A Boy Challenges God

Week of August 10, 2014

 

It started like any other day for Jay, a nine -year-old, but what happened next would change his life in an instant.

 

Jay’s parents had moved into a new subdivision in Woodhaven Woods, Michigan. The homes were new and had flat backyards with no fences. All the yards backed into a wood line fifty yards deep. It was a great place for a youngster to grow up and play.

 

Most of the trees were hardwoods, like oak and maple, tall and straight. That is all except one. As Jay remembers it, that tree was forked about four feet up. One side was badly decayed and hollow near its base while the other was solid and healthy.

 

Jay describes that afternoon as very windy with lots of threatening clouds but it wasn’t cold and it wasn’t raining. He was standing in his yard when he challenged God. He doesn’t know what prompted him. What goes through a nine-year-olds mind anyway?

 

“I saw the trees swaying and I said, ‘Ok God-You knock over a tree and I will never doubt you again.’

 

Within seconds there was a loud crack. Even though I was some distance away I could see it was the forked tree that had fallen.

Some adults gathered around the forked tree as I ran over to see. It was then I saw that it was the solid half of the forked tree that had cracked all the way to the ground. Surprisingly, the decayed half was still standing by itself. You could look right through and see light on the other side. I don’t know what was holding up that half of the decayed tree. It looked as if it would fall over at any minute so the parents were keeping the children at a safe distance.

 

I thought about it later. God knocked over the strong but held up the weak. You could read into that.

 

The weak half of that tree never did fall on its own. Some men cut it down later to insure it wouldn’t fall on anyone.

 

I didn’t tell a soul about what I had said for the longest time. I guess I thought this was between God and me.

 

Until now, decades later, I have only shared this experience with a few others for fear of being seen as bragging or worse.

 

But there is no doubt in my mind that God felled the strong half of that tree that day.”

 

Jay Hessler

Woodhaven Woods, Michigan

A Comfirmation

 Week of July 27th

          Like most empty-nesters, we had two cars:  A luxury sedan for Bill and a sporty SUV for me.  When Bill was diagnosed with brain cancer and had to be driven to chemo treatments, he became the passenger in the sedan because the smooth leather seats made it easy for him to pivot while getting in and out.  The cloth seats in my vehicle didn’t quite do the trick.  He just plain enjoyed being in that car!

            As Bill’s condition worsened, we realized that we no longer needed two cars, so our youngest son was given my little car.  When Bill entered hospice care at home, I drove the sedan on the days I was able to go to the office for part of the day and for all the errands.

            After Bill died, I tried hard to like his car as much as I had my “old” one.  It was a lovely automobile, and as much as I appreciated its features, it just didn’t please me.  Another son with two children needed to replace a troublesome car, so I knew I could pass the sedan along to him and keep it in the family.  I felt Bill would be pleased to have some grandchildren riding in it!

            So a trip to the dealer produced a sporty little red sedan that won my heart right away.  No trade, not much paperwork, and the car would be ready for pickup the following day.  That night, of course, doubt came to visit.  Had I been callous to Bill’s memory not to cherish his car?  Was it my duty to keep it spiffy and on the road for as long as it would last?  I decided to claim the new car.

            When I saw it sitting on the lot, all shiny and cute and waiting for me, I knew I’d been guided to the purchase and that all was well.  How did I know?  The numbers on MY (not Bill’s) car’s license plate had been 5603.  The brand new plates, supplied by the dealer, ended in 5604.  A most logical progression that my engineer husband would certainly have appreciated!

                                                                       

Rosemarie Seewagon
Hilton, New York

Lawn Sale

 

Week of July 20th

 

It wasn’t your typical yard sale. For me it was a desperation move. I was down to my last six dollars. I needed gas to get to work, the electric bill was overdue and my water would be shut off if I didn’t pay it by Monday. It would be six days before I received another paycheck and I was already one month behind in my rent as well as some smaller bills.

