I was practically born a Christian. I was a preacher's kid until the age of 14. I can't say I always loved it as I am very shy and I have never enjoyed being scrutinized at every turn. I did, however, have a happy childhood with loving parents and an older sister that was also my best friend. My mother stayed at home with us until we were teenagers and then she went to work as a preschool teacher. After my father quit preaching full time, he worked very hard to become a licensed counselor. My sister eventually went off to college, and we never shared a house again; she got married 3 years later in 1990, the same year I graduated from high school. In spite of financial hardships, seeing my family suffer at the hands of the leaders of various churches, and moving several times, I had a very normal and very sheltered childhood.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. I Corinthians 13:11
Well, this all changed in 1994. I will not go into details, but, after 26 years of marriage, my parents got a divorce. I remember very distinctly thinking that things like this didn't happen in Christian families. I was disillusioned with all I had been taught. My parents pulled me in two very painful directions, and no matter whom I chose to give aid to, the other made me feel as if my act of kindness toward the other was a betrayal. My sister had married a navy man and was living in Hawaii at the time and very busy with a toddler and a second baby on the way. I could not, would not burden her with my hurts, so I allowed myself to be in it all alone. I didn't have any close friends, and even if I had, my faith in humanity had been so severely shaken that I would have pushed friends away.
I need to pause here and add that, though this was one of the most painful times of my life, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I have been able to heal my heart and forgive all involved in the divorce. I put the past behind me and continued to have wonderful relationships with both of my parents.
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20
What I did have was a small grain of faith. But it was enough to keep me from sinking into a dark depression. It was enough to keep my head and chin up while encouraging my family to do the same. It was enough to look for a new church where I found the strength to cry out to God to restore my broken heart. It was not that I was so strong that I held on to my faith, it was that God loved me so much that he refused to let me go!
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
About a year and five months after the divorce, I was injured in a physical way. I was working at our local newspaper and one of my many job duties was picking up ad copy. I was driving in very busy downtown Boise (Idaho) Friday night traffic. I was lost and angry that I had to do this job... Wait, let me back up. I had been demoted about three months earlier due to the fact that my new supervisor was interested in dating me, but I refused to go partying with him because of my morals. He later admitted to me he took his anger out on me because I was a Christian, and made sure I got demoted. After I quit this job, he became a Christian and apologized to me and even bought me a Christian devotional! Now, let me go forward again... I was driving in November and it was already dark at 6:00 p.m. I was supposed to be back to the office by 5:00 and I was growing more and more anxious and more and more furious. I took my seat belt off. Suddenly, I had a very strong feeling to put my seat belt back on, and less than a minute later, I found myself going through a red light at one of the busiest intersections in Boise. I remember saying, "Oh no!" and was hit full on the left side. My little Tracker spun around and flipped onto its side, sliding down the street. The canvas top was damaged, but strangers quickly came to my aid and helped ripped the top open before the police or ambulance arrived. The first thing the officer asked me was if I had been drinking, and I said I didn't drink and explained that I was simply lost and hadn't noticed the red light. The next thing he asked me was if I had been wearing my seat belt. I said I had and he looked me right in the eyes and said, "I know you were because if you hadn't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. You would either be dead or very seriously injured." I was pretty badly banged up and had three months of chiropractic care and three months of physical therapy, but, thank God, I put that seat belt on! I still suffer pain today from time to time since I now have crooked hips and my neck doesn't curve right, and have some arthritis in my back & shoulders, but, overall, I really can't complain! God was looking out for me, and the day I saw my totaled Tracker in the tow yard smashed in on the passenger side, the entire right side scraped up, and the roof torn off, I knew angels had been with me that day. And thank God also that the other driver was not hurt at all!
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11
Well, this short story is growing and growing, so I will save the rest for later...
So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20
What I did have was a small grain of faith. But it was enough to keep me from sinking into a dark depression. It was enough to keep my head and chin up while encouraging my family to do the same. It was enough to look for a new church where I found the strength to cry out to God to restore my broken heart. It was not that I was so strong that I held on to my faith, it was that God loved me so much that he refused to let me go!
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Jeremiah 31:3
About a year and five months after the divorce, I was injured in a physical way. I was working at our local newspaper and one of my many job duties was picking up ad copy. I was driving in very busy downtown Boise (Idaho) Friday night traffic. I was lost and angry that I had to do this job... Wait, let me back up. I had been demoted about three months earlier due to the fact that my new supervisor was interested in dating me, but I refused to go partying with him because of my morals. He later admitted to me he took his anger out on me because I was a Christian, and made sure I got demoted. After I quit this job, he became a Christian and apologized to me and even bought me a Christian devotional! Now, let me go forward again... I was driving in November and it was already dark at 6:00 p.m. I was supposed to be back to the office by 5:00 and I was growing more and more anxious and more and more furious. I took my seat belt off. Suddenly, I had a very strong feeling to put my seat belt back on, and less than a minute later, I found myself going through a red light at one of the busiest intersections in Boise. I remember saying, "Oh no!" and was hit full on the left side. My little Tracker spun around and flipped onto its side, sliding down the street. The canvas top was damaged, but strangers quickly came to my aid and helped ripped the top open before the police or ambulance arrived. The first thing the officer asked me was if I had been drinking, and I said I didn't drink and explained that I was simply lost and hadn't noticed the red light. The next thing he asked me was if I had been wearing my seat belt. I said I had and he looked me right in the eyes and said, "I know you were because if you hadn't, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. You would either be dead or very seriously injured." I was pretty badly banged up and had three months of chiropractic care and three months of physical therapy, but, thank God, I put that seat belt on! I still suffer pain today from time to time since I now have crooked hips and my neck doesn't curve right, and have some arthritis in my back & shoulders, but, overall, I really can't complain! God was looking out for me, and the day I saw my totaled Tracker in the tow yard smashed in on the passenger side, the entire right side scraped up, and the roof torn off, I knew angels had been with me that day. And thank God also that the other driver was not hurt at all!
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11
Well, this short story is growing and growing, so I will save the rest for later...
No comments:
Post a Comment