May 23,2011
My Mother, Mary, was diagnosed with lung cancer in February 1989. In May she professed her faith in Jesus Christ. We all celebrated this decision.
On a subsequent visit to my parents home on Eugene street in Sarasota, my wife Linda had a conversation with my Mom that we will never forget.
I was in the living room with my dad and Linda when in the bedroom to see Mary. She was sitting up in bed crocheting with her back against the wall.
As Linda entered the room mom looked up and said, “Hi Linda, I saw your kids today.”
My wife found this a peculiar greeting since we had been married for 13 years and had no children although we both wanted them.
My youngest sister, also named Linda, had three children, two girls and a boy. My wife said, “Don’t you mean your daughter, Linda’s children Mary?”
My Mom looked up and said emphatically, “I know who I am talking too. You are Mark’s wife. Linda I saw your children today, a boy and a girl.” My Mom returned to her crocheting.
Linda told me about this odd conversation on the drive back to our home in Sarasota Springs. Mom’s cancer matastized and she succumbed to the disease a few weeks later.
Less than two years later my wife became pregnant. Many of our friends said, since she had been married so long (15 years) without a child she was probably going to have a girl. Linda told them no, it is going to be a boy. In October 1991 our son Joseph was born.
In August 1993, after more than 17 years of marriage, Linda gave birth to our daughter Lauren.
Mark Walker
Sarasota
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Memorable Experience
We sometimes deprive ourselves of incredibly extraordinary experiences because we don’t believe they could happen; at least not to us. We underestimate what life has in store for us and what God is capable of accomplishing. With this in mind, I share my family’s experience in Washington, D.C. on June 25, 2006.
I had been invited to a medical meeting in our nation’s capital and my wife Lisa and our two younger children, Sam (11) and Lydia (7) came along to visit the monuments and see the sites.
The venue for the meeting was the St. Regis Hotel, two blocks from the White House. I thought, “wouldn’t it be something if somehow we could tour the White House and meet the President.” But I knew that would be impossible.
On our first full day in D.C. we walked from our hotel toward the White House. As we approached Lafayette Square, a block from the White House, we were struck by a small but quaint St. John’s church where every U.S. president since Madison has worshipped. It has come to be known as “the Presidents’ Church.” I was sensing a strange inexplicable compulsion to go inside.
No one was inside except an “official-looking” lady on a cell phone. She pointed out where the current president sat when he would occasionally visit. It was where his father sat.
The lady asked Lisa if we would be in town Sunday morning. Lisa said “Yes.”
“Well,” the lady said, “I just got the call. The President and Mrs. Bush are going to be here for the 7:45 service and take Communion.”
We were determined to be there Sunday. Sam was particularly excited at the thought of having his first Communion with the President of the United States. He had only brought jeans and felt they were inappropriate for church and asked that we buy him khakis. We did.
We awoke Sunday to thunderstorms and heavy rain. My first thought was that we were going to get soaked walking to church. I also thought the President might cancel because of the rain, or something important came up preventing him from coming. As these thoughts entered my mind I read from Sam’s Bible and prayed. I first read Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the Lord’s hand and He directs it as a watercourse,” substituting “president” for “king.” As I was thinking about the President with all the challenges he faces, I felt a strong compulsion to read Psalm 21, which I rarely read. As I read, I experienced an overwhelming feeling I was to give it to President Bush when I saw him. The essence of this Psalm is the king’s (president’s) expression of trust and confidence in God to protect him and to deal with his enemies. He acknowledges God as the One who placed him in his present position of power. I did not share this with Lisa at the time but later, after the events of the day, she indicated she felt that morning I would be speaking to the President.
. With borrowed umbrellas from the hotel, we proceeded to the church in the rain.
The little church was literally “crawling” with secret service agents. We had to wait for bomb-sniffing dogs to finish their work before we went through security. Hardly anyone was there. We estimated 30 people; at least half were probably secret service
At 7:40, the President and Mrs. Bush came through the front door on the right. Proverbs 21:1 came over me in a surrealistic way. They walked across the front of the church, turned down the aisle on the left next to where we were seated and sat a row behind us across the aisle.
Early into the service, we were asked to stand and greet those around us. Lisa, Sam and I turned to greet the President and Mrs. Bush with handshakes and exchanges of “Peace be with you.” At that moment, I did not think it appropriate to say anything else to the President.
Intermittently through the service, Sam would turn his head slightly to peek at the President. The President would note this, responding with a wink and a smile each time. The President took his church bulletin, signed it “Best Wishes”, and handed it to Sam. Mrs. Bush gave hers to the President informing him Sam had a sister. The President signed it and handed it to Sam saying, “Give this to your sister.”