 

My wife and I were separated and I had recently been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. I had no money for medications. I really was at the end of my rope. I needed this yard sale to survive one more day.

 

A friend arrived for moral support and I asked him if he would pray with me. We stood together in my empty living room.

 

He prayed, “Lord bless my friend and help him though this situation. Without you we are nothing but with your blessing we know we can get through anything. You said Lord, ‘Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’ We are here Lord and we need your help, Amen.”

 

Everything I owned was out on my lawn except my mattress, clothes and the computer on which I couldn’t make the payments.

 

During the first hour I sold $80 worth of furniture including my couch, end table and some lamps. The flow of potential buyers slowed considerably during the second hour and I took in just $20 more. During a lull the phone rang so I dashed into the house to answer it.

The lady on the phone said, “You gave me a quote to paint my house several months ago. Does your offer still stand?”

 

I could feel myself starting to shake but I managed to say calmly, “It sure does.”

 

“How soon can you start?“ “Lady I’ll be there this afternoon for the one third down payment so I can buy your paint.”

 

I rushed outside to retrieve my kitchen table and chairs from the lawn. Then I told my friend about the call. “I made a bid to paint a lady’s house six months ago and she calls me back today of all days. Go figure.”

 

My friend looked at me with a smile on his face and tears were forming in his eyes. He said softly, "That call was prompted by the Lord answering our prayer for help."

 

Patrick Lavilla

Kuntz,,Texas

God and my Cancer

Week of July 13

 

Facing your mortality at 45.

The disbelief- is this whole God thing a hoax? Is there really a heaven? When this cancer kills me, will I really be with God or is this just something we human make up to feel better?

Answer-forget the feelings, go with the FAITH, what you know about God, what His Word says, what He has done. He has been faithful in the little things and WILL be faithful in the big things.

I remember singing in a small weak, trembling, teary voice, “my hope is based on nothing less then Jesus’ love and righteousness.” Then a chorus of angels sang with me; “On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

God knows about this cancer. He knew about it before I was born. He will use this for His glory and I will be ok, even when I die.

People’s reactions to my cancer varied. “Can I call a prayer meeting at your house and we will all pray for you?” (that was an awesome night)

“Though you slay me, yet I serve you,” quoted a friend.

“Wow are you lucky! God must have something really important in mind for you in this trial. He is preparing you for a mighty work.”

“I wish I could take your place. If I could I would. (my mom said this)

I kept track of God’s provision, protection, mercy and lessons in my cancer. God sent me a friend that had chemo, and one who was in healthcare so was not afraid of my cancer and was nonchalant. There were prayer warriors, card senders and one  who called every day to check on me and one who came on the darkest day I had and held me as a cried and when I was inconsolable, read scripture to me.

Friends brought me food, took me to chemo, even changed my kitty’s litter. One person asked me if she could see me without my hair and her love and concern was a source of comfort to me. (note: loosing my hair was devastating)

God kept providing and protecting me.

One night I was desperate, alone and scared. I called out to God the way He directs us to call Him in Psalm 50:15.( “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you…”) My fears and confusion were so overwhelming that all I could do was cry out to him like a child waking from a nightmare calls his parents. I cried out GO000D! 

Shortly after this the phone rang.  It was a dear sister in the Lord who was out of town but had been thinking of me all day. In the middle of a dinner party with friends, she could no longer resist God’s prompting in her heart, excused herself to call and check on me.

One night I was too sick to make something to eat or even know what I wanted to eat. I just told God ‘if you want me to eat you better bring it to my door or else I will just lie on this couch and not eat.’  Minutes later the phone rang. It was a friend and when she found out how I was feeling she said; “Its time for smoothies.”  That night she introduced me to smoothies, which are a must for anyone on chemo.

