Eric's Testimony Continued ...

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Back to my story. I thought we had the problem with the bearings solved. Several weeks had gone by without any problems, ... until now. When a bearing freezes it causes the wheel to stop turning and creates a braking effect at that tire. That causes the car to turn in that direction.

Just as I passed the road on my left, (the one I thought might take me back to the freeway, but doubted it) the right front tire started pulling right. I quickly turned into the first street on the right. I was really mad. I though we had "this bearing thing" fixed. I stopped and felt the bearing. It wasn't hot. But I knew I felt the car pull. So I thought, "I've got to quit goofing around and do something now." So I pulled back out onto Memorial drive, but in the opposite direction to that road on the left (now on the right, see below) I thought might lead me to the freeway. When I turned onto it (sorry, I can't recall the name) I was so pre-occupied with the front end of the car, I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings.

I-10 (there was a very long distance between the Memorial and I-10), the road I had just passed Memorial Dr. (if it was straight) the road I turned onto to stop and feel the bearing.

Then it happened. The right front tire really froze and the car made an abrupt turn towards the right. Luckily I was right at a driveway and turned into it. The car came to a stop and I looked up. There before me was a church. This was really wild. I hadn't even noticed that it was there, because I had been concentrating so much on the front end of the car making sure it went straight.

I thought, "Great. I'll go in and see if they have a phone." I left the car and started looking around. I finally found a guy, his name was John. He was in a little office. I explained that I had car trouble and asked if I could use the phone. He was very nice and I called my sister, told her I wouldn't make it and she'd have to get another way home, and pick up Dayle, my brother. Surprisingly, she wasn't upset. Now you'd have to know my sister to appreciate that in itself. She's very hot tempered and doesn't like to be kept waiting or inconvenienced. But she handled the situation just fine. (small miracle no. 1 :) ) (She's much better now! :) )

Then I called home, but no one was there. I left a message to my stepdad explaining what happened and told him to call Jerry and Jerry would explain the situation. I told him to get the parts from Jerry, where I was, and that I'd just have to wait for him to get there.

John asked, "Well as long as you've got to wait, would you like to look around?" So what else was I going to do? John gave me the complete tour. It was amazing. This church (Chapelwood) was really impressive. I had never seen such a church. It had an indoor basketball court, gym, and meeting hall. The kitchen was bigger and better equipped than the kitchen at the four star restaurant where I worked. The chapel was amazing. It was in the shape of a cross and had a huge organ. John informed me that the organ was the biggest west of the Mississippi. He gave me the grand tour! It was real interesting, and he was a real nice guy.

Finally we ended the tour and headed back to the office. I just sat around waiting. I read a couple of magazines they had laying around. After a few minutes a man came in. John introduced him to me as Kelly Williams, the pastor of the church. He was very nice, a big smile and wished me good luck. John then gave him his mail and Kelly proceeded to his office.

He was in there about five minutes, when he burst out of his office and very quickly and firmly said to me, "WHAT WAS YOUR NAME!?" This scared the heck out of me, and he saw that. So he toned down his advance and repeated the question. I told him and he said, "Come into my office."

I did as I was told and followed him in. I looked at John and he had the same confused look on his face that I must have had on mine.

Kelly invited me to sit down, and I did. He started with, "You and I have a common friend."

"So here," I thought, "it comes. Jesus. Jesus loves you, blah, blah, blah,..."

But he instead said, "You know a girl named Cheryl?"

"Yes," I said.

"And her boyfriend, Chris?"

"Yes, he's my best friend."

Kelly then went on to read aloud a letter Cheryl had written to him that he had picked up his mail. Chris and Cheryl were very strong Christians and it turned out, attended this church. In the letter she was telling Kelly about our family (she was intimately aware of our plight, as one time she was there right after my father broke into the house to beat my mom.) and asking why God would let something like this go on to such "good people" as me and my brother and sister.

Kelly asked me many questions about my life and family. I was there for about 45 minutes. Kelly made several phone calls. He gave me $100 cash and told me to get some food in the house. He told me many things, most of which I forget, but the one I do remember was that things were going to be okay. I was just dazed.

So after our meeting, Kelly and I hugged (something extremely rare for me at the time) and I left. As I was approaching my car, I could see my step dad about to lower it off the jack. (it was almost night now, the sun had just set.)

I said, "Thanks for coming. Did you get the right parts?"

He said, "Yea, but there's nothing wrong with it."

He then showed me by spinning the wheel and it spun freely. I was shocked. I showed him the skid mark it had made in the gravel driveway and he said, yea, but that it was okay now. (The new parts were still in their boxes.) I drove the car home. (and for another 7 years and about 100,000 miles on the same bearings and spindles, all the way here to Tucson.:) small miracle no. 2)

When I got home, the lights were on, the water was on, the gas was on. It was my first hot shower in about three weeks. I had stopped at the grocery store and picked up food and we had a regular, family sit down dinner that night.

