If I’m Gonna Live It, I’m Gonna Live It for God

I’m a soon to be high school graduate. Actually, I graduate exactly one week from today. So, of course I’m going to become an evangelist. The plan of getting there, though? Well, I do not have the full clear picture at the time.

You see, I had planned on going to community college then transferring to a Christian college. Then, I realized I had not allowed God to have a say in where I was going, and if I’m going to live it then it is going to be for God. In other words, I know God well enough to understand that walking by faith and not by sight is the best solution for any situation or dilemma. He did not want me to leave my small town. Therefore, I am staying.

All He has told me so far is that he does want for me to attend the community college. Then, while attending school there, I am supposed to grow Christ Believer Ministries. He wants me to buy a building for it. Which one? A bowling alley in town that has not been used for years that once belonged to my grandfather’s brother.

Now, I have not the slightest idea of whether or not God will be wanting me to do more than two years of college, or not. Nor do I know how in the world I am going to get and fix up this building. I do know one thing, however. God is still in control. God is not only in control of my future, but He is the one I am living it for, as well.

God at Wal-Mart

Now, I am not yet sure how God is going to work in my life through this miracle. Still, I don’t fear of it being a disappointment simply because God had this work of His take place for a major purpose.

It happened in Wal-Mart believe it or not. As you probably already know, or are about to find out, God can alter your life incredibly and miraculously no matter what your location may be. So, in this particular case, it was the local Wal-Mart.

I was there with my mother and my father as they looked for a new vacuum for their office building. I had run out of things to look at in the store, or so I thought. I suddenly found the Lord moving my feet towards the five dollar DVD box. As I approached I thought, “Wouldn’t it be so extraordinary if I were to find a Christian film in their?” Sure enough, all the DVDs were packed nicely as well as neatly in the large cardboard box excluding one and one only… A Christian film.

As I said, I have not yet discovered God’s reason for choosing that one film in particular, nor have I yet watched it. Still, I have knowledge and faith that the Lord Almighty will use it to speak to me in mighty and spiritual ways.

The Good from the Bad

God performs many miracles, and I’m thankful for each and every one of them. One of the many recent miracles to take place that left me thankful involved God using the not so good things in order to save my earthly father. Now, it’s not too long of a story. So, hopefully you’ll find the heart to stick around.

My dad had been to the hospital early that morning with an irregular heart beat but was sent home. That same day, I was home sick. I was actually home with strep throat. It’s also important that you know that my mom was an hour away from home at the time.

It was around 1:30 when my dad got up from the sofa to go put some dishes in the sink. I was sitting in the room he’d just left. Suddenly I heard a loud thump in the kitchen, as well as the sound of the bowl and spoon hitting the kitchen floor.

I called out to my dad to see if he was alright. When he didn’t respond I made my way quickly to the kitchen. When I saw him on the floor my first thought was “he’s dead.” But as soon as that thought took place he started to respond as I continued to call his name. I called 911 and the ambulance took us both to the hospital.

The thing I want you to get from this story is that God can use the down moments in life, in this case being me having strep throat, in order to do extremely good things. Just think, if I’d been at school then who would have called 911? How long would my dad have been on that floor? So just remember to rejoice God throughout each and every circumstance and know that He will always be there.

The Stuttering Pastor

Before I begin, I find it suitable for you to know of an event that took place many years ago in my life. It was a day that a pastor was praying for me. As he stood there praying with his hand on my shoulder, God showed him something. That something was me preaching as an evangelist, even at a young age. That was God’s calling for my life.

What does that have to do with the story in which I am about to share? Well, allow me to explain. It just so happens that what I wrote above was part of the conversation that I had with a Brother-in-Christ. That conversation, by the way, is the topic of my story. Hope you’re ready because its beginning comes now.

The setting was a gift shop in an aquarium located in Atlanta, Georgia. The year? I can’t remember for sure. It may have been the summer after my sixth grade year. Like I said, I don’t know.

