Stretched Again

A little while ago, I posted about how God was stretching me out of my comfort zone by having me talk with people that I normally wouldn't talk too. Well today He did it again. I went to get the oil changed in one of our cars. I left the house wearing a University of Evangel hoodie. I got to the shop and pulled my car in and then proceeded to the waiting area. There was another woman sitting in there already waiting for her car as well. After a couple of minutes went by, she asked me if I attended Evangel. I told her that I did not, but that our daughter did, she had just started going there in the fall. The woman then told me that a friend of hers had graduated from there and absolutely loved it. The atmosphere, the professors, everything. I told her that our daughter was feeling the same thing. She loves being down there. After we had talked about Evangel, she told me some stuff that is going on with her family. Her husband had been laid off and finally found a job. In Indiana. She only see's him on holiday's, for right now. She then told me that she is a school teacher, and that she commutes to work from Sycamore. She also has some health issues and she probably would not be able to finish the school year. She is trying to sell the house so she can go and be with her husband and then facing illness at the same time. This all took place in the span of about ten minutes. Then the time came for her to pay, so she got up and went to the counter. Right at that moment I heard it. The voice of the Holy Spirit saying "Pray for her." I heard it over and over until I finally got out of my chair and asked her if she would mind if I prayed for her. She said that would be great. So we walked outside and stood next to her car, and we prayed. Prayed for healing, selling of the house and reconnecting with her husband. After we finished praying, she told me that she had prayed that morning asking for God to send someone across her path today. I told her, here I am! Then I told her that she was an answer to my prayer that I pray everyday. I pray that God would use me in a mighty way, and that He would give me a divine encounter. So He stretched me again out of my comfort zone. I have never, ever prayed for a complete stranger, in a public place, just after meeting them. And on top of that, it was a woman. I have no problem with that, but I know that some people have a difficult time accepting man/woman praying together alone. The Lord knew that, so He made it so we would be outside, in complete view of everyone. When I came back in to pay for my oil change, another woman sitting there asked me if we were praying. I told her that we were, and she thanked me for being there. I told her it was Gods timing, not mine. It was all Him.

Reminiscing about God's Protection.

After attending my first Stryper concert last Friday night, and listening to their music this past week, I began to think back on an event that happened almost 30 years ago. In 1986 or '87 my friend and I were involved in a horrific car accident. We were at a stop sign waiting to turn left onto Route 30 in Big Rock. I was driving. I looked both ways before proceeding out into the intersection. The large construction truck that I thought was far enough away, wasn't. I pulled out and he hit us broadside, on the drivers side. He tore the whole front end of the car off. If I would have been a little earlier in taking off, he would have hit me directly on my door, and I probably wouldn't be here writing this post. I looked over at my friend and he had a little blood coming from his forehead. I was freaking out. I looked at him to see if there was anything else wrong, when I saw the review mirror laying in his lap. He had head butted the mirror and broke it off, that is how come he was bleeding. He seemed to be okay everywhere else. We both were able to get out of the car, much to the drivers surprise. He thought that he had killed us. I can imagine why. He was driving a construction semi and we were in a little Chevy Chevette. An ambulance was called to check us out. We were fine, but the people who had witnessed the accident actually had to sit in the ambulance. How ironic, right!! All I remember doing is thanking God, whom I didn't really know at the time, for keeping us from being killed. I 100% attribute this to two things. 1. God wasn't finished with me or my friend just yet. He still had great things planned for us, (Jeremiah 29:11). 2. I also attribute our protection that night to us listening to Stryper's 'To Hell With The Devil' cassette. That's right, I said cassette. Remember it was in '86 or '87. So this iconic band and this cassette, cd, album, whatever you want to call it, has a very special place in my heart. There are many times that I can look back and see God's protection before I was a believer, but this one of the most serious ones. God is so GOOD!!