We were invited forward to the alter to receive Communion. As our family proceeded down the aisle, we passed a lady in a pew on the right who appeared as if she wanted to be let in line. Sam and I backed up to let her in. In so doing, unknowingly President and Mrs. Bush were placed in line behind us. Thus, when it came time to take Communion, we found ourselves kneeling with them to receive the wafer and wine. The order was Sam, I, Lisa, Mrs. Bush and the President.
Upon returning to our pew, I turned to seat myself and found the President right next to me. I said, “Mr. President this morning as I was praying for you, I felt moved to read Psalm 21. I would like to give it to you.” He thanked me and shook my hand.
When the service came to a close, the President and Mrs. Bush were escorted from their seats. He waved to us and said, “See you guys later.”
I said, “God bless you Mr. President.”
He replied, “Thank you sir.”
It all seemed like a dream except we had two signed church bulletins, which told us otherwise. We stepped out of the church into a deluge and arrived at our hotel soaked to the bone. We didn’t mind. We had just been showered with blessings from God.
I will not know if the President read Psalm 21. I do know a short time afterwards; the President came under extreme criticism for his conduct of the war in Iraq. Later his Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld resigned. The President’s popularity hit an all time low. I believe the Psalm would have been a great comfort to him.
Ronald Aung-Din
Sarasota
I had been invited to a medical meeting in our nation’s capital and my wife Lisa and our two younger children, Sam (11) and Lydia (7) came along to visit the monuments and see the sites.
The venue for the meeting was the St. Regis Hotel, two blocks from the White House. I thought, “wouldn’t it be something if somehow we could tour the White House and meet the President.” But I knew that would be impossible.
On our first full day in D.C. we walked from our hotel toward the White House. As we approached Lafayette Square, a block from the White House, we were struck by a small but quaint St. John’s church where every U.S. president since Madison has worshipped. It has come to be known as “the Presidents’ Church.” I was sensing a strange inexplicable compulsion to go inside.
No one was inside except an “official-looking” lady on a cell phone. She pointed out where the current president sat when he would occasionally visit. It was where his father sat.
The lady asked Lisa if we would be in town Sunday morning. Lisa said “Yes.”
“Well,” the lady said, “I just got the call. The President and Mrs. Bush are going to be here for the 7:45 service and take Communion.”
We were determined to be there Sunday. Sam was particularly excited at the thought of having his first Communion with the President of the United States. He had only brought jeans and felt they were inappropriate for church and asked that we buy him khakis. We did.
We awoke Sunday to thunderstorms and heavy rain. My first thought was that we were going to get soaked walking to church. I also thought the President might cancel because of the rain, or something important came up preventing him from coming. As these thoughts entered my mind I read from Sam’s Bible and prayed. I first read Proverbs 21:1, “The king’s heart is in the Lord’s hand and He directs it as a watercourse,” substituting “president” for “king.” As I was thinking about the President with all the challenges he faces, I felt a strong compulsion to read Psalm 21, which I rarely read. As I read, I experienced an overwhelming feeling I was to give it to President Bush when I saw him. The essence of this Psalm is the king’s (president’s) expression of trust and confidence in God to protect him and to deal with his enemies. He acknowledges God as the One who placed him in his present position of power. I did not share this with Lisa at the time but later, after the events of the day, she indicated she felt that morning I would be speaking to the President.
. With borrowed umbrellas from the hotel, we proceeded to the church in the rain.
The little church was literally “crawling” with secret service agents. We had to wait for bomb-sniffing dogs to finish their work before we went through security. Hardly anyone was there. We estimated 30 people; at least half were probably secret service
At 7:40, the President and Mrs. Bush came through the front door on the right. Proverbs 21:1 came over me in a surrealistic way. They walked across the front of the church, turned down the aisle on the left next to where we were seated and sat a row behind us across the aisle.
Early into the service, we were asked to stand and greet those around us. Lisa, Sam and I turned to greet the President and Mrs. Bush with handshakes and exchanges of “Peace be with you.” At that moment, I did not think it appropriate to say anything else to the President.
Intermittently through the service, Sam would turn his head slightly to peek at the President. The President would note this, responding with a wink and a smile each time. The President took his church bulletin, signed it “Best Wishes”, and handed it to Sam. Mrs. Bush gave hers to the President informing him Sam had a sister. The President signed it and handed it to Sam saying, “Give this to your sister.”
