The September tour of Detroit and Indiana was a great time and I enjoyed meeting you all! There were so many God moments that it’s tough to identify only one. But that’s sort of where I am going with the following story. It’s really not about one moment – it’s about THE moment. Aren’t you intrigued? (O.K. – maybe just mildly curious.) When I left for Indiana, I was popping Halls like candy and praying like Paul for the scales to be lifted from my eyes… my nose… my head… you name it. I’d been fighting a cold all week, but felt well enough to get on the road. (Note to self: What is ‘well enough’?). You see, I’d done this once before on a tour of Pennsylvania and was much, much worse. God sent good care at that time. I stayed in a home where they made me fresh carrot juice (I am aware that most people don’t consider that a blessing) and had people scoring me Slippery Elm lozenges in such a way that I was worried I might get arrested.
This was different. This was INDIANA. Home of the Hoosier! Since I don’t know what a Hoosier is, I had to look it up on the internet. Some knowledgeable types on Wikipedia think it had to do with a Frontier greeting. Supposedly, when approaching a man's home in those early frontier days, you shouted from afar, "Hello, the cabin!" to avoid being shot. The inhabitants would then shout back "Who'sh 'ere?" (who's there). As it got slurred together over time, the country folk came to be called Hoosiers. (It should be noted that in the early days in Detroit, if you shouted “Hello the cabin!” -you would get shot.)
All things considered, I don’t suspect that definition is very flattering to the people of Indiana. And since I approached many ‘cabins’ without offering the so-called ‘secret greeting’ and am alive to tell the tale, I’d have to say that myth is busted. The folks I did encounter were nothing but kind and hard–working and three of them make up the band Consider. Besides being a great band, they were also gracious hosts and made sure that my niece LeAnna and I were well taken care of. They went above and beyond the call of duty, but you know they are sold out to that Jesus guy and are the quintessence of another definition of Hoosier I found…. “a brawny man, capable of stilling opponents.” I think Jesus may have been a Hoosier.
So I persisted and subsisted on the tour, all the while having the same recurring thought and experience…
Trust God in the moment… good, bad or otherwise. What this means to me is that instead of evaluating something through my fog-brained, limited perspective – I am to trust that God is at work in everything.
With that in mind, I decided that I would break up the long trip home and stop to see some good friends in Kalamazoo. Julie and Gary live on a lake and have two really cute kids who kept me entertained and unexpectedly held captive. I thought I was doing a good thing by letting their very precocious toddler temporarily play with my keys. What I didn’t take into consideration is that she is, after all, a toddler and one whose favorite thing in the world is keys… especially new ones. After much tears and trickery, we were able to recover the keys and I was free to go. It was really fun to see them and… it was a nice moment.
The second stop was to see Lisa in Grand Rapids. She is the fiery and fiercely passionate CEO of the American Red Cross of Southwest Michigan and a great friend. She chauffeured this very tired and very contagious looking woman to a warm and cozy restaurant for an impossibly good dinner. We always have a lot to talk about! It was a nice… long… moment.
The problem was 6 a.m.
That was the time I had gotten up.
The second problem was 9 p.m.
That was the time I was leaving her house.
The final and determining problem (aside from being a dead woman walking) was 11:30 p.m.
That was the time I would probably get home.
If I drove fast.
And didn’t get arrested.
Maybe this wasn’t so different than the Pennsylvania, slippery-elm-popping tour I referred to earlier.
At that point, I became very tempted to think I was a complete idiot (feel free to agree with me) and should have done things differently. She asked me to stay. I was on my way home. What could I do about it at that point?
Trust God in the moment.
I made it to Reed City which is about an hour or so north of Grand Rapids and decided I couldn’t go any further without finding something to keep me awake and alive, aside from the car needing gas – but somehow that part seemed less important. Do you know how many beverage choices there are at a gas station?
So, there I stood (and may be standing still) if a young girl hadn’t stopped and shocked me out of my head-cold-muddled indecision.
“I have that shirt!”
I was wearing the Consider t-shirt the band had given me. The same band I had just been gigging with in Indiana.