Hands and Feet of Christ.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to volunteer at a radio station sponsored event. It was named 'Single Mom Saturday.' It's an event where single moms can schedule an appointment at a local car dealer to get their car vacuumed, washed and oil changed, for no charge. We had a team of about 20 volunteers along with the dealership owner and his employees. From 8 till about 12:30 we washed, dried, vacuumed and changed oil in 19 cars. The owner donated all of the labor and supplies for the oil changes. The radio station provided everything for the cleaning of the cars. I was on the washing and drying team. I had never met the other guys before, but the way that we worked together, you would have thought that we worked together for years. Yesterday was another example to me of why I don't understand how people can bash Christianity as not being caring or loving towards others. Every single mom that checked in was met with a smile and a hug. Their children were greeted warmly and like family. Every car that came through the line was covered with prayer by everyone working on that vehicle. If a mechanic discovered something else wrong with a car, the owner or the station would provide the necessary materials to repair it without additional cost to the mom. A bald tire was found, a new tire was purchased. Light bulb burnt out, it was replaced, etc, etc. If anything major was wrong, another appointment was set up to come in and get it fixed at a cheaper rate than usual. With every car that I helped wash and dry I couldn't help but think about these verses in the Bible. Matthew 25:35-45. We were being the hands and feet of Christ that morning/afternoon. I am so thankful that I serve a God who is full of love and compassion. I am thankful that He has given me a servants heart. So thankful for this radio station for all of their community outreaches that they do throughout the year. Thankful that there are still business owners out there like the one that owned this dealership. May God bless him and his business. So blessed to be a part of this day. May these opportunities continue to come up and God use me in a mighty way!

God Spoke To Me......Once again!

A few weeks ago my mom, step-dad and cousin all flew out to see my brother and his family in the D.C. area for a visit. I was asked to pick up my step-dad from Midway on Monday as my mom and cousin were going to fly home a couple of days later. I said sure no problem. As I was getting ready to leave, I received a text message saying that his flight had been delayed about 25 minutes or so. I thought no big deal. I had to stop in Aurora to attend a visitation for a cousin that had passed away. So I am in the funeral home talking with some family members and I decide that I had better get going. I get outside and receive another text saying that his plane would land about 7:05. I thought "great, now I really have to hurry." After having plenty of time and now I have to hurry to get there. As I start to get onto the toll way, it starts pouring down rain. All the way into Midway, it rained. I didn't feel like driving around the airport till he came out, so I went and parked in the cell phone lot. I entered the lot, went down a little way, and backed my van into a spot. And sat and waited, and waited, and waited. Then I felt it. The first pangs. What could it be you ask? That's right, I had to go to the bathroom. So I kept looking down the same way that I had come in and saw nothing. I'm like "great, nowhere to go." I knew that I couldn't hold it until I picked him up and started for home. Then The Lord spoke to me. He said "Keven, do you remember the story in the Bible about the fisherman?" "The one where they were having trouble catching fish, and I told them to cast their nets on the other side?"(John 21:4-6) I said "yes Lord, I remember." He said "then look out the other side of your van." So I turned and looked out the right side of the van and what did I see? A bank of about five or six port-a-potty's. They were about 100' away. I almost started crying. "Thank You Lord!" I repeated that over and over again. I was so very thankful and grateful that He spoke to me and told me where to look. The cool thing about this is this. Yes I need to hear His still small voice but, this is the second time He has spoken to me over my VERY loud music in my van. See He can speak to you anywhere at anytime. Over loud music, sitting all alone in quietness. All you need are the ears to hear. I'm so thankful that He has provided those ears, and everything else. All praise and glory to Him!