We were invited forward to the alter to receive Communion. As our family proceeded down the aisle, we passed a lady in a pew on the right who appeared as if she wanted to be let in line. Sam and I backed up to let her in. In so doing, unknowingly President and Mrs. Bush were placed in line behind us. Thus, when it came time to take Communion, we found ourselves kneeling with them to receive the wafer and wine. The order was Sam, I, Lisa, Mrs. Bush and the President.
Upon returning to our pew, I turned to seat myself and found the President right next to me. I said, “Mr. President this morning as I was praying for you, I felt moved to read Psalm 21. I would like to give it to you.” He thanked me and shook my hand.
When the service came to a close, the President and Mrs. Bush were escorted from their seats. He waved to us and said, “See you guys later.”
I said, “God bless you Mr. President.”
He replied, “Thank you sir.”
It all seemed like a dream except we had two signed church bulletins, which told us otherwise. We stepped out of the church into a deluge and arrived at our hotel soaked to the bone. We didn’t mind. We had just been showered with blessings from God.
I will not know if the President read Psalm 21. I do know a short time afterwards; the President came under extreme criticism for his conduct of the war in Iraq. Later his Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld resigned. The President’s popularity hit an all time low. I believe the Psalm would have been a great comfort to him.
Ronald Aung-Din
Sarasota
Sunday, January 23, 2011
A Moment of Faith
In 1946, I was stationed in the Aleutian Islands as a chaplain for the United States Air Force. Our particular island , Shemya, was shaped like an oyster and was just large enough to have one important airstrip.
One night a tremendous earthquake broke open the deep water of the Bay of Alaska and sent tons of surge water ( a tsunami) toward our island. The high flood water, much higher than our island, was to hit us at about 3 a.m.
We had 3,600 men on the island, but only one surface craft for about 200. The idea of evacuation was abandoned.
Hundreds of men and officers gathered in the chapel on the high side of the island. Our highest elevation was about 18 feet and we were warned to expect about forty feet. Every light was on in the chapel. We had both large and small prayer services and the men periodically sang songs of all faiths and wrote letters. Many men sat alone thinking of their families and what the impending death by drowning would be like.
At about 4 a.m. the wave came. There was a strong gush of wind and high water, but nothing like the predicted 40 feet. The island of Adak, lying 400
miles to the east broke the wave in two, with one half going into the Bearing Sea and the other toward Hawaii.
We were spared. Lots of water (ranging from15 to 18 feet) and a lot of mopping up, but there were no casualties. Not a single life was lost. The water came as far as the Chapel steps. Our faith had been lifted by total trust and dependence on God, and he came to our rescue.
Lionel W. Nelson, USAF retired
Sunny Side Village, Sarasota
“Copyright©2003, Sarasota Herald-Tribune.Reprinted with express permission of the Sarasota-Herald Tribune.”
One night a tremendous earthquake broke open the deep water of the Bay of Alaska and sent tons of surge water ( a tsunami) toward our island. The high flood water, much higher than our island, was to hit us at about 3 a.m.
We had 3,600 men on the island, but only one surface craft for about 200. The idea of evacuation was abandoned.
Hundreds of men and officers gathered in the chapel on the high side of the island. Our highest elevation was about 18 feet and we were warned to expect about forty feet. Every light was on in the chapel. We had both large and small prayer services and the men periodically sang songs of all faiths and wrote letters. Many men sat alone thinking of their families and what the impending death by drowning would be like.
At about 4 a.m. the wave came. There was a strong gush of wind and high water, but nothing like the predicted 40 feet. The island of Adak, lying 400
miles to the east broke the wave in two, with one half going into the Bearing Sea and the other toward Hawaii.
We were spared. Lots of water (ranging from15 to 18 feet) and a lot of mopping up, but there were no casualties. Not a single life was lost. The water came as far as the Chapel steps. Our faith had been lifted by total trust and dependence on God, and he came to our rescue.
Lionel W. Nelson, USAF retired
Sunny Side Village, Sarasota
“Copyright©2003, Sarasota Herald-Tribune.Reprinted with express permission of the Sarasota-Herald Tribune.”
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Choices
At a very young age, I started to dabble in drugs and found it as an escape. I continued to live that life style into my high school years. I left home at 15 and moved in with older people. I did not finish school and continued to live the party life not knowing who I was or taking responsibility.
I had many relationships with fellas. Then I met Jay, a fabulous guy, and I got pregnant. I still didn’t
Do anything about my drug addiction. Jay and I were married and I had the baby. My life continued to spiral downward and I was thinking I needed the party scene and not marriage and children.