I believe my response was very profound, something like…
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
She had gotten the shirt at Big Ticket Festival - where I had first met Consider (I am not kidding you either). I told her where I was coming from and about playing in Indiana with the guys.
She had a message for me to pass on. “Tell those guys that I pray for them whenever I think of them.”
I guess she could have sent an email.
I guess that wouldn’t have been as cool.
Even an idiot like me.
Trust God in the moment.
Yeah… I get it.
So tell me… what’s your ‘God in the moment’ story?
(Thanks so much to Pastor Heather at St. Philips in Trenton, Pastor Charles at First Congregational in Rockwood, Pastor Daniel at Trinity First Wesleyan in Southgate, Café Crossing in Middlebury, Downtown Grounds in Syracuse, Pastor Scott at NWUMC, Jeremiah and Marcie of 40 Miles North – great to see you! Thanks to my friend Mark who introduced me to Downriver, to Carla for a great September, to Joe just because, LeAnna my roadie and Mike, Jeremy, Nathan (Consider) and families!)
8 comments:
It sounds like you had some really good adventures. I'm sorry you were so sick, though! At our house, we feel very strongly that if things don't seem to be working out, go with the path that you seem to be being led to. We're so continually being taken care of, that I've stopped being stressed about nearly everything. It's very nice. Yay God!
Oh, and that "Hoosier" evolvement from "Hello Cabin" was really cool. I love learning trivia like that =)
Before my story, I think it is neat that we are linked to each other on tSr via the "also try" section. I assume someone thinks our music is related or perhaps this is just software doing the matching :-)
Trust God in the moment - there is no other way for me either. I know that God lives right here with us and is in the very air we breathe. He is constantly communicating and me/our band is all about trying to hear/see/feel that constant God communication. We are fascinated that the very God of the Universe wants to have a relationship with us - my oh my!
We have found that our music is for the hurting people and the "least among us". Our main "gig" is is playing for the folks who are homeless in downtown Denver. It seems our music brings His peace and comfort. The very best paycheck I ever received was when a person who is homeless came up to us after we finsihed playing and said, "I feel better when you play". That check is deposited in the Kingdom treasure chest.
I listened to some of your songs Angela and they are top shelf, well done.
You can see more of what we are all about at www.asyougoinfo.com.
Enjoy this day, this moment,
Steve B./The As You Go Band
Hi Angela my sister in Christ.
I guess my God moment lately would have to be when a radio station asked me for my testimony as well as a music CD.
Writing it down showed me how many God moments I have had.
So here it is.....
My testimony
As a young working class boy growing up on the streets of Belfast I could have ended up like so many of my childhood friends. Many of them were drawn into the ranks of the various terrorist organizations .It just depended on what religion and on what side of the divide you lived on as to which organization you joined. You had the UDA/UVF/UFF/RHC on the protestant side and on the catholic side you had the IRA/IPLO/INLA.
So many young men were drawn into these organizations and many ended up in jail or even worse dead because of their involvement. Many families were broken because of the troubles, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters killed and murdered on both sides.
As a young boy from a very poor family I was always sent to Sunday school. Little did I know then that the Lord had other plans for my life.
My father was disabled, he had lost his leg at 14 years of age so regular employment was hard to maintain for him. I remember getting a new bicycle one Christmas it was the only new bicycle that I ever had but 2 weeks after Christmas it went back to the shop because we could not really afford it. Nevertheless every week I was sent faithfully to Sunday school and at that young age I thought that all you had to do was learn a bible verse and answer a quiz and collect your pen, new bible or picture and that was what a Christian was.
I learned later in life that I was wrong. I always knew that there was more to being a Christian than attending church. As I reached my teenage years I drifted away from church but I know looking back now that the Lord was always in my life guiding me and protecting me along the way even before I had asked Him into my heart.
