Susie Krauter loves to write music. And when God puts a song on her heart, she listens and responds. Not long ago, a family from her church in the Seattle area, who had already adopted one child from China, learned about a 10-year-old boy, living in a Chinese orphanage, who had a cleft palate. They ached to adopt him.
When Susie heard her friends’ story, she says she “asked the Lord for a song for this family.” One day, as she was sitting at her son’s soccer practice, words for a song started to flow from Susie’s pen. She scribbled the words as quickly as possible and completed everything but the final phrase.
Susie then prayed, “Lord, is there anything you would like me to take away or add to this song?” She says that the Lord gave her the final phrase to the song: “Tears of joy run down my face, I am waiting for the day…take me to my family.”
Over the next couple of days, Susie and her husband recorded the song, posted it on their Web site, and they sent the recording to the family who hoped to adopt the boy. Moved by the song, the adopting family began sharing it with others.
An organization called The Shepherd’s Crook Ministries requested to use the song during a fundraising banquet for their orphan ministry. The Shepherd’s Crook is a non-profit ministry, located in Ohio, that seeks to find homes for special-needs orphans by connecting interested families with the agencies or individuals who facilitate adoptions of the children.
Susie was thrilled by the request, saying, “This song belongs to God. I want Christian adoption agencies to have the song for free and to use the song to raise money for orphans.” Her dream is that a recording artist will professionally record and release the song and donate all the proceeds to benefit orphans waiting to be adopted.
Soon after she sent the song to The Shepherd’s Crook, Susie and her daughter entered the Washington State Christian Talent Contest sponsored by Worthy Music Ministries. The day they entered the contest, Susie received a package in the mail that made her cry. “It was a professional background version of my song, recorded by Jeff Smith for The Shepherd’s Crook benefit.”
Using the professionally-recorded background music, Susie and her daughter entered the contest and won first place in the “Songwriting: Other” category. That very day, the family Susie had written the song for was in China meeting their son.
The lyrics to the song, “Love Found Me” are below. You can listen to the song by clicking this link - Love Found Me mp3 – or by visiting Susie’s Web site, Tru North Music. She also has lots of other great songs at her site that you can listen to.
Shelbe Knapke, who was 14 at the time the song was recorded, sang the vocals and the choir is comprised of former orphans (one of them, the boy who is the subject of the song) adopted with help from The Shepherd’s Crook.
Susie notes that those who obtain permission from her may use the song for free.
Love Found Me
(c)2003 by Susan Krauter
Dedicated to the Forward Family & their son Isaiah
Miles away across the sea, someone dreams of me…
Is this true? How can it be? That a family holds me in their heart?
I found love when no one seemed to care…
I found love! I thought no one was listening…
Oh love found me! And I’m down on my knees…
Take me to my family.
A man came from across the sea, with a package wrapped just for me…
A gift of love to help me know the love for me that my family holds!
I found love when no one seemed to care…
I found love! I thought no one was listening…
Oh love found me! And I’m down on my knees…
Take me to my family.
At night… I lay in my bed and dream most splendid things…
And the day will come soon when I’ll be with you forever!!!
Chorus: I found love when no one seemed to care…
I found love! I thought no one was listening…
Oh love found me! And I’m down on my knees…
Take me to my family.
Tears of joy run down my face…
I am waiting for the day…
Take me to my family.
For more information about adoption, please visit my Web site, www.laurachristianson.com.