An expert in nautical research did a study on Acts 27-28. He took into consideration the time of year of the voyage, the strength of the storm, the size of the ship, the duration, the starting point, and the final destination as he sought to plot the path of the ship before it crashed onto the shore of the tiny island of Malta. Most theologians and historians have always assumed that the ship would have zig-zagged in a truly chaotic and random journey that luckily ran aground on the front doorstep of Malta. This is an incorrect assumption.

The researcher took all of these factors into account and concluded that the ship traveled in a perfectly straight line from Fair Havens to Malta. It arrived at Malta as if that was the intended destination all along. In spite of no way to navigate or steer, this ship arrived at an island that is 1/10th the size of Rhode Island. Upon their arrival, Paul and Luke were used by God to heal the sick on the island and to bring the love of Christ to these people.

In spite of darkness, hopelessness, mutiny, anger, fear, depression, and deep pain and anguish on that ship, God had hidden hope on board for the people of Malta. There was healing on that ship. As the prisoners and soldiers felt like they were drifting aimlessly, God was directing them with purpose straight to where He wanted them to be.

This shocking email stated matter of factly a situation in which there was “a need to find a home for a 3 month old blue-eyed, blonde-haired, baby girl that we received quite suddenly yesterday afternoon”. My eyes bulged and my heart raced. I forwarded the email to Angela, then called her to tell her to read it. She didn’t know I was on the line because she had just hung up with our infertility nurse to tell her that we were going to pursue other options and had accidentally answered my call.
“Check your email right now, and I’ll call you back in five minutes.”

I called Timari Deane, the name of the woman who sent the original email. “Hi, this is Cliff Johnson. I just read your email and want to tell you that we are very interested. My wife will be calling you in five minutes.” She told us later that day that she knew it would be us calling when she sent the email even though she knew nothing of our journey.

“Ange, what do you think?”
“Baby, I can’t believe it. Is this for real?”
“Yes it is. Can you call Timari right now?”
“Ok – love you.”

Twenty minutes later, Ange picked me up at church and we drove to go meet this baby girl that had been born the day after our 9th Wedding Anniversary and a week before I preached about Malta. Our car-ride conversation was nervous and scattershot. “I wonder what she looks like? What in the world is happening? Is this for real?”

Nick Deane, Timari’s husband is not a small man. He is a mountain of a man that has been a football coach for many years. For every inch and pound of his frame that could be intimidating, his smile and tender heart for serving God quickly melt away any fears. Nick came down the stairs holding an 11 week old bundle of sleeping baby. Her face was covered by the blanket. Nick pulled back the blanket and unveiled her face. Ange just sobbed. “She’s beautiful” Ange said as she wept. I stood in muted awe.

She had giant blue eyes and looked strangely like I did as a baby. We both held her and talked to the Deane’s about what had happened. Timari explained the sense she had that we would be the couple to adopt this baby girl.

We all got goosebumps and cried some more.