I'd like to say, "and we lived happily ever after..." but that's not true. Life was still a bitch for our family, but ever since that day, it has been different.

There is much to be appreciated here. Some of the important parts for me is that "feeling." Actually "feelings." I learned that feeling when I was turning the wheel. I can't describe it. I don't expect anyone to ever understand it. But it was as if someone else was directing my hands. He took control for me. Then there was the feeling of when I passed up the road, that I ended up going back to. I learned to identify that feeling of doubt. I knew it was the road I should turn on, but I doubted myself. Less than an hour earlier I had a similar feeling when I turned right onto Memorial, but in that case, God just took the wheel from me. Now he was trying to do it, without Him actually having to do it for me. He was trying to teach me. But I was so new at this, I doubted Him. But then the wheel started freezing up, and so I
was forced to "listen" to that feeling.

When I first felt the right front tire freezing up, I had turned onto the first road on the right just off Memorial. From there I could see the road I had just passed and thought about turning onto. I just kept
looking at that road. For quite a long time. Finally I remember saying, "Okay, I'll listen." (I didn't know who I was listening to, but I'd listen. :) )

That was the first time I let go, so to speak, and started listening to what He was trying to tell me. But again, even after I was traveling on the road He intended for me to be on, I was so preoccupied with my current situation (the problem with the bearings.) I was missing His sign. (the church) So again, He had to take control of the situation and I ended up on the church parking lot!

This was the turning point in my life. :)

I have never been the same.

Could Satan have done all these things? Sure, he has the power, but why? I was already away from God at this time. In fact I told many people I was an atheist. (I didn't really feel that way, but I didn't believe either.) So if Satan did orchestrate all this, he lost because it is what brought me to God. Maybe not to God in the sense that some people think it should be, but unquestionably for me.

Every word of this is true. I haven't embellished a single line.

God works thru me every single day. I know exactly when I'm going His will (or on His path for me.) and when I'm not. I still sometimes choose to ignore that feeling, but I guarantee you, that at the moment I'm doing it, I know I'm doing wrong, and usually then go back and correct my actions. If I don't I suffer the results of my actions. :) (NOTE: MY ACTIONS, not God's.) None of this is to imply anything about me. This is God's story. It's about Him and His love for me. It happened not to make bring attention to me, but Him.

So that is the story. As all other times I've told it, my heart is pounding, I feel that "feeling" and I feel good. I thank God, You took the time to come to me.

Hope you enjoyed it. I know I always enjoy telling it. :)

