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In the mountains somewhere in California, our engine caught on fire. I was able to put it out and let the engine cool down, and we then set out on our way again. This worked for a few more hours until we arrived in Arizona and had to go up some more monstrous mountains. The car just could not take it—we blew a rod or bearing or something in the engine. We could make it no further.
We had planned to see the Grand Canyon on the way home, and we were about 38 miles outside of our first destination, Williams, Arizona. We had the car towed to our hotel and began to look at options—a new engine, shipping the trailer we were pulling, etc. Everything we considered would have added $4,000 more than what had planned in expenses. However, we could do nothing until Tuesday because it was Memorial Day weekend. So we simply put everything in God’s hands.
We called a bunch of churches for some sort of assistance, but nobody could really help. On Sabbath morning, we praised God and thanked Him for having control and putting us there for some reason. We went for a walk later that day. I remembered I had grabbed a bunch of literature at Doug Batchelor’s church. So we decided to go door-to-door and simply offer prayer for people. I led us through the first couple of houses, but then we saw some people on the street. I told my wife, Jessica, that it was her turn. She walked right up to them and said, "Hi! We’re Seventh-day Adventists. We couldn’t go to church today so we decided to go out and pray for the community.”
As we talked and prayed, they confessed that they had been convicted of the “Sabbath rest,” as they called it, and had been practicing it since January. They said, “We think you are an answer to prayer. Our church meets Sunday afternoon at a coffee shop, and we think they really need to hear this. Would you please come tell us about the Sabbath rest?”
I said, “Let me think … of course!”
The next day, they came to pick us up at our hotel and took us to the coffee shop. It was a meeting for a Bible study for a non-denominational church. They prayed for us and allowed us to talk at the end, and many people stuck around to hear us. By the grace of God, I was able to share the Sabbath truth with a Sunday church instead of being somewhere else across the country as we had planned. We were able to use so much of what we learned at AFCOE to answer their questions and objections.
One gentleman had to leave due to another appointment. I offered him a copy of the Great Controversy. He said, “No. I just want to study on my own.” A little later as I was talking with the rest of the group, he snuck up behind me and whispered in my ear, “I think I will take that book. I really think it would help. Please leave it for me.” Many more of them were so eager to hear these truths.
It was a clear divine appointment!
Our new friends, the ones we met on the street, invited us to dinner that night and we got a chance to minister to them more. They were so ripe for information; they were interested in health and anything else God put in my and my wife’s mouth. We explained to them that we were here to see the Grand Canyon but clearly God had something “more grand” in mind. Later that night, they called us up and offered to take us to the Grand Canyon the next day, which is about an hour away from town. God gave us an entire day to minister to these people.
It is funny—God didn’t wait until I got to my church to put me to work; He broke my engine and put us to work right then. We had family members on their way to rescue us and take us back to Pennsylvania, but I was half tempted to tell them to turn around so I could continue God’s work where He put us.
God has people waiting to hear the truth, we just need to get out and find them. |
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Christian
Thursday, September 15, 2011 12:19 PM
Amazing story! Praise God! It's so exciting to see how God leads when we just put everything in His hands, and like you did: Thanked Him for having everything in control, in the midst of this trial. Rom 8:28
Chelsea and Brett Murphy
Thursday, September 15, 2011 10:35 PM
This story is just SO inspirational! It goes to show how much more we could be thankful for and proves that God is there in the sticky situations too, even if we don't see it at first! I absolutely love this story, it still sends chills down my spine, Gods power is AMAZING! There's power! Power! Wonder working power! In the precious blood of the Lamb!!!!
Marilyn
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 4:51 PM
How awesome it is to read of how God works in all situations - ones we think are bad or even if we think they are good - they do not look the same in God's eyes as we see them. We still see through a glass darkly - but how glorious it is when He lifts the veil and let's His glory shine through. These are times we all pray for. Thank you for sharing. Marilyn and Linden Lawrence
Christina Carter
Friday, October 14, 2011 11:33 AM
I'm so touched by your story, I know that God is calling me again, and I know I need to work on having more faith and learning how to put my whole life in his hands, and having the certainty that he will take care of me. And your story is just another example of how God works in mysterious ways. Amen!!!!
Keith A Johnson
Friday, November 04, 2011 7:07 PM
Every time something bad happens, my mind always grasps Romans 8:28, so this did not surprise me. Whenever we take care of God's business, He takes care of ours. Just like at my Bible Study in a Southern California Prison, a new attendee requested to talk to me alone after his third study with me; so I dismissed the class early so he could share with me. He shared with me that he had been raped two hours before my class and said, "I couldn't believe that I could sit through your class for two-hours and not cry, but I had to come because Your class is the safest room in the prison." He shared that he wasn't going to P.C. up (protective custody), but he wanted to the kill the guy. I held him and began to pray. "Father, it is written that all things work together for good to those who love you and are called according to Your purpose; and right now we are asking ourselves what good can possibly come out of this?" Suddenly the lights went on and I new this was a party-line prayer. I told "Joey", "I don't know why God would take you out of cradelroll Christianity and thrust you into graduate Christianity, but you are standing at crossroad that few Christians choose to walk down. Right now, I see that Satan has a firm grip on the perpetrator's crown, and now he is making a move for yours, but if you would go back to the perpetrator and say, 'God loves you and I love you and God forgives you and I forgive you, and I am going to pray for you because what you did was really sick; and you violated trust. If you do this, I see God taking back your crown and heaping hot coals on the perpetrator's head, bringing him to repentance and taking his crown; and running Satan's plan...therefore, making this work for good." Afterward, I had to notify the Chaplain and he quietly moved him to another facility. Joey did this, was transferred to another prison and wrote me and said, "I was baptized in a laundry cart and God is healing me." A few months later, I ran into the chaplain and told him about Joey's letter. The chaplain said, "Keith, I forgot to tell you, that the perpetrator repented and I baptized him." I walked out of the prison numb, knowing I told Joey the ideal scenario, but shocked that it actually happened, because of freedom of choice. So, since then Romans 8:28 is lifted up and I watch to see how God is going to work it for good. Witnessing is always a faith builder; regardless of the outcome, because we may never know when or whether the seed will sprout. Imagine Noah, 120-years of seed sowing and nothing germinated; how tragic is that?
LeHavre Quines Noval
Wednesday, November 09, 2011 8:34 PM
it's a nice experience... Praise God...
Lynette
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 5:53 AM
Wow. God really has a reason for everything that happens in the life of his people. he had planned everything for his own glory!!!!Amazing story.
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