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When Angels Came: A Son’s Miraculous Beginning · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

• 0:05
  Welcome to Have Faith, Let It Begin. This is Ariel Santana.
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  Can you believe I'm seven years old already? I'm old enough now to introduce my dad.
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  Ladies and gentlemen, your host, my dad, Angel Santana.
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  Two thousand came and the spark was lit. A testimony raw, it wouldn't quit.
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  His mother's voice, a guiding thread.
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  So when i was born my mom always told me that there was something that she had
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  saw she envisioned something as i was born and she said that when she was on her final push,
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  she had a vision and the vision that she had was her presenting me to the lord,
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  when i was born i was born with two feet and one one of the feet actually was
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  going in the opposite direction and they weren't sure what was going to happen
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  they came into the hospital room,
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  specialists in puerto rico and they said the very very possible that he may
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  have a problem with his feet to the point where he could be not able to walk.
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  They told my parents that they would perform certain things.
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  They put casts on my feet and they told my parents the price.
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  My parents were not able to afford what the prices were going to be for the
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  special things they were going to put on my feet.
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  And The Doctor walked out of the room And within minutes He returned And he
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  said Something had told me.
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  That I had to help this young man. Because one day. He's going to do something very special.
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  So we are going to take. All of the.
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  Costs. And we're going to take care of it. On our behalf.
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  Growing up. And being a baby. I could not consume milk.
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  It was goat's milk. Was the only thing I could consume. There was a lot of things
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  that happened. And I was told this at 13 years of age.
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  It's kind of hard to get that when you're 13. You're like, I drank goat's milk.
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  Well, that's pretty bad.
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  So, all right, I come from the jokes of Pastor Jim. Okay, so just bear with me.
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  But growing up, I started to realize that when my mother would come to me and say, Angel,
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  did you know that when you were born, all the angels came from heaven? Do you know why?
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  And I'd say no mom I don't know why she said because you are so special a mother's
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  words are so profound she made me smile that day because I said I didn't realize how special I was,
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  now as a kid you hear that and you think yeah of course I am right you get a
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  little older you get to understand something deeper about that phrase.
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  That wasn't just something she said to make me feel good.
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  That was love speaking. That was a mother reminding her child that they were
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  seen, that they mattered, and that they were created for a purpose.
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  So many of us here today carry those voices with us.
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  The words our mother spoke over us, the encouragement, the prayers,
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  the quiet sacrifices we didn't even notice at the time. And today,
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  on Mother's Day, we remember something important.
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  Sometimes the very first place we ever experienced love was through our mother.
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  Those words, you're special. They stay with you.
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  Because the voices we hear early in life shape how we see ourselves.
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  Some heard love. some didn't but before anyone ever spoke over your life God already did,
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  we just heard Psalms 139 which reminded us that you knit me together you are
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  not random you are intentional God saw you before anyone else did,
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  you know a mother's love is powerful it's not perfect but powerful and scripture will remind us.
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  That a mother's love is truly unbreakable.
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  It says so in scripture as it says, her children arise and call her blessed.
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  Today is that moment. A moment to honor. A moment to say thank you.
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  There's something sacred about the bond between a mother and a child.
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  Because when we're in need, a mother is there.
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  And even when we don't have as much time as we would like, they never truly leave us.
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  They remain in spirit. They remain in love. And they remain in our hearts.
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  You know, I remember a moment in my life.
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  Ironically, it was a Friday the 13th, 1996. I had back surgery, two surgeries.
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  One to remove a rib And the other to place two titanium rods in my back for scoliosis,
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  I was in the ICU I was heavily medicated And I was in and out of consciousness,
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  But every time I'd open my eyes And I'd look to my left My mother was there She was right by my side,
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  And that mattered My mother was always there for me She was there then She was there when I fell,
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  She was there during my depression And she's still here today She still provides
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  wisdom She provides love And encouragement And I know all of you can relate to that.
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  And I know that there's something else about that bond. A mother's bond with
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  her child is something truly powerful.
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  Sometimes that bond is so strong that everything else fades into the background.
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  And if we're being truthful with each other this morning, there are moments
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  where even fathers can feel that shift.
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  Not because they're not loved, but because a mother's instinct to protect, to nurture,
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  To be present Runs so deep.
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  Especially in those moments In those moments when a child is struggling When
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  a child is facing something difficult,
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  Whether by frustrations Like homework or emotions Whether it's a diagnosis Whether
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  your child is being bullied Whether your Child has a hearing loss,
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  Or maybe an illness A mother shows up in a way that is just unmatched.