A week after my first chemo I started teaching a small (church) group. They did not know me before my cancer. They only knew me on chemo and without hair. They ministered to me, prayed over me, laid hands on me, gave me self worth and loved me. We even had a night when we tried on hats together. They were the first to see me when my hair started to grow back.

I knew the cancer was in the lymph nodes even when the doctors did not think so at first.

In the recovery room from my second surgery, the hospital chaplain asked me to pray for him. I spent the night in the hospital and the doctor brought all his students in several times. They referred to me as the ‘smiling patient.’

I felt the prayers of others that lifted me up especially when I was too sick and too tired to pray.

On the morning when I was going back to Moffit (Cancer Center) for my first follow-up, I asked God to send me a Christian woman  who lived in Sarasota and who had suffered with breast cancer to guide and comfort me. On the way home, my friend who had taken me to Moffit told me she ran into an old friend of hers while she was waiting for me and that this friend had just finished her treatment and was coming back for a check up. (Prayer answered)

Scriptures God sent me to (rhema)

Matthew 26:39 -Three times in the Garden Jesus asked for the cup be taken from Him.

John 17- the last prayer Jesus prayed was for us that we reflect His love, that  God protect us from Satan and that we know His love for us. He did not pray for good times and fun here on earth. He actually knew we would suffer because we follow him.

Isaiah 29:15- the pot can not ask the potter why he made the pot a certain way. I can’t ask God why I got cancer-He knows everything and I must respect His knowledge despite circumstances or my opinion of them.

2 Corinthians 1:2-5 God will comfort us in our pain and we in turn will comfort those in pain with the comfort God has shown us. I use what I learned in my cancer to comfort those in need.

 

(What she learned:)

freedom from worry, well almost ha ha;

a better focus on what is important-less time working, more time serving, loving and living;

it is ok to be weak, to let others know you are hurting, well almost ha ha;

surrender, surrender, SURRENDER! We really don’t have any power anyway, except through Christ.”

Sheree Motola                                                                                                                              

Printed with permission

 (We received this e-mail in 2001. Sheree left this world in June 2006-ed)

More than a Golf Story

 Week of July 6

Brad’s celebrity status is that he was the first golfer to lose a national title to Tiger Woods.

The year was 1991 and Brad Zwetschke was ranked number two behind Tiger in the U.S. Junior Amateur golf. In the championship match Brad was three up after five holes, and two up at the turn at Bay Hill in Orlando. It would be the first of many well publicized comebacks for Tiger who tied the match and defeated Brad on the first playoff hole.

“Coming out of school all I wanted to do was play golf and party. I lived the wild life.”  Along the way he met Christina Mauldin, a preacher’s daughter from the South side of Chicago. Brad is also from Chicago. Within a year and a half they were married. “She thought she was marrying a golf professional and I thought I was marrying an entertainer from Black Television.” (Christina had done a stint on the program Heart & Soul.)

“ My wife is a strong Christian and my loyal supporter. She accompanied me on tour, which was arduous, lots of travel and expensive. Sometimes we slept in our van because we couldn’t afford the hotel prices.

“In November 2001 we were touring in Australia and we went into a little church in Brisbane. The preacher’s message was based on John 21. The message spoke to me especially when Jesus asks Peter, ‘Do you love me as much as these’ (referring to the fish Peter and his friends had just caught).  I identified with Peter who was being asked to give up fishing. I felt I was being asked to put down my clubs.

Three months later I was driving to the Canadian Tour Qualifying Tournament when I heard a message on the radio quoting John 21. Again I felt the message speaking to me. I played in the tournament but I did not qualify. My heart wasn’t in the game anymore. I quit golf.

“With the encouragement of my father-in law I enrolled in New Orleans Theological Seminary.

  “He too had been called to the ministry by John 21.”

In August 2005, four months before Brad was to graduate, Katrina devastated New Orleans. With two children and Christina eight months pregnant, Brad borrowed a neighbor’s van and fled to Beatrice Alabama where they knew a pastor who took them in.

