting influence persist through the ages, inspiring successive generations long after his departure from the earthly stage.
But what if the King himself were to grace us with his presence once more? This tantalizing prospect became a reality on a recent installment of America’s Got Talent, where Joseph Hall stepped into the limelight to resurrect the spirit of the legendary rock ‘n’ roll monarch.
Amidst palpable anticipation from the audience, behind the curtains, a man prepared to don the mantle of the most renowned performer to ever grace the stage. With a stride exuding confidence and a dash of nostalgia, Joseph Hall emerged, embodying the essence of Elvis himself. The crowd erupted in a frenzy of excitement as the timeless figure reclaimed his spotlight.
Introducing himself to the panel of judges, Joseph shared his aspiration of realizing his passion for embodying Elvis. Hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska, Joseph conveyed his appreciation for the chance to breathe life into the legend on the America’s Got Talent platform.
Encouraged by the judges’ words, Joseph took center stage, poised to channel the spirit of Elvis through his performance. As he commenced his rendition, moving and crooning with the same finesse and allure as the King, it became evident that something truly enchanting was transpiring before the audience’s eyes.
Despite the skepticism often accompanying Elvis impersonators, Joseph’s authenticity and undeniable talent shone through. Simon Cowell, renowned for his discerning assessments, confessed to being pleasantly taken aback by Joseph’s rendition, commending his ability to capture Elvis’s essence without veering into caricature.
His fellow judge, Howie Mandel, couldn’t help but marvel at Joseph’s striking resemblance to the King, a sentiment echoed by Sharon Osbourne, who expressed her admiration for his undeniable skill.
In a unanimous decision, the judges showered Joseph with praise and accolades, bestowing upon him a resounding “yes” to progress in the competition. With his passage to Las Vegas secured, Joseph reveled in the exhilaration of the moment, ready to embark upon the next leg of his journey.
As the curtain drew to a close on the Chicago auditions, the flame of Elvis Presley’s legacy was reignited through Joseph Hall’s electrifying performance.
With myriad acts yet to be unearthed, America’s Got Talent persists in spotlighting the remarkable talents strewn across the nation. Stay tuned for further moments of awe and wonder, pondering anew the perennial query: does America indeed possess talent? Until we reconvene, continue to dream and hold fast to the belief in music’s transcendent power over time and space.
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