Eric

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So I pulled back out onto Memorial drive, but in the opposite direction to that road on the left (now on the right, see below) I thought might lead me to the freeway. When I turned onto it (sorry, I can't recall the name) I was so pre-occupied with the front end of the car, I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings. I-10 (there was a very long distance between the Memorial and I-10), the road I had just passed Memorial Dr. (if it was straight) the road I turned onto to stop and feel the bearing. Then it happened. The right front tire really froze and the car made an abrupt turn towards the right. Luckily I was right at a driveway and turned into it. The car came to a stop and I looked up. There before me was a church. This was really wild. I hadn't even noticed that it was there, because I had been concentrating so much on the front end of the car making sure it went straight. I thought, "Great. I'll go in and see if they have a phone." I left the car and started looking around. I finally found a guy, his name was John. He was in a little office. I explained that I had car trouble and asked if I could use the phone. He was very nice and I called my sister, told her I wouldn't make it and she'd have to get another way home, and pick up Dayle, my brother. Surprisingly, she wasn't upset. Now you'd have to know my sister to appreciate that in itself. She's very hot tempered and doesn't like to be kept waiting or inconvenienced. But she handled the situation just fine. (small miracle no. 1 :) ) (She's much better now! :) ) Then I called home, but no one was there. I left a message to my stepdad explaining what happened and told him to call Jerry and Jerry would explain the situation. I told him to get the parts from Jerry, where I was, and that I'd just have to wait for him to get there. John asked, "Well as long as you've got to wait, would you like to look around?" So what else was I going to do? John gave me the complete tour. It was amazing. This church (Chapelwood) was really impressive. I had never seen such a church. It had an indoor basketball court, gym, and meeting hall. The kitchen was bigger and better equipped than the kitchen at the four star restaurant where I worked. The chapel was amazing. It was in the shape of a cross and had a huge organ. John informed me that the organ was the biggest west of the Mississippi. He gave me the grand tour! It was real interesting, and he was a real nice guy. Finally we ended the tour and headed back to the office. I just sat around waiting. I read a couple of magazines they had laying around. After a few minutes a man came in. John introduced him to me as Kelly Williams, the pastor of the church. He was very nice, a big smile and wished me good luck. John then gave him his mail and Kelly proceeded to his office. He was in there about five minutes, when he burst out of his office and very quickly and firmly said to me, "WHAT WAS YOUR NAME!?" This scared the heck out of me, and he saw that. So he toned down his advance and repeated the question. I told him and he said, "Come into my office." I did as I was told and followed him in. I looked at John and he had the same confused look on his face that I must have had on mine. Kelly invited me to sit down, and I did. He started with, "You and I have a common friend." "So here," I thought, "it comes. Jesus. Jesus loves you, blah, blah, blah,..." But he instead said, "You know a girl named Cheryl?" "Yes," I said. "And her boyfriend, Chris?" "Yes, he's my best friend." Kelly then went on to read aloud a letter Cheryl had written to him that he had picked up his mail. Chris and Cheryl were very strong Christians and it turned out, attended this church. In the letter she was telling Kelly about our family (she was intimately aware of our plight, as one time she was there right after my father broke into the house to beat my mom.) and asking why God would let something like this go on to such "good people" as me and my brother and sister. Kelly asked me many questions about my life and family. I was there for about 45 minutes. Kelly made several phone calls. He gave me $100 cash and told me to get some food in the house. He told me many things, most of which I forget, but the one I do remember was that things were going to be okay. I was just dazed. So after our meeting, Kelly and I hugged (something extremely rare for me at the time) and I left. As I was approaching my car, I could see my step dad about to lower it off the jack. (it was almost night now, the sun had just set.) I said, "Thanks for coming. Did you get the right parts?" He said, "Yea, but there's nothing wrong with it." He then showed me by spinning the wheel and it spun freely. I was shocked. I showed him the skid mark it had made in the gravel driveway and he said, yea, but that it was okay now. (The new parts were still in their boxes.) I drove the car home. (and for another 7 years and about 100,000 miles on the same bearings and spindles, all the way here to Tucson.:) small miracle no. 2) When I got home, the lights were on, the water was on, the gas was on. It was my first hot shower in about three weeks. I had stopped at the grocery store and picked up food and we had a regular, family sit down dinner that night. I'd like to say, "and we lived happily ever after..." but that's not true. Life was still a bitch for our family, but ever since that day, it has been different. There is much to be appreciated here. Some of the important parts for me is that "feeling." Actually "feelings." I learned that feeling when I was turning the wheel. I can't describe it. I don't expect anyone to ever understand it. But it was as if someone else was directing my hands. He took control for me. Then there was the feeling of when I passed up the road, that I ended up going back to. I learned to identify that feeling of doubt. I knew it was the road I should turn on, but I doubted myself. Less than an hour earlier I had a similar feeling when I turned right onto Memorial, but in that case, God just took the wheel from me. Now he was trying to do it, without Him actually having to do it for me. He was trying to teach me. But I was so new at this, I doubted Him. But then the wheel started freezing up, and so I was forced to "listen" to that feeling. When I first felt the right front tire freezing up, I had turned onto the first road on the right just off Memorial. From there I could see the road I had just passed and thought about turning onto. I just kept looking at that road. For quite a long time. Finally I remember saying, "Okay, I'll listen." (I didn't know who I was listening to, but I'd listen. :) ) That was the first time I let go, so to speak, and started listening to what He was trying to tell me. But again, even after I was traveling on the road He intended for me to be on, I was so preoccupied with my current situation (the problem with the bearings.) I was missing His sign. (the church) So again, He had to take control of the situation and I ended up on the church parking lot! This was the turning point in my life. :) I have never been the same. Could Satan have done all these things? Sure, he has the power, but why? I was already away from God at this time. In fact I told many people I was an atheist. (I didn't really feel that way, but I didn't believe either.) So if Satan did orchestrate all this, he lost because it is what brought me to God. Maybe not to God in the sense that some people think it should be, but unquestionably for me. Every word of this is true. I haven't embellished a single line. God works thru me every single day. I know exactly when I'm going His will (or on His path for me.) and when I'm not. I still sometimes choose to ignore that feeling, but I guarantee you, that at the moment I'm doing it, I know I'm doing wrong, and usually then go back and correct my actions. If I don't I suffer the results of my actions. :) (NOTE: MY ACTIONS, not God's.) None of this is to imply anything about me. This is God's story. It's about Him and His love for me. It happened not to make bring attention to me, but Him. So that is the story. As all other times I've told it, my heart is pounding, I feel that "feeling" and I feel good. I thank God, You took the time to come to me. Hope you enjoyed it. I know I always enjoy telling it. :) Eric Return to Testimonial Page G back to top
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Eric's Testimony Continued...