 “We lost everything as our apartment was completely flooded. But God had spared our family. Then another kind of flood hit.  I could not stop the flow of gifts of clothing, food and furniture that poured in on us. It still hasn’t subsided.

“When it was time for Christina to have our fourth child we moved to Bradenton , Florida to be close to the doctor who had delivered are other children. I took a job as student intern in evangelism and finished my final semester at the seminary on line. In December 2006 my classmates and I received our degrees. Later I became the voluntary chaplain to the Cincinnati Reds farm team then in Sarasota.

“God has used everything in my life for His purposes. Golf  had been my idol…now I’m pictured in golf magazines holding a Bible. It took a while for me to accept God’s forgiveness and to accept his grace. That has been huge for me.

“Tiger has become the king of golf. My notoriety as being the first to lose a national title to Tiger still brings invitations to speak at golf dinners and men’s retreats where I get to tell people about the King of Kings.”

 Brad Zwetschke

( Brad Zwetschke is now a U.S. Army Chaplain-Ed)

“Simon do you love Me more the these?”

“Yes Lord, You know that I love You.”

“Then feed My lambs.”  John21:l5

Amazing Weekend

The economy was collapsing, I had lost my job and my previous employer was laying people off. I applied for a job with the Census Bureau. 

In the spring I was trained and sent out as a per-census canvasser. I was working a familiar neighborhood when

A former acquaintance came out to say hello. She walked with me as I made my way around the block. She told me she had lost her husband in November and felt lonely and lost. It’s hard for her to get around and she has to take the bus if she has to get anywhere. She didn’t have a car and she doesn’t drive.

I said why didn’t you call me and she said she didn’t want to both people.

 I said, “Don’t feel bad asking for help. That’s why God put us on earth to help one another. He would have stopped at one if he didn’t mean for us to take care of each other. Besides, when you ask someone for help you are actually doing them a favor because it makes them feel needed and wanted. It gives them a purpose.”

We continued walking around the block and then she went her way and I went mine. I didn’t think much about it. I had given her my number and figured I was on her call list.

The very next day I was canvassing across the street. I parked in a driveway of a house I new to be empty and proceeded to walk the block.

Someone drives up in a van with her in it. She flagged me down and said she was on her way to the emergency room; she said she had chest pains. The man driving the van was with Jehovah Witness who said “he felt the need” to stop by her house that day. He didn’t know why he just knew he had to drop by.

He walked in the door and took one look at her and asked what’s wrong. He had taken her to a walk in clinic and the people there said to take her to the emergency room. He said he had other engagements and couldn’t stay with her, could I.

I said I would finish this block and meet them in the ER.

When I arrived she was sitting there alone, feeling anxious with pains both in the chest and back. I became her hand-holder. We chatted and I learned her family lived mostly in Minnesota. I said once she was admitted I would call them and let them know her situation. She called a neighbor, who was like an adopted daughter, and asked if she would come down.

The doctors came by and said her EKG and other tests were normal and they felt it wasn’t a heart attack and that made her feel better.

When her neighbor arrived she seemed agitated and upset than the situation called for and I didn’t understand why. By this time it was nearly 7 P.M. and Lois was getting hungry so I left her with her neighbor and went out to get some food.

I found her some chicken soup and a turkey sandwich which seemed to hit the spot. When they finally found her a bed the neighbor and I accompanied her to her room.

Later when the medical staff came in for a test the neighbor and I waited out in the hall. I was the first time we were together without Lois.

If was then that the neighbor told me Lois’s adult son passed away in Minnesota that afternoon. It was out of the blue. He had had a ski mobile accident months before and had been in rehab and seemed to be healing. Apparently a blood clot broke loose from somewhere and lodged in his heart.

For some reason God wanted her to be in the hospital before they told her. She wasn’t told that night, they were waiting until the next day when all the tests would be back.