Jay and I stayed married for about a year with me not participating in the relationship at all. Then I moved in with a fella who was an after hours bar tender and left my baby with Jay. This was probably the worst time of my life. I felt horrible.
One day I was at a party and had taken the baby with me, when Jay came and pounded on the door.
When I finally opened it, he said, “Give me James.”
I went and bundled up the baby and handed him to Jay who said, “Christy come with us.”
I said, “No, I’m staying here,” and Jay walked away with my son for the last time.
It got bad after that. I could see James but only under supervision. It was a horrible way to live and a horrible way to feel.
I moved from Philadelphia to Florida to get away and to start over. It was a crazy thing to do because moving away never works. I ended up in Venice with my parents. Eventually I entered rehab because I wanted my baby back. In the rehab, they talked about a “higher power.” They did not identify what that higher power was and told us we can choose what we wanted to as a higher power... Without arrogance or inappropriateness, I picked the character Alf from the television show. I really did not understand then, and it is amazing to think back on that, but I really didn’t understand what a higher power was or what it truly meant.
I didn’t take any of the suggestions truly in that rehab so I was destined to fail anyway. From the moment, I picked Alf and the lack of follow thru on any of the suggestions. They told us to stay out of relationships while we were there. I thought I was fooling everyone by the performance I displayed while I was there, I was president of the halfway house and I walked the corridors as if I knew exactly what I was doing. However, I was only fooling myself.
I entered a relationship with a man at that program.
Let me tell you to stay out of relationships. I was drinking on weekends and coming back on Sunday. It was just a game and they dropped me from the program.
We moved with his parents. His mother was disabled. Our lifestyle was insane; we traveled and wrote back checks on his brother’s account without ever thinking there would be any repercussions. I had never really been in trouble with the law except for some minor things. We also began to pawn some guns from his parent’s weapons collection for the money always thinking we would get them back out somehow. How insane.
When we were caught, I was charged with 21 counts of dealing with stolen firearms and two forged instruments over $50,000. I had no idea
how I had gotten there.
I went to jail and the judge released me to the custody of my parent’s house. However, I didn't stay put and was returned to jail and placed in the same rehab again. I jumped the fence, which is crazy because the gate was not locked. I ended up in jail again this time without bond so there was no way of getting out.
I started going to different things just to get out of my cell. I attended the Bible study there at the Sarasota County jail. I would sit in the back and I would talk. Sue Taylor, the Bible teacher at that time, would say would you be quiet, I’ll give you time afterwards to talk. At that time God started to work on me through what Susan was teaching. She had the ability to bring the Bible to real life today.
I started looking forward to going to Bible study and asking questions. I one point I asked her, “How do you get this thing?” She looked me in the eye and asked, “Do you like the way you are living?”
I didn’t like the way I was living. It was horrid.
She said, “There is another way- a new way of life.”
“How do I get this new way of life?”
She said I had to repent and accept Jesus Christ as my savior and if I believed he died on the cross for my sins and that he rose again three days later that I would be saved. She said I needed to go back to my cell and ask Christ into my life.
I went to my cell and all I could muster were the words, “Please help me.” That’s it. That was the catalyst that changed my life.
I returned to Bible study with a fresh look and eagerness to learn. I sat up front and I’m sure I was driving her crazy but I wanted a new way to live. In retrospect I’m sure that is when the Holy Spirit came into my life.
No kidding, I was prompted to stop swearing. I had a very inappropriate vocabulary. God was working on my heart. It was a slow process but amazing to me at the time. I continued to progress but I didn’t understand what I was reading. My Bible teacher said you are a baby in Christ so you are going to be reading mush for awhile but regardless the Holy Spirit and God would work though these times of mush and to read the word was feeding me no matter what.
I was facing eleven years in prison for the 21 counts of dealing in stolen firearms. As my sentencing came closer I asked my Bible teacher if we could pray that I don’t go to prison.
She said “You know Christy; this isn’t about a lifestyle change that you don’t go to prison. This is about a lifestyle change because you believe in Jesus Christ.”
I said,"I get it."
She said, “Whether you go to prison or not, you need to be a believer either way.”
So when we said the prayer for my court date it was in earnest that whatever God’s will was is what is best for me.
God’s will for me was to release me to a 12-step program called choices. I also was given seven years house arrest and five years probation and I had to pay $20,000 restitution.
I was released with a faith I could not lose. I had Jesus Christ. I started each day on my knees in prayer and I did everything in that program that they suggested.
