“But” will you answer when he calls? Part 2

Have you ever wanted to reach out, grab someone by their shirt collar, get right in their face to give them a reality check? What would you do if God did that to you? He did it to me!

Now if you’re reading this, and haven’t read Part 1, now is a good time to pause and read it here. It will help paint the picture. Read it here: 

For those that have, let me do a quick recap, Miserable… Yup that about sums it up! But something started to happen, I was oblivious that it was the man upstairs trying to deliver a message. I kept on going in my own miserable world, not seeing what he was trying to tell me… So he decided he knew exactly how to get my attention!

What is your biggest fear? Well, mine is alone in a hospital room, Sick with no family there. Reliant on our healthcare system of Nurses. I love Nurses, please don’t think this is about them! They are over taxed, not enough help, and more paperwork than you can even begin to fathom. This paperwork, and red tape, along with high Nurse to patient ratios limits your care. If I was in the hospital, unable to help myself, and so sick, honestly I would rather be dead. Sorry it’s direct but I have felt that way for MANY years!

Well many people know my best friend’s wife has been battling cervical cancer. Thanksgiving weekend 2013, she was hospitalized due to a kidney infection. As many times before, I try to help them in any way I can. This Saturday night, I was up at the hospital with her, as He was taking care of the kids at home. Batting a near 104 fever, I wasn’t leaving the hospital that night till it broke and she was resting. The nurses had their hands full with the patient next door. Imagine the yelling, thrashing, and just difficulty of a patient that was in a bed, and just didn’t want to be there.  The nurses came in multiple time to apologize for all the commotion.

Fast forward to the next evening, walking out of the room, to leave for the evening. The same lady from the night before cries out to you, “Sir!!! Help me, they won’t help me, I need to get up!!” I turned around and the sight I saw was God, grabbing me by that shirt collar, and showing me my worse fear! All I heard, was “Do I have your attention now?” Thankfully a nurse saved me, as I couldn’t even udder a word to this lady. She was lying in a bed, couldn’t get out, her hands were covered with padding so she couldn’t rip her IV’s out. I mean, she couldn’t even pick up a glass of water if she needed to!

Badly shaken, I fled the hospital! I sat in the truck for a long time in the parking lot. Why in the work did I just see my biggest fear, and FREEZE! As I have done many times, I escape in music when I do a lot of thinking on life. This night was no different. At home, laying on the couch I pondered what happen while listening to mellow music.

Now I have gotten goose bumps before, but on this night, I got Goose MOUNTAINS! From head to toe, like a lightning bolt had struck me. Follow these with instant flash flood of Contact floating moisture coming from my eyes. (Must have been dry contacts, had to be.)

The trigger for his was the words to this song:

Now let me take the fluff out, to show you what I heard in the message via bold words:

Courageous Lyrics

We were made to be courageous, We were made to lead the way, We could be the generation, That finally breaks the chains We were warriors on the front lines, Standing, unafraid But now we’re watchers on the sidelines, While our families slip away Where are you, men of courage? You were made for so much more Let the pounding of our hearts cry We will serve the Lord And we’re taking back the fight And it starts with us tonight This is our resolution Our answer to the call We will love our wives and children We refuse to let them fall We will reignite the passion That we buried deep inside May the watchers become warriors Let the men of God arise Seek justice, Love mercy, Walk humbly with your God In the war of the mind, I will make my stand In the battle of the heart, And the battle of the hand

With all the events of my past, where my mind was, these words struck me deeply. Then surfaced the guilt again because I didn’t go to church that last weekend, or even today!! I knew they put the sermons online, so I went to the website and immediately knew, the message wasn’t’ over!!

Name of the sermon: “The best is yet to come!!”

http://vimeo.com/80313448

Needless to say, I have no doubts I was delivered a message,

BUT! Didn’t know what to do with it… I am still mired in a lot of things, no idea how to get out of them, but know my heart is calling me to go do something I have for 21+ years wanted to do. I raised my hand that night, and said a prayer: “Lord, I hear your message, but I don’t know what to do. How do I get out of this mess I am in to follow this dream. To make this place that it’s clear I am supposed to build? I need you to show me how, I don’t know.” Amen.

Do you think he answered? Well, this blog has gotten pretty long, in the next one, I will tell you what he said. It kept me up at night! MANY nights!