How God answered Francis Chan’s ‘ridiculous’ prayer for a son-in-law

By Mark Ellis —

Many Christian parents have prayed for their children to meet and  marry another Christian – preferably a faith-filled, sold-out follower  of Jesus.

But when noted author and preacher Francis Chan was impressed by a  young man involved with his ministry, he lifted up a bold, audacious  matchmaking prayer and God answered in a way that confounded Francis  himself.

“Earlier this year in February I prayed and I asked God for something  that was just ridiculous,” Francis Chan told a group at the Finishing  the Task conference held at Saddleback Church on December 8^th.

Francis had begun to notice a young man involved with his ministries  named Justin Clark and became impressed by the insights gained in the  younger man’s devotional life. “I would come home and say, ‘Honey, this  guy, the way he talks about the Word and the way he talks about his  prayer life, I’ve never met anyone like him.’”

“You have a little crush going here,” his wife Lisa said, lightheartedly.

“I do, I love this guy,” he replied.

A short time later during his quiet time with the Lord, Francis took  his interest in Justin to another level. “Lord,” he prayed, “you answer  everything and you’re so good to me and I’m just going to ask, can you  make him my son-in-law?

“He doesn’t even know my daughter, but make him fall in love with my daughter and make my daughter fall in love with him.”

After he lifted up the prayer in February, weeks and months went by,  nothing happened, and Francis began to forget about the prayer.

Five months later, Francis woke up and said to the Lord, “God, I’m so  used to you answering things and I feel distant from you. I’ve never  prayed this before but I’m sorry, I feel insecure this morning.

“I feel like a neglected housewife,” he continued. “I know you love  me and I know it’s not about feelings but I’m just going to ask, can you  show me some love this morning?”

An hour later Justin approached him and said, “Can I ask your daughter out?”

“What??? Yes, yes…do you have enough money? Please, please, please…”

Justin and Rachel began dating in July and several months later, he  proposed to her on a bluff overlooking the ocean in San Francisco. “He  took me on a small hike and told me that he loved me for the very first  time,” Rachel noted on the couple’s wedding blog.

As they continued walking, she noticed rose petals on the forest  floor, but she wasn’t sure if they were for someone else. “We kept  following the petals and Justin led me to believe they were someone  else’s, but eventually I heard music and realized it was one of my  favorite songs.”

The trail opened up to a clearing on the bluff, with a spectacular  view of the ocean as a backdrop. Justin got down on one knee and asked  Rachel to marry him.

She said, “Duh…yes!”

Then Francis and the rest of their family emerged from hiding places to surprise her.

Nearby, Justin had placed a few of Rachel’s favorite things,  including Chinese food, and a live dwarf rabbit he rented. “Needless to  say, he put a ring on it!” Rachel exclaimed.

Rachel and Justin’s wedding took place December 3^rd in Redwood City, California.

“When I walked my daughter up the aisle I was bawling,” Francis recounted. “I haven’t cried that much in years.”

“When we got to the altar I was ready to hand her off and we hugged  up there, just holding each other for probably a minute. It was so  uncomfortable and everybody was thinking, Is he going to let go or is she going to let go?”

As they held each other, Francis thought, God you’re so great. I  remember how she rebelled against you and now you brought her back. I  remember her as a kid jumping in my lap.

I remember all of this and now I get to pick who she marries and you answer like that?

The last few months have been a sweet season with God, Francis said.  “Sometimes I don’t get it. I feel overwhelmed. I feel like an only child  and think there’s no way you (God) listen to everyone like this…”

“I love you I love you I love you. I adore you I adore you,” Francis  gushed, his heart overflowing with gratitude for the remarkable way God  answered his ‘ridiculous’ prayer.