I worked in a school for 3 years as an audio visual technician and then I joined the police. I joined to serve the community and what religion you were did not bother me or deter me from treating anyone I came into contact with, with common respect and courtesy. I served in the police for 13 and a half years and knew many officers who lost their lives, or had to move home because of threats to their life's or intimidation of them their wife's or their children. These threats came from both sides of the political divide. As a police officer in Northern Ireland you were stuck in the middle, a leper to all. During my service I came into contact with people who said that they were Christians and I could see that they were praying for us each and every day. When my wife was in hospital expecting our first child complications set in with the delivery. I prayed to God to undertake for my son and if He did then I would look into Him. The Lord was faithful and indeed undertook for my son but I went back into the world forgetting all about my promise to God. Nevertheless God did not forget about me and kept reminding me each and every day. At times I would sit in the back of a police armoured land rover and for a brief moment I would ask myself the question what would happen if I died or was killed today. One day I was due to go out on patrol but another officer took my place and the land rover was hit by a Russian made RPG 7 rocket. Thankfully no one was killed but I watched as my friends came back into the station and one of them was covered in blood from his head to his waist. I watched as he telephoned his wife to tell her what had happened and then when his young son came onto the telephone he began to cry. God pierced my heart at that moment. I realised for the first time in my life that their was 3 very important things I needed to prioritise. Firstly where did I stand with God, secondly my family and thirdly my own health?
I went home that day and while sitting at home God showed me what I was a sinner in need of repentance. God showed me that all I faced in life and all I deserved in life was death. Then I did something that I had never done before, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and to forgive my sins. I told Him that I believed that He died for me on the cross of Calvary and that my trust was now in Him alone for salvation.
I realised that He had given all for me and that I now needed to give all for Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 and ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
I felt calmness in my soul and over a period of about 2 weeks I was in constant communion with the Lord. It may seem strange but a piano could have fallen on my head I just did not fear death any more. I now had eternal life and spiritual life in Christ.
I began to witness to everyone at work and became involved in Sunday school teaching in church. I used a motorbike for work all week except on a Sunday when I would wear my suit and drive my car so that I could get away on time to teach Sunday school.
One Saturday night my life changed forever .A neighbour had spotted men trying to leave something under my car. They were going to plant a bomb so that the next morning, on Sunday the Lords day I would have been blown to bits if I had got into my car and started to drive. We moved home after that and I was thankful that the Lord had other plans for me in this scene of time. My wife was threathening a miscarriage with my second son at this time also but my trust was in Christ. He brought us all through this difficult period of our lives. I had started to preach at many churches and I had the joy of leading my father to the Lord but a year later he was called home.
This was a testing time for me after all that had happened. Even more, it was now a time for a preacher to practice what he preached. I prayed to the Lord late into the night for a verse to bring comfort to my soul. The Lord answered my prayer with these words. Weeping endureth for a night but joy cometh in the morning.
What a blessing this was from the Lord .Yes we weep but we can also look to the day of joy when we will meet with our loved ones again when the Lord returns.
I felt led to become a pastor and I was about to leave the police and go to bible college but the troubles took a turn for the worst and it was not meant to be. I remember meeting a young assistant pastor who wanted to leave his vocation and join the police and I was his opposite. The Lord had brought us together for a reason. I told this young man to stay were he was and I would do the same, it was the Lords will for our lives. I was to see why in due time.
I left the police and joined the prison service after much soul searching and prayer before the throne of grace. I have been in the prison service now for 15years and I am involved in the Christian prison officer's fellowship. We meet and have fellowship in prison and pray for the staff and prisoners and their families every week.
I still preach in many churches and I still endure threats to my life and intimidation but Christ is sufficient to meet my every need. He is my stronghold in the day of trouble, my mighty shield and defence.
Ask me do I have hate in my heart for those that threaten and intimidate me and I have to be truthful and say no I do not. All men have souls and all souls are precious to God. I pray for them everyday that they may find the Saviour. I pray for their families if they are sick and for those who have been bereaved.
