Top of the morning to all my friends! As Paul Harvey used to say, “And now for the rest of the story….” All of the external parts, doors, seats, etc. were still removed but the engine was finally reassembled. After several months of blood, sweat, tears, and prayers the day we were waiting for had finally arrived. It was the moment of truth. Emotions were high. Would the engine crank? Was there really a light at the end of the tunnel that wasn’t an oncoming train? I could hardly wait to turn the key and see what would happen. Ah, what if nothing happened? How would I handle it? I had worked so hard for so long. I had believed with all that was in me. Test time had arrived. Since the seats were still in the living room, I placed a five gallon bucket upside down where the driver’s seat should have been and took my place on the throne. My hands were sweaty and my heart was almost beating out of my chest. I took a deep breath, looked around for a thumbs up from Creeky, and turned the key! Vaarrrroooom! SUCCESS! The engine started. WhooHoo! Thirty seconds, a strange clattering sound, and then total silence. I tried the key again and nothing happened. What was wrong? Emotions were going crazy. How quickly the ecstasy of success vanished into the discouragement of failure. I tried the key again. Not a sound. What to do now? Fighting frustrations and discouragement I crawled off the throne. A walked around in the yard asking God to show me what went wrong. In spite of the voices in my head that were screaming, “I told you, you couldn’t do it!” I knew I had to hold on. I kept telling myself, “You have to move forward.” I knew God had not brought me this far to let me fail. After several hours of examination and discussion with the expert, Jerrell Tucker, the problem was diagnosed. We discovered the parts store had given me the wrong fly wheel. Even though it appeared to fit correctly, when the engine started everything didn’t align properly and it locked up. What did that mean? It meant removing all the pieces and parts and pulling the engine completely out so the flywheel could be replaced. It meant many, many more hours of work; hard, black grease under the fingernails, sweaty, dirty work. But, I had the victory! This was just a temporary set-back. I knew it would only be a matter of time before this could be repaired and inevitably success would follow. I went to bed that night with a smug grin on my face, a sense of tremendous satisfaction in my soul, and a thankful heart to my God who had proven Himself strong and faithful one more time. It took about another six weeks to get the fly wheel replaced, the seats put back in place, and a new paint job. When the next day came to turn the key the anticipation I had experienced the first time was replaced with confident expectation. I knew in my knower all would be well. It was. I sold my Subaru for enough to pay off the loan and cover all the expenses I had been out for the Volkswagen. I drove that little Aggie maroon Volkswagen for almost three years. The guys at work stopped their laughing and making fun of me. The friends and family that had thought I had lost my mind were now telling me how they had known all along I could do it. Yeah! Right! They just didn’t want to admit they had been wrong. But, I can’t be too hard on them. After all, I didn’t tell them about my Helper. You see, I know I could never have done it without God’s help. That first day when I told my Daddy what I wanted to do it looked virtually impossible in the natural. I knew I was stepping into a place that would require total trust in God. The hours reading the book, praying for guidance, and diligently working to complete a project I didn’t know how to do were extremely difficult. It was difficult physically. It was difficult mentally. It was difficult emotionally. But most of all it was difficult spiritually. I kept hearing in my mind, “Did God really say?” Does that sound familiar? I had to make a conscious choice every day whether or not I was going to believe and obey God. Sometimes it seemed like it would never end. I wondered how much longer it would take. Could I hold on until it was finished? Finally the day came when it was done. Impossible - Difficult - Done was the title of the first sermon I preached from behind the pulpit at DeKalb First United Methodist Church. It was a testimony of triumph over impossibilities. It was a testimony of what following the inward witness of God’s Spirit that dwells within you can produce in your life. It was a testimony of a loving God that cares about every detail of the lives of His children. God had stretched me and taught me in ways that I had not imagined possible. He strengthened me to fight off the discouragement I felt inside. He enabled me to move ahead in spite of what others thought and said. He empowered me to stand strong in the absence of any kind of support except that which came from Him. He set me free from the fear of failure. I recognize these were all weaknesses that had to be overcome. Strange as it may sound, they are the same weaknesses we have to overcome as Christians and effective ministers. This challenging opportunity was one chapter in God’s training program in my preparation for ministry. Today I am not afraid to reach out and share the gospel of Christ. Oh yes, discouragement tries to wriggle its way in. I still have those who speak negatively to me and disagree with what I am doing. They continue to tell me all the reasons why I can’t and shouldn’t be in ministry. But, like before I just ignore them and push forward. I am boldly following the inward witness of His Spirit within my heart; doing exactly what He’s called me to do. God is still supporting me, encouraging me, and guiding me each step of the way. Fear of failure? What is that? God never fails! Nothing is impossible with God. When He speaks to you, (notice I said when, not if) don’t be afraid to step out in faith and do whatever it is He is calling you to do. It doesn’t matter that it is something you have never done before or don’t know how to do. He will teach you all along the way. If He calls you to it you CAN do it! He wants you to place your trust and faith in Him and always remember how much “Jesus Loves YOU!”
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 11:32:44 +0000
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