Stretching My Comfort Zone

For the past month or so, God has been stretching me. Pulling me out of my comfort zone. Not going to lie. Didn't and still don't really like it, but I want to be obedient to what God wants me to do. The first instance was few weeks ago when I met an army veteran. He was a truck driver that came into where I work to deliver a load. The Holy Spirit nudged me and said talk to him about his service and then thank him for his sacrifice for his country and time away from his family. We had quite the conversation. He told me that his whole family has served in the military. When it was time for him to leave, I told him that I would pray for him and his family. He was very appreciative of someone that was willing to do that. Especially someone they don't know. This is one of the main reasons I believe that I am working where I work. I keep asking God "why am I here?" He reveals it to me, a little at a time, why I am where I am at. The second instance was this morning at Jewel grocery store. We were checking out, when a biker couple were getting their things together at a register over from us. They had on their leather, bandanas, all the typical gear and tattoos all over. Now I am not afraid to talk to them, but the Holy Spirit again nudged me to talk with this couple. So I approached the dude, and told him that I pray that they ride safe this weekend. He said thanks then asked why I came up to them. I told him that almost a month ago, a motorcycle accident hit really close to home for me. A co-worker of mine, his daughter was riding on the back of a motorcycle when a pickup truck turned it front of them. Her fiancé was killed instantly, and she had been in ICU for about 2 1/2 weeks. So when I saw them in the store and with it being Labor Day weekend, that means more traffic on the roads, the Holy Spirit just said talk with them and tell them that you'll pray for them. They were very appreciative as well for the prayers. We told each other to have a good weekend and we went our separate ways. I'll probably never see the truck driver or the biker couple again, but that will not stop me from praying for them, and all the drivers and bikers on the road. The best thing about approaching these people and talking with them. They didn't say no to prayer! They were actually very open to it, and thanked me for offering it for them. I give thanks to The Lord above for leading me, guiding me and directing me to these people. I pray that He has my path cross with many more and that God will use me in a mighty way!

Something Amazing!!

Four weeks ago, the owner of the company that I work for instituted a prayer gathering for employees to gather before work and pray. We meet every Wednesday morning at 6:30 and pray until about 6:45. There were only a couple of rules to this. 1st. It is a Christian prayer group. 2nd. He didn't want to lead it. It had to be employee lead. 3. You could pray for whatever was on your heart. Not just work things. The first morning we had seven people show up. We were kind of overwhelmed at that number. We praised God for the number of people who got up early and arrived at work early to pray with their co-workers. The next week guess what happened? That's right, we doubled our size. We went from seven to fourteen. Praise The LORD!! That was totally God. Third week we were hit or miss with some people, but still a lot showed up. The fourth week another amazing thing happened. God tripled our group. That's right. In four weeks, we went from seven people to twenty one people. Hallelujah!! Most of the prayers are in Spanish, but you know what? It doesn't matter to God. It doesn't matter if I can understand them or not. It's not about me. Jesus doesn't speak only Spanish or English. He speaks every language. Remember the story about the tower of Babel? He created every language. I am excited and can't wait to see what happens this week. God is on the move in our workplace. Touching peoples lives and He is using us to do it! Praise The LORD!!

Feeling Like Jonah.

I am a board member at the pregnancy clinic here in our community. A few months ago, the director asked me if I would lead a prayer evening at our facility. I said "sure, I would be happy to do it." Then reality hit. I am not that type of person. To organize any kind of anything. Even a prayer night. So I started running. Not physically, but mentally and spiritually. I started to feel like Jonah, when God called him to speak to the city of Nineveh. Jonah tried every which way to get out of doing it, but God kept turning him around. Like Jonah, I kept running the other direction. I kept saying to myself. I can't do this, I'm not able, blah, blah, blah. Then at one of our recent board meetings, the director told us that the prayer evening had basically died. No interest shown, no action taken. That really struck me that I let her down. And God. So when I got home from the meeting, I surrendered it to God. Finally! Just like Jonah, I finally gave up and listened to what God wanted me to do. Enough running. Time to man up and do this. So that night in a dream, God gave me the exact details of how He wants me to lead the prayer evening. Down to the most little detail. Then like He has done in the past with me, He kept tweaking it the next day and the next day and so on. I was so excited that I finally let go and let God. I could hardly wait to get to the next board meeting. When I told the director and the rest of the board, they were as excited as well. In fact, it is now on the calendar for a night in August. It is amazing what will happen when you stop listening to yourself and start hearing the voice of God.