I got a job and began paying my restitution. Each step I felt a little bit better and my self-esteem began to build. It was scary but I successfully made it through that program and I went back before the judge and actually got my sentence reduced. The authorities saw what was happening when you believe in Jesus, although I’m sure they didn’t view it like that but that I was doing well in the program
Life started to become a wonderful thing. I rented a little apartment and I acquired a kitty of my own. I was going to AA meetings and I was going to church and to Bible study. Actually when I was under house arrest The Bible study teacher starting coming to my home. Things were getting a little bit better each day.
Fast Forward----I met Patrick and we started going to churches. We had both been sober for sometime.
One Baptist church said we shouldn’t be living together. I guess they were sticking to their values and we hadn’t risen to that level of values yet. At this point God was working on me to be celibate. We had worked hard to acquire a house and. Patrick didn’t want to rip that apart. It was a struggle but I was certain that was what God wanted.
.Patrick said, “I am going to honor you if that is what God is calling you to do.”
Patrick stopped going to church. He said they were trying to rip us apart. I t was very hard because I knew my faith, and what I stood for and I knew I had to have a husband who had those values. It became a big struggle in our lives.
But God is in control (no surprise there) He had us go to friends wedding and Pastor Jeff Wilson did the ceremony. He chatted with us afterwards in a friendly manner and invited Patrick that Saturday evening. to attend South Shore Community Church, where Jeff was the pastor. What a blessing.
We loved the church but we didn’t really feel we fit right in because we were both recovering drug addicts and didn’t do church before. We were put in a small group with the Aung-Dins, Penetecosts and the Taylors. Two of the homes we met in were enormous…three times the size of our house. We really didn’t fit but they welcomed us, made us feel comfortable and took us under their wing.
Patrick and I have been married now for nine years and we are leading a small group. There has been a
miraculous transformation in my relationship with James, Jay and his wife who is a wonderful Christian lady. James lives with his dad and step mom most of the year but stays with Patrick and me during summer school vacation.
Footnote. About a year after I was released from prison I started to go back into the jail with Sue Berger the Bible teacher to share my experience. I would go every Wednesday night for two or three hours and co-lead this Bible study. I have been teaching Bible study in county jail now for ten years. This is one of the many go figures. I just got a call from the Chaplain. He wanted me to know that this month, February; (2007) they are having an honorary breakfast for the volunteer of the year for Sarasota County Jail. And yeah…it is me. Go Figure. I’m was an inmate, a non believer of Jesus and facing 11 years in prison. And now fast forward 12 years and I’m being honored not only as a volunteer but as a Bible study teacher. You see God takes wretches and makes them into people who are useful. It is amazing.
It is so God.
Christy Smith
Sarasota
I had many relationships with fellas. Then I met Jay, a fabulous guy, and I got pregnant. I still didn’t
Do anything about my drug addiction. Jay and I were married and I had the baby. My life continued to spiral downward and I was thinking I needed the party scene and not marriage and children.
Jay and I stayed married for about a year with me not participating in the relationship at all. Then I moved in with a fella who was an after hours bar tender and left my baby with Jay. This was probably the worst time of my life. I felt horrible.
One day I was at a party and had taken the baby with me, when Jay came and pounded on the door.
When I finally opened it, he said, “Give me James.”
I went and bundled up the baby and handed him to Jay who said, “Christy come with us.”
I said, “No, I’m staying here,” and Jay walked away with my son for the last time.
It got bad after that. I could see James but only under supervision. It was a horrible way to live and a horrible way to feel.
I moved from Philadelphia to Florida to get away and to start over. It was a crazy thing to do because moving away never works. I ended up in Venice with my parents. Eventually I entered rehab because I wanted my baby back. In the rehab, they talked about a “higher power.” They did not identify what that higher power was and told us we can choose what we wanted to as a higher power... Without arrogance or inappropriateness, I picked the character Alf from the television show. I really did not understand then, and it is amazing to think back on that, but I really didn’t understand what a higher power was or what it truly meant.
I didn’t take any of the suggestions truly in that rehab so I was destined to fail anyway. From the moment, I picked Alf and the lack of follow thru on any of the suggestions. They told us to stay out of relationships while we were there. I thought I was fooling everyone by the performance I displayed while I was there, I was president of the halfway house and I walked the corridors as if I knew exactly what I was doing. However, I was only fooling myself.
I entered a relationship with a man at that program.
Let me tell you to stay out of relationships. I was drinking on weekends and coming back on Sunday. It was just a game and they dropped me from the program.
