Angela
05-16-2008, 10:07 AM
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:6 NIV)
The last Sunday of revival at Wheeler Grove Baptist Church in Wheeler, Alabama was exactly what we had prayed for. God showed up and worked in our lives in a very amazing way.
The revival was scheduled to be a three day event. It turned into an 11 day event. It was what the Preacher called an Old Time Protracted Revival. I have always heard of those but I had never been given the gift of being part of one—until then. It was amazing. People were being saved, rededicating their lives, bringing their families and friends. Each service was better than the one before. I wish I could have bottled the feeling I had in those days. I will not soon forget. Especially the part I am about to share with you.
During the last day of revival, after all the special music was finished and the Pastor had started his sermon the doors to the historic church opened. All eyes were directed to the back of the church. The pastor stopped his sermon. In the doorway stood a formidable man dressed in desert camouflage. He walked down the aisle and addressed the congregation. He asked for prayers as he was preparing to leave for his second tour in Iraq.
I am not sure about how the Holy Spirit acts with other people but with me sometimes He pushes. Gently, but He does push. And very persistent He is. During that memorable service I had the overwhelming need to give the Chaplain some money. He never asked for money but I felt much led to give him a check for $250.00. I don’t know why it was $250.00 but that is exactly what I had to do. The Chaplain graciously accepted the donation and assured me that he would somehow use it for the troops. I trusted this, no question.
And then came God…………..
During his deployment the Chaplain wrote to us, sent pictures and we prayed for him. He returned safely but changed. He came back to our church when he got home. He thanked us for the prayers and the letters of support and encouragement. He thanked us for the love offering that he took with him to Iraq. He told us what he did with it.
During his deployment to Iraq he witnessed the fall of Baghdad and the fall of the statue of Saddam Hussein. The love offering stayed in his pocket through three months of war, sand storms, combat and many sleepless nights. The Chaplain never had the occasion to use the money for the troops.
On his way home from Iraq he was in Kuwait Airport preparing to fly home. He noticed an “unofficial checkpoint” where evil men were charging our troops an extra $250.00 to board the plane.
There in the Kuwait Airport an army private was trying to get home on emergency leave. He did not have enough money and no credit card. From all appearances the soldier wasn’t going to be able to get on that plane. The Chaplain walked up to the counter where the checkpoint was and laid down the $250.00 love offering given to him at a small country church in rural Alabama. As he laid the money on the counter he looked at the man and said, “Now you let this boy go home.” And they did.
And there was God.
The last Sunday of revival at Wheeler Grove Baptist Church in Wheeler, Alabama was exactly what we had prayed for. God showed up and worked in our lives in a very amazing way.
The revival was scheduled to be a three day event. It turned into an 11 day event. It was what the Preacher called an Old Time Protracted Revival. I have always heard of those but I had never been given the gift of being part of one—until then. It was amazing. People were being saved, rededicating their lives, bringing their families and friends. Each service was better than the one before. I wish I could have bottled the feeling I had in those days. I will not soon forget. Especially the part I am about to share with you.
During the last day of revival, after all the special music was finished and the Pastor had started his sermon the doors to the historic church opened. All eyes were directed to the back of the church. The pastor stopped his sermon. In the doorway stood a formidable man dressed in desert camouflage. He walked down the aisle and addressed the congregation. He asked for prayers as he was preparing to leave for his second tour in Iraq.
I am not sure about how the Holy Spirit acts with other people but with me sometimes He pushes. Gently, but He does push. And very persistent He is. During that memorable service I had the overwhelming need to give the Chaplain some money. He never asked for money but I felt much led to give him a check for $250.00. I don’t know why it was $250.00 but that is exactly what I had to do. The Chaplain graciously accepted the donation and assured me that he would somehow use it for the troops. I trusted this, no question.
And then came God…………..
During his deployment the Chaplain wrote to us, sent pictures and we prayed for him. He returned safely but changed. He came back to our church when he got home. He thanked us for the prayers and the letters of support and encouragement. He thanked us for the love offering that he took with him to Iraq. He told us what he did with it.
During his deployment to Iraq he witnessed the fall of Baghdad and the fall of the statue of Saddam Hussein. The love offering stayed in his pocket through three months of war, sand storms, combat and many sleepless nights. The Chaplain never had the occasion to use the money for the troops.
On his way home from Iraq he was in Kuwait Airport preparing to fly home. He noticed an “unofficial checkpoint” where evil men were charging our troops an extra $250.00 to board the plane.
There in the Kuwait Airport an army private was trying to get home on emergency leave. He did not have enough money and no credit card. From all appearances the soldier wasn’t going to be able to get on that plane. The Chaplain walked up to the counter where the checkpoint was and laid down the $250.00 love offering given to him at a small country church in rural Alabama. As he laid the money on the counter he looked at the man and said, “Now you let this boy go home.” And they did.
And there was God.