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  She gives us everything. She gives us her time, her energy, her strength.
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  Sometimes her entire life centers on that child. And as fathers,
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  as parents, we know that feeling too.
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  That desire to give everything we have for our children.
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  And yes, today we celebrate Mother's
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  Day. and rightfully so but we also recognize Father's Day is coming.
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  There's always a sequel to the story,
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  And I'll be here to preach that, by the way. But here's the truth.
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  Whether it's a mother, a father, a grandparent, or anyone who stepped in to
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  love a child, that love matters.
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  Because every child, every child, no matter their background,
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  no matter their story, no matter their challenges, is special too.
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  Not because the world says so, but because God says so and that's what makes
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  us the same because we are all God's children.
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  And I know that not everyone here had the same experiences. Some were raised by grandmothers.
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  Some were loved by someone who stepped in but that love still matters,
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  because every woman here carries something within her A heart that knows how
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  to care, how to comfort, and how to love.
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  And when we think about that kind of love, I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus.
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  In the Bible, near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, and she said she didn't walk away.
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  She stayed. and even then during his suffering Jesus looked at her and said here is your son,
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  here is your mother even in his final moments he honored her,
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  and when we think about that moment I think about my times I think about where
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  all of us would be in that moment,
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  lying there,
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  think about that Just for a second.
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  I remember opening my eyes in the hospital and seeing my mother right there.
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  That's a mother's love. A love that stays, a love that shows up,
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  and a love that points us back to God.
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  Life makes us forget.
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  We hear voices, and the voices are always sometimes negative.
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  You'll hear things like, you're not enough. You failed.
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  You don't belong. But those are not God's words.
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  God says, I know you. God says, I created you.
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  God says, I love you.
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  And God says, I will never forget you.
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  If you remember one thing today, remember this.
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  If your mother is still here with you today, never forget to call her.
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  Don't be ashamed to hug her. Don't be embarrassed to tell her in front of your
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  friends that you love her.
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  Make time for her.
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  Even when you're busy. Even when you have something else planned. When she calls you.
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  And when she asks you for a favor. That moment matters.
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  Because when we were younger. And we wanted that candy bar. That ice cream cone.
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  That toy more times than not they found a way to give it to us,
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  don't let today's phone call be the one that you miss don't let today's moment
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  be the one that you say I'll do it later because they were there for you so be there for them,
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  and for those of you who have lost your mother.
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  I will not pretend To exactly know how that feels But I can tell you this,
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  They are still with you They watch over you And they love you And that bond doesn't disappear.
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  Because the bond between a mother and a child is sacred. It's something only
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  you and they truly understand.
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  And I truly believe today is a celebration, not just here on earth, but in heaven.
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  A celebration of love. A celebration of life.
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  A celebration of the gift that God has given us through mothers.
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  And as we celebrate today, We also remember the one who made it all possible,
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  Our lord and savior jesus christ The one who remain remains with us who reminds
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  us That he is the way the truth and the life So today we celebrate we celebrate our mothers,
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  I celebrate with my mother I celebrate with my wife For being an incredible mother to our children,
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  and I know each of and every one of us feel the same way.
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  Because they carry love for each and every one of us.
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  For someone who was raised, somebody who raised us, who believed in us,
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  who spoke life into us and who in their own way told us,
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  did you know that when you were born, all the angels came from heaven and they'll ask you why?
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  Do you guys know why? Because we are special.
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  You're special because God made you. You're special because God knows you.
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  You're special because God loves you.
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  You know, I know, we all know that God loves us, that God has not forgotten
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  us, that God loves us, and that God will never leave our side.
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  Happy Mother's Day. Amen. So our time of worship is over.
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  May you go out into the world and celebrate the life of parents, the life of mothers,
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  the life of fathers, the life of grandparents, the life that God has provided
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  each and every one of you because God loves you, God believes in you,
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  God trusts you, and God will never leave your side.
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  It's funny how parents are. My mom and dad go to Florida And the first thing
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  my mom brings me back as I ask for a t-shirt, she brings me back a way to remember
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  what she always tells me. And that's where I leave you today.
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  She wrote, angel, when you were born, all the angels came from heaven. Do you know why?
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  Because you are special. May God be with you.
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  May he shine his light upon you and grant each and every single one of you peace on earth.
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  Go in peace. Hey.