Anyways, I was looking at some stuffed penguin toys and somehow got talking to a worker there. He was a young gentleman with outstanding manners. He had short and nicely trimmed facial hair, but not very much of it. He was obviously Christian based on our conversation. Overall, he seemed very well raised.

Not long into our conversation I told him the story mentioned above.I also told him that I worried about becoming a pastor because I stuttered. He said, “Hey! There’s nothing wrong with that.” He then said that even Moses stuttered.

With that in mind I figured that it was all good. Stuttering just gave me one more similarity to Moses. Besides, God created me with no mistake. He must have had a really good reason for the stutter. Whatever that reason, I’m positive that it brought tons of glory to him. God can use any situation for his own glory, and as long as He does so, then I have no complaint whatsoever.

The Young Man’s Bible

In my preteen days, I went to a Christian men’s conference each year with my dad. Now, I could tell you so many stories about the events, but I will only be telling you one. It’s a moment that I will never forget. As a matter of fact, I learned so much that day as God used me in miraculous ways. This is the story of the young man’s Bible.

My dad and I had stopped at a food place for breakfast before heading towards the conference. I went and found a spot to eat as my father got the food. The spot I settled at was a booth. It was a booth located right next to a window and not far from the entrance. I have no doubt that the Lord had saved that spot for me specifically.

As I sat there, I opened up my Bible. Not long after, I realized that a grown man was watching me do so from the other side of the window. Once I looked his way he ran towards the entrance and made his way my booth. Once at the booth, he threw himself in the seat across from me like a child eager to sit in Santa’s lap. What was this all about? I was about to find out.

I looked at the stranger as he asked me for prayer. I agreed to pray for him as he told me what was wrong. Apparently, his wife, whom he loved, wanted a divorce. She was already kicking him out of the house. So, at that moment I prayed for a complete stranger sent my way by none other that Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

Like I said above, I learned something from this. It is a lesson that I will carry with me for eternity. I learned that you should not worry about the negative judgments that come out of the mouths of others. Why? Because when you devote your life to the Lord and choose to do things such as reading your Bible in a diner or drive-thru, not only will there be a positive impact in your life… But in the lives around you, as well.

Flying Faith

It was the summer of 2010, and my dad and I had just entered an airport. The two of us were all set to return from an outstanding vacation in Indianapolis, Indiana. We walked up to the desk near the entrance so that we could receive our boarding passes. The girl working at the counter told us that our flight- due to severe thunderstorms- would be delayed until the proceeding morning. She said that we could get a discount for a airport hotel at the terminal.

This news was terrible news. You see, I had just made plans for the next day while on the way to the airport. I had scheduled for two of my friends to come over. One of them was going to be heading off to college soon, and I really wanted to see her before that happened. It was terrible news.

What could I do? Could I do anything at all? That’s it! I could pray! I could pray to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There is no task to challenging for Him.

Sure enough, it worked! My father talked to the employee at the terminal and was about to be given a discount slip for the airport hotel. Right then, however, the worker received a message over her two-way radio saying that our flight was no longer delayed. God had saved the day! Yet, he was still not done saving it. My dad and I just didn’t know it at the time being.

Our first flight had arrived to the city of its destination. Unfortunately, it was unable to land for the moment. There was a terrible storm that it had to wait on. It would be too high of a risk for it to try landing. So, we circled around the airport for a bit.

My dad kept on saying that we would miss connected flight. I, on the other hand, had been told different by the Lord. He had shown me a picture of  us making it right when they were about to block off the entrance. I looked at my dad and said, “We will make it.” My dad laughed because he was truly impressed by my faith.

Finally, the plane was on the ground. My dad and I ran towards the terminal. The terminal was on the other side of the building. Still, I refused to give up my faith in the Lord. We eventually reached the terminal, and just as God showed me, we made it just in the nick of time.

Even when times got tough, I put my faith in the Lord. Why? Because God is capable of doing anything. Even when things appear to be going wrong, they are actually working out for God’s glory. Not only for God’s glory, but for the best possible outcome, as well.