Born-again! I was raising my 3 sons alone and lived in a trailer, where most people would be afraid just to drive by, much less live in the woods! Our community had a menagerie of people who wanted their kids to have a small piece of land, play ball, ride their horses down to the lake and not be bothered. We had happy and unhappy folks, escaped convicts and other specialized individuals. Sometimes at night I’d listen to guns go off, on only 2-4 acres! They sounded too close. Couples would fight and the wind would catch a scream and I knew it was time for me to call the deputy again. To be fair, some of the best people I’ve ever met lived out there [still do] and then, some of the most disturbed. I can remember 3 suicides happening all around me. Two houses down, a brother hanged himself. Two streets over, a well known man shot himself with a shotgun. And, again another man left his wife a widow using a shotgun. Guns were plentiful in our community. My mother lived next door and neither of us had a gun. Fearfully, she would tell me the seriousness of how gun accidents happen so easily. I listened to her and instead of buying a gun, I always had dogs.
Today, I believe, they have their respectful place in self-defense.
I had a dear friend who lost her 7 year old daughter, because she was arguing with her older sister about a stick of bubblegum. Their parents had carelessly left their gun laying on the bed and the older girl took the gun, aimed and fired, killing the little girl. Words cannot describe the trauma, pain and heartbreak of the parents, the older girl and the rest of the family suffered! Those were devastating times to everyone who lived in the neighborhood.
One night everyone was in bed and I was getting ready to retire when I heard a creak in the floor that came from the kitchen. I lived in a doublewide that wasn’t built too well and when someone walked on the floor it always creaked. I stuck my head out into the hall to see the light from the refrigerator come on. After swallowing my heart a few times, I yelled;
“I know you are there, and I demand, you leave right now, or I will call the cops!” Let me tell you, I can make some pretty stupid remarks and this one was added to the list!! In the first place, this was before cellphones. Not only that, but the home phone was located nearby the intruder! By then, my oldest son was by my side and knew what was going on and asked me if I wanted him to jump out the window, go to the neighbor and call the cops? I didn’t want him to go anywhere because I didn’t know what was outside either! Then, suddenly, I felt a surge of huge faith rise up inside of me and told him I was going to face what was going on! My son said, “not without me!” He got a baseball bat and together we walked down the hall. As I prayed I kept feeling a knot in my throat. When we got to the kitchen, no one. We went into the living room and a strange man was laying upon the carpet. I looked down at him sleeping and smelled whiskey. Only then, did I have an idea of what I was dealing with. I pushed him with my foot and told him to get up. He got up and sat in the chair. I had seen him walking around the area and he had a bad reputation. He was a Vietnam vet, who tried to blow up the local school and had chased some kids down the lake with a machete. I decided to give him a cup of tea. I was out of coffee. He then told me he got my place mixed up with his place. That was possible, considering his inebriated condition. Then, I started to tell him:
“If you had walked into any other place around here your head would have been blown off! This is why I believe angels have brought you here, for you to hear what I have to say to you.” My son asked me if I was going to be alright and I said yes and he retrieved my Bible for me. I told him how Jesus loved him so much that he went to the cross for him, so he could have forgiveness for his sins. I told him how this might be the last chance he would ever have to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. We talked until 4:00 am. as I answered questions for him. Sadly, he told me how he was separated from his wife and child and missed them very much. We prayed together for his marriage to be healed and for their lives to be a reflection of God’s mercy and strength. We were never bothered by him again, but there was talk of how he got back with his family.
God will use anyone who is willing to be used, for the Kingdom of God. Through obedience, our souls are healed. He sends angels and people to be used on these assignments. God’s eyes search for a willing heart that moves in love and faith to do His will.
The Bible says,
“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion to whom I have compassion.” Paul further stated: “It does not therefore depend on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:15, 16
I did not know what I was dealing with that night and I fought against my fear with faith. The intruder could have had a gun, I could have had a gun. If I had a gun that night, I don’t think I would have used it. But I see the incident as God’s mercy was covering the both of us. Although I was upset, I never accused him of breaking inside of my place and never called the cops [for which he was amazed]. This Vet needed to hear some good news and apparently he needed someone to listen to his heavy heart. He needed to be born again and definitely needed to be healed from his times at war that caused him to be so violent.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have some kind of silent battle going on inside of them. As a believer, it is only through Christ that we are set free from the echos of our past and as we study and grow, the healing becomes stronger. This doesn’t mean a believer is without trials or tests, but the difference is how The Holy Spirit takes you through the whole ordeal, proving His love. He continues to give you the grace you need, through each crisis.
No matter what you have done in the past, no matter what you have gone through or are wrestling with, no matter who you are, no matter where you have come from, or the circumstances in your life; when you call out to Jesus Christ for help and humbly confess your sins and ask for forgiveness, he is faithful and will take all your sins away. His Holy Spirit will guide you and see you through the rest of the way.
If you are ready, pray:
Precious Father,
I believe that Jesus Christ is your son. I believe He was sacrificed upon the cross for my sins. I believe He was resurrected on the third day and seen by well over 600 people as He spoke to them. I believe! I ask you Father, to take my sins away from me, [confess them] _____________ Forgive me Father. Be my strength, help me to follow through on my repentance. I want to be born again, I need you! i need a new life in Christ. In Jesus I ask, amen.
If you have humbly prayed this prayer from your heart, you have been born again and ushered into the Body of Christ. The Bible says you are a new creation and that old things are all past away and all things become new. Find a good Bible believing Church, buy a good Bible, learn how to study for your self, join a group that teaches the word and begin to make new Christian friends. They will hold you up in prayer, teach you how to be the overcomer you will strive to be and give you a new understanding to your new life. Welcome to the family!
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