When I got home that night my sister had sent me a card with a picture of a steaming cup of coffee.

It read: “Good morning this is God. I will be handling all your problems today;  I will not need your help…so have a good day. Love God.”

I took her this card and some flowers the next morning. She hadn’t been told yet. Later on, when all her tests came back ok, they told her.

I believe God wanted her to be somewhere safe before she received the news.

 

Jenelle Pullin

Venice

The Mind Battle Becomes a War

 Week of June 1


It had been 16 years since I visited any gynecologist.  I had no problems up until last year.  I had been having irregular bleeding and heavy periods.  I had several tests.... and they found that I had fibroids and a cyst on my ovary.  My doctor suggested in November a full hysterectomy. 

 

This would be my 5th surgery where they would be cutting my abdomen so I would have to sign a paper that I understand that there is more risk involved. I asked about keeping my ovaries so that I wouldn’t go into full menopause. My doctor said given my age and the cyst (that may require surgery to be removed in the future) she recommended taking everything.  So she told me to let her know what I wanted to do. 

 

  I struggled with this until the day before she had scheduled my surgery, January 30.  I had asked the Lord over and over again if I am doing the right thing.  To be honest with you I was afraid.  It was a pride issue also.  I didn’t want anyone to know, because it could look as though I was weak or defeated.   I chose not to tell anyone but my family. 

I had these thoughts that were not of God that were telling me that things would not go right and I would die on the operating table. I was upset and I was up late at night worrying.  I picked up the Bible looking for an answer. I went to several church services seeking solace but the negative thoughts just continued worse than ever.  It was like the more positive I received the more negative I became. This whole thing was overwhelming. 

Pastor always says that the battle is in the mind. Let me tell you what was going on in my head was a war. 

 

I had decided that I would go to women's group and afterwards I would call the doctor to tell her I decided to delay the surgery.  But when I went to women's group Sandy who has

always been such a comfort to me and my family, praying for us etc., came up to me and told me she was happy to see me there and asked me if I would be now able to come on Tuesdays.  I told her what was going on and she began to talk and I knew the Lord was speaking to me through her because a peace and comfort came on me.  The attacks immediately stopped.  Sharon prayed for me and I was relaxed and knew what I had to do and it was right. I would have the operation. 

 

Everything went extremely well in surgery and I was up walking in 8 hours, I went home two days later.  When I was in the hospital I had such comfort knowing that Jesus was there with me.  The nursing staff  pointed out  how fast I was up and walking.

 

  I knew that it was the Lord giving me the ability to get around so quickly. 

 

 When I returned a week later to have the staples removed my doctor shared what she didn’t want to tell me on the telephone.  She said they tested everything that was taken out and found that I had cancerous cells in the body of my uterus. This is an extremely fast growing cancer. Every time the uterus sheds, the cancer grows and starts spreading into the blood. The recommended procedure for this is a full hysterectomy. What they found was that the cancerous cells were still intact and were concentrated in one area of the uterus 

 

My doctor told me that I was a lucky woman that someone was watching over me.  I said I know God is.  She said you are cured.  She kept saying that over and over.  We cried and held one another. 

 

My doctor had no idea that the cancer cells were there.  I asked her why it wasn't seen on all the tests.  She said that where it was located no test would have detected it.  I cried even more.  If I had not had this operation I would be looking at 5-6 months, that’s all.

 

If my doctor had not taken my ovaries she would have had to go back in and get them.  When cancer is present the best operation is actually cutting your abdomen (what I had) because when they do the other surgery there is a risk of dropping cells. 

 

What an awesome God we have.  Not only did He heal me of something that would have killed me but also He didn't even let me know that I had it and my family never had to go through that worry and anguish.  I do not have to know everything.  I just have to trust Him.  No glory can be given to any test or doctor but only to God because He knew and no one else did.  I am so grateful words can’t describe.

 

Jackie Harmon

Richmond , Virginia