We moved with his parents. His mother was disabled. Our lifestyle was insane; we traveled and wrote back checks on his brother’s account without ever thinking there would be any repercussions. I had never really been in trouble with the law except for some minor things. We also began to pawn some guns from his parent’s weapons collection for the money always thinking we would get them back out somehow. How insane.
When we were caught, I was charged with 21 counts of dealing with stolen firearms and two forged instruments over $50,000. I had no idea
how I had gotten there.
I went to jail and the judge released me to the custody of my parent’s house. However, I didn't stay put and was returned to jail and placed in the same rehab again. I jumped the fence, which is crazy because the gate was not locked. I ended up in jail again this time without bond so there was no way of getting out.
I started going to different things just to get out of my cell. I attended the Bible study there at the Sarasota County jail. I would sit in the back and I would talk. Sue Taylor, the Bible teacher at that time, would say would you be quiet, I’ll give you time afterwards to talk. At that time God started to work on me through what Susan was teaching. She had the ability to bring the Bible to real life today.
I started looking forward to going to Bible study and asking questions. I one point I asked her, “How do you get this thing?” She looked me in the eye and asked, “Do you like the way you are living?”
I didn’t like the way I was living. It was horrid.
She said, “There is another way- a new way of life.”
“How do I get this new way of life?”
She said I had to repent and accept Jesus Christ as my savior and if I believed he died on the cross for my sins and that he rose again three days later that I would be saved. She said I needed to go back to my cell and ask Christ into my life.
I went to my cell and all I could muster were the words, “Please help me.” That’s it. That was the catalyst that changed my life.
I returned to Bible study with a fresh look and eagerness to learn. I sat up front and I’m sure I was driving her crazy but I wanted a new way to live. In retrospect I’m sure that is when the Holy Spirit came into my life.
No kidding, I was prompted to stop swearing. I had a very inappropriate vocabulary. God was working on my heart. It was a slow process but amazing to me at the time. I continued to progress but I didn’t understand what I was reading. My Bible teacher said you are a baby in Christ so you are going to be reading mush for awhile but regardless the Holy Spirit and God would work though these times of mush and to read the word was feeding me no matter what.
I was facing eleven years in prison for the 21 counts of dealing in stolen firearms. As my sentencing came closer I asked my Bible teacher if we could pray that I don’t go to prison.
She said “You know Christy; this isn’t about a lifestyle change that you don’t go to prison. This is about a lifestyle change because you believe in Jesus Christ.”
I said,"I get it."
She said, “Whether you go to prison or not, you need to be a believer either way.”
So when we said the prayer for my court date it was in earnest that whatever God’s will was is what is best for me.
God’s will for me was to release me to a 12-step program called choices. I also was given seven years house arrest and five years probation and I had to pay $20,000 restitution.
I was released with a faith I could not lose. I had Jesus Christ. I started each day on my knees in prayer and I did everything in that program that they suggested.
I got a job and began paying my restitution. Each step I felt a little bit better and my self-esteem began to build. It was scary but I successfully made it through that program and I went back before the judge and actually got my sentence reduced. The authorities saw what was happening when you believe in Jesus, although I’m sure they didn’t view it like that but that I was doing well in the program
Life started to become a wonderful thing. I rented a little apartment and I acquired a kitty of my own. I was going to AA meetings and I was going to church and to Bible study. Actually when I was under house arrest The Bible study teacher starting coming to my home. Things were getting a little bit better each day.
Fast Forward----I met Patrick and we started going to churches. We had both been sober for sometime.
One Baptist church said we shouldn’t be living together. I guess they were sticking to their values and we hadn’t risen to that level of values yet. At this point God was working on me to be celibate. We had worked hard to acquire a house and. Patrick didn’t want to rip that apart. It was a struggle but I was certain that was what God wanted.
.Patrick said, “I am going to honor you if that is what God is calling you to do.”
Patrick stopped going to church. He said they were trying to rip us apart. I t was very hard because I knew my faith, and what I stood for and I knew I had to have a husband who had those values. It became a big struggle in our lives.
But God is in control (no surprise there) He had us go to friends wedding and Pastor Jeff Wilson did the ceremony. He chatted with us afterwards in a friendly manner and invited Patrick that Saturday evening. to attend South Shore Community Church, where Jeff was the pastor. What a blessing.
We loved the church but we didn’t really feel we fit right in because we were both recovering drug addicts and didn’t do church before. We were put in a small group with the Aung-Dins, Penetecosts and the Taylors. Two of the homes we met in were enormous…three times the size of our house. We really didn’t fit but they welcomed us, made us feel comfortable and took us under their wing.