Today I have great blessing and fulfilment in my life. Do I regret not becoming a pastor, yes I do but God has blessed me abundantly because I am doing more now than I could ever have hoped to or dreamed to have done as a pastor. I am content that God has placed me where He wants me to be in this world. I have been involved in the harvest field for souls in mission work and have preached the gospel in many prisons in Ukraine and I have seen many precious souls saved. The first prison that I preached in 30 men came to the Lord and in one orphanage over 40 children were saved on the same day. On every mission trip that I have been on souls have been saved. Is it me you may well ask and my reply is no it is not.I am just a simple humble man with simple sermons of life who always prays before each meeting, Let Christ alone be seen and not man. The Lord has then saved these men ,women and children through the Holy Spirit of God touching and convicting their hearts.
.
I have also been blessed and encouraged by the Lord with the gift to write record and sing songs that I pray will encourage the people of God. May you find encouragement as you listen to them and know the peace that only Christ can bring and His joy in your heart my friends.
God bless you
Your servant in Christ
Joseph beggs
First of all let me say you are a fantastic writer! I enjoyed this blog almost as much as the pumpkin muffin I ate this morning...and that's saying a lot!LOL
I recently experienced an awesome God moment so I'm glad you asked. It would take all day to set this story up properly so i will just give you the details. I was in my basement recording with my producer when all of the sudden Mike (the producer) yells "open the door!" (we created a soundproof booth out of my ironing room) so i opened the door and he looks at me with a huge smile and says "look at us we are each living our dreams!" I laughed so hard and couldn't stop smiling....we were! Both of us were living the dream that God placed in our hearts years prior. So many things had to take place for it to happen and yet there we were in the moment! A God Moment...one I will never forget!
Thanks again for asking...
Blessings,
Libby
Thanks for the opportunity to share my blessing from GOD, I hope my story touches and helps heal another.
Growing up means different things to each of us perhaps. For some of us, there are more fond memories than bad,for some of us, like myself the other is true. For me, growing up included being the "Shameful, guilty, worthless little girl" always trying to please another to be accepted and being an easy target. My vulnerability and low self-esteem and the need to feel loved, made me a delightful target for an evil molester. Looking back, I have learned to consider the tough times as part of what has made me who I am. And I have credited God for letting me go through even the most difficult times, because I know who I am, and I have seen what others have become.
Character is said to be built, and there is good reason for that. Character does not come easy or cheap. It is nurtured over time, and often involves many tough times and hard lessons. When I was young, I use to ask, "Why?" And with regard to life today, I still ask "WHY?" But the tough times still come and there is still plenty of character needing built within me.
Knowing that doesn't make dealing with everything a piece of cake, but it sure makes it easier to remember that God is still God, good can come from bad, and I can, in the midst of a storm, still experience His peace. God leads me on journey today that will turn all my Bad into something good. As this good is for others not just myself and that is God's Will, to do good for others. I stand tall today being held in God's Arms as I take my ugly past and try to make a beautiful safer future for others.
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Patty Rase Hopson
Co-Founder
www.LavenderPower.org
Great blog AJ. Isn't it cool that God uses us in spite of ourselves. Sometimes we just need to get out of the way. Sometimes we just need to be alert and know that God's working, even when we are a "dead woman" or man, walking.
And what's this about God being a hoosier?! I thought he was a WOLVERINE!
My recent God moment: My husband and I were foster parents for almost 5 years and were on the verge of adopting the biological sister of our youngest (adopted) child. God pulled the plug and though I knew His will was in and through it all I still grieved.
What did He send as a result? My youngest brother who is now living a drug-free, sober life for the first time in 15 years. This is an answer to a long and consistent offering of prayer. Not only has God sent my brother but just weeks ago, my mother arrived in our home. She has a long history of mental illness. She is currently more ill than I've ever seen her. I could give an enormous list of the heart aches and hardships in attempting to care for and get help for her.
The bottom line is that I am soo glad that God pulled the plug on foster care in order to give us this "in-my-face" family care. Even when I'm exhausted I still hear His voice beckon: "come find your rest in me daughter." I love that my God always gives what is good even when it hurts!
BTW - we gave our adopted daughter the middle name of Josephine; her new name became Naomi Maggie Josephine Destiny. It all means: Pleasant Pearl God will add to that which you were meant to do.
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