My Call pt. 2

Last time I blogged, I began to share with you a little about my testimony and how I ended up in ministry. Well, I skipped around a little bit so let me back track somewhat to when my dad and I went to Rhema's "Get Acquainted Weekend." This weekend was during my senior year of high school and I knew I was called but I didn't know how to begin. If you remember I had said as a kid that I wanted to go to Rhema. So here I am a senior in high school and my grades were the pits. I got by with C's, however it wasn't good enough to go to college to become a history teacher so that was out. Well, the Lord reminded me about Rhema and dropped it into my heart about going. So I spoke with my folks about this and we decided that maybe we needed to visit the Rhema to find out more; maybe I would get a leading or a witness about it.

So my dad and I registered to go to the Get Acquainted Weekend. As soon as we landed in Tulsa, I got a witness that I was making a right decision. What that decision was exactly, I didn't know. So here we are in Oklahoma, a place I knew not. In this weekend I was able to attend 3 classes as well as meet the Hagin's and as well as attend other functions. Sitting in the classes, the Lord began to speak to me again and I knew that Rhema was the place for me. It seemed that way because the favor of God was all over me. God was placing me into situations and opportunities to meet and speak with individuals that normally I wouldn't have had any contact with.

For example while in Tulsa, I attended "The Hour of Healing " that Oral Roberts Ministries televises from the Maybee Center. Dad and I were sitting way in the back when a gentleman motioned to us to follow him. We did and ended up sitting with him on the FRONT ROW. Come to find out, this man was the producer of the program. That night Richard and Lindsay Roberts(hosts) had their board of regents on (School and Ministry Advisors). This included: Creflo Dollar; Jesse and Cathy DuPlantis; Jerry Savelle and Marilyn Hickey. Talk about favor. Sitting within inches of these giants of faith.

At the conclusion of this weekend I told my dad that I felt that I needed to be at Rhema. Well, he still wasn't sure and he wanted to talk to mom about it. Anyways they felt that I wasn't ready and told me to wait a year. I was disappointed, but I waited the one year. In that year I worked and was miserable. I ended up around people and places that were so ungodly that my heart was grieving. I had 3 jobs and no I wasn't fired from any of them. The first one I had was doing construction with my brother. I hated it simply because I did all the back breaking qwork while he stood around smoking doing nothing. I understand that I was the grunt, but he bossed me around. He wasn't even the boss, he thought he was. So I quit, qhy bust your but when you aren't making much and there's no room for promotion. My next job was at a grocery store which wasn't bad, but it robbed me of even attending church, my spirit man suffered because of it.

Just to let you know: construction lasted from June '99-August '99. Grocery Store lasted from August '99- October '99. In the grocery business I hated it because I was paid peanuts while doing the job of the whole store, whenever there was a problem in frozen foods, call dry stock(me). What does dry stock and frozen foods have in common? NOTHING!!! So I left there only making $6.35/hr. I'm not a quitter, I just knew that these two previous jobs where taking me nowhere. Really in my heart I knew the Lord didn't want me at these places. I only was after the money. Yes, I missed it.

Finally I ended up at a place called Interforest which makes veneer for counters and whatnot. I got the job just a few days before my 19th birthday. I was here from November '99-July '00. Interforest wasn't a bad place to work. I got along with my co-workers even though they ribbed me for my faith. I was here for a purpose and I feel that I fulfilled it. I worked in the warehouse doing everything from loading trucks; to working in the showroom as well as working mainly in the warehouse doing other jobs. I started to gain favor with my bosses as well as the big muckety-mucks of the corporation. I did the job to the best of my ability and I was rewarded for it. I received loads of overtime plus many benefits not normally given. This my friend is the favor of God in action. I started at $7.25/hr and finished up making $8.60. Not long after I left, the corporation started to face hard times and of the many factories all over the globe, the one I worked for closed.

While working at Interforest I sent in my application to attend Rhema. All those months of waiting I was nervous and worried that maybe I wouldn't get accepted. One day after coming home from work on a Saturday, mom handed me an envelop from Rhema that was addressed to me. this was in April of 2000. Inside was a letter from the dean informing me that I was accepted. Hallelujah!!! I was on cloud nine after that. So here I am, a 19 year old young man with a call on his life and an acceptance letter to attend the greatest Bible School in the world.

I continued to work and work hard all the way up to my final day. They were sad to see me leave because of the influence and joy that followed me. So I left Interforest just a few weeks before my trek to Oklahoma to go to Bible School.

I wrote enough for one day.....I thought I would have finished!!!! lol....maybe next time