Patrick and I have been married now for nine years and we are leading a small group. There has been a
miraculous transformation in my relationship with James, Jay and his wife who is a wonderful Christian lady. James lives with his dad and step mom most of the year but stays with Patrick and me during summer school vacation.
Footnote. About a year after I was released from prison I started to go back into the jail with Sue Berger the Bible teacher to share my experience. I would go every Wednesday night for two or three hours and co-lead this Bible study. I have been teaching Bible study in county jail now for ten years. This is one of the many go figures. I just got a call from the Chaplain. He wanted me to know that this month, February; (2007) they are having an honorary breakfast for the volunteer of the year for Sarasota County Jail. And yeah…it is me. Go Figure. I’m was an inmate, a non believer of Jesus and facing 11 years in prison. And now fast forward 12 years and I’m being honored not only as a volunteer but as a Bible study teacher. You see God takes wretches and makes them into people who are useful. It is amazing.
It is so God.
Christy Smith
Sarasota
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Sunday Screams
We first noticed the behavior during the summer when our baby was 10 months. He cried every Sunday when we took him to the church nursery. He didn’t calm down until we removed him.
My wife and I didn’t know what to make of this. He was fine at home with baby sitters, why then did he fuss and scream with the volunteers in the church nursery. We thought he would grow out of it by his first birthday which was September 22.
The first Sunday after his birthday he was fine at home but when we arrived at church he began crying and carrying on as usual. The next Sunday he sat quietly in his car seat. As we pulled into the church driveway I looked in the read view mirror. Tom stiffened, started to shake and then let out a blood curling scream.
Tom’s great grandfather had died the previous March and I thought of the story grandmother told of how he would go into a tirade whenever the conversation was about God or the church. When his mother had died he was adamant that no minister come to the house for the funeral. In fact, grandmother stressed, he vowed he would go after the minister with a gun.
“We all believed him, she said, adding these chilling words, “We thought he was demon possessed.”
I called my friend Randy and told him what was going on with Tom and about my grandfather. That Friday Randy’s Uncle Bill, who was an elder of our church and his wife Shirley came to our house.
They prayed over Tom’s crib and laid hands on him. Shirley said she had a vision of the spirits leaving. I can’t say I saw or felt anything.
Two days later we drove to church. Tom was quiet. As we entered the driveway my eyes were glued on the interior mirror. Tom remained calm in his car seat. We dropped him at the nursery and went to church. No one interrupted the service to tell us Tom was crying uncontrollably. When I went to pick him up he was playing on the floor.
The nursery worker saw me and said, “What happened to Tom today, he is a different baby.”
I can’t explain it but we had no more problems with Tom after that. When Rachael was expecting our second son we had Bill and Shirley back to pray and lay hands on her stomach. Matt never exhibited the strange behavior Tom did and both boys since have attended church school and are active in youth groups.
Steve Ferguson
Sarasota
My wife and I didn’t know what to make of this. He was fine at home with baby sitters, why then did he fuss and scream with the volunteers in the church nursery. We thought he would grow out of it by his first birthday which was September 22.
The first Sunday after his birthday he was fine at home but when we arrived at church he began crying and carrying on as usual. The next Sunday he sat quietly in his car seat. As we pulled into the church driveway I looked in the read view mirror. Tom stiffened, started to shake and then let out a blood curling scream.
Tom’s great grandfather had died the previous March and I thought of the story grandmother told of how he would go into a tirade whenever the conversation was about God or the church. When his mother had died he was adamant that no minister come to the house for the funeral. In fact, grandmother stressed, he vowed he would go after the minister with a gun.
“We all believed him, she said, adding these chilling words, “We thought he was demon possessed.”
I called my friend Randy and told him what was going on with Tom and about my grandfather. That Friday Randy’s Uncle Bill, who was an elder of our church and his wife Shirley came to our house.
They prayed over Tom’s crib and laid hands on him. Shirley said she had a vision of the spirits leaving. I can’t say I saw or felt anything.
Two days later we drove to church. Tom was quiet. As we entered the driveway my eyes were glued on the interior mirror. Tom remained calm in his car seat. We dropped him at the nursery and went to church. No one interrupted the service to tell us Tom was crying uncontrollably. When I went to pick him up he was playing on the floor.
The nursery worker saw me and said, “What happened to Tom today, he is a different baby.”
I can’t explain it but we had no more problems with Tom after that. When Rachael was expecting our second son we had Bill and Shirley back to pray and lay hands on her stomach. Matt never exhibited the strange behavior Tom did and both boys since have attended church school and are active in youth groups.
Steve Ferguson
Sarasota
Monday, September 7, 2009
Mother Knows Best
Week of September 7
My mother came to faith in Jesus Christ on 1 May, 1989 just 6 weeks before she succumbed to lung cancer that had matastized in her body after diagnosis in February of the same year.
A few weeks after my Mom's coming to faith my wife, Linda entered the room where my Mom was busy crocheting.
When Linda entered the room Mom looked up and said, "Hi Linda; I saw your kids today."
My wife found this peculiar since at the time we had been married for 13 years and had no children. My youngest sister is also named Linda, so my wife said, "don't you mean your daughter, Linda's children, Mary"?
My Mom responded, "I know who I am talking to. You are Mark's wife, Linda. I saw your children in heaven today. A boy and a girl".
Having said that, my Mom returned to her crocheting. More than two years later my wife gave birth to our first child, a son, in October 1991 after more than 15 years of marriage. In August of 1993, Linda gave birth to our daughter after more than 17 years of marriage. God Bless!
Mark Walker
Sarasota
My mother came to faith in Jesus Christ on 1 May, 1989 just 6 weeks before she succumbed to lung cancer that had matastized in her body after diagnosis in February of the same year.
A few weeks after my Mom's coming to faith my wife, Linda entered the room where my Mom was busy crocheting.
When Linda entered the room Mom looked up and said, "Hi Linda; I saw your kids today."
My wife found this peculiar since at the time we had been married for 13 years and had no children. My youngest sister is also named Linda, so my wife said, "don't you mean your daughter, Linda's children, Mary"?
My Mom responded, "I know who I am talking to. You are Mark's wife, Linda. I saw your children in heaven today. A boy and a girl".
Having said that, my Mom returned to her crocheting. More than two years later my wife gave birth to our first child, a son, in October 1991 after more than 15 years of marriage. In August of 1993, Linda gave birth to our daughter after more than 17 years of marriage. God Bless!
Mark Walker
Sarasota
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Stop and Ask for Ellen
Week of August 23
I was returning from my college reunion and I was heading south on Interstate 75 when I distinctly heard a voice in my head.
“Stop at the next Cracker Barrel and ask for Ellen.”
“Is that you speaking Lord?”
Again I hear, “Stop at the next Cracker Barrel and ask for Ellen.”
It wasn’t long before I saw a billboard telling me there was a Cracker Barrel at the next exit. I turned off. I asked the hostess if Ellen was on today.
”There is no Ellen working in this restaurant,” the Hostess said.
It was nearing the dinner hour so I decided to stay and eat. When the waitress brought my food I asked her if an Ellen had ever worked at this Cracker Barrel.
“Oh Ellen works in the gift shop,” she said.
I hastily finished my dinner and went directly to the gift shop. There was an older woman standing behind the counter.
“Are you Ellen?”
“No,” the woman said, “ Ellen left a short while ago. She has problems you know.”
The restaurant couldn’t give out an address or telephone for Ellen of course so all I could do was leave her an encouraging note with my E-mail and telephone number.
I never heard from Ellen. I should have gone to the gift shop before I ate my dinner. Somehow I feel I let God down.
Dave Coleman
Bradenton, Fl.
I was returning from my college reunion and I was heading south on Interstate 75 when I distinctly heard a voice in my head.
“Stop at the next Cracker Barrel and ask for Ellen.”
“Is that you speaking Lord?”
Again I hear, “Stop at the next Cracker Barrel and ask for Ellen.”
It wasn’t long before I saw a billboard telling me there was a Cracker Barrel at the next exit. I turned off. I asked the hostess if Ellen was on today.
”There is no Ellen working in this restaurant,” the Hostess said.
It was nearing the dinner hour so I decided to stay and eat. When the waitress brought my food I asked her if an Ellen had ever worked at this Cracker Barrel.
“Oh Ellen works in the gift shop,” she said.
I hastily finished my dinner and went directly to the gift shop. There was an older woman standing behind the counter.
“Are you Ellen?”
“No,” the woman said, “ Ellen left a short while ago. She has problems you know.”
The restaurant couldn’t give out an address or telephone for Ellen of course so all I could do was leave her an encouraging note with my E-mail and telephone number.
I never heard from Ellen. I should have gone to the gift shop before I ate my dinner. Somehow I feel I let God down.
Dave Coleman
Bradenton, Fl.
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