There is nothing worse than realizing that you have missed your turnoff. I finally realized that this had happened when I could no longer see Little Rock behind me. When I pulled into the gas station I came to find out that the JFK exit was now twenty miles behind me. Bummed, I got back in the car and started to head back. It was my first true vacation on my own as a young man. I truly was country come to town.
I had gotten to know three of the Persson's boys over the last six months. We had seen the Lord work among some of their teens that had come to Rock Haven Bible camp. Looking for fellowship, and a kindred spirit, I wanted to take a breather and spend some time with them. Heading back to Little Rock I truly could not wait to see them and their parents who I had not met. I had no idea that this trip would cement a friendship that has lasted now for almost over 25 years.
Fifteen miles to go and I would be back at the exit that I had missed. It was now later in the evening and I was beyond tired. Wait, a second. I began to see steam rolling off the front of my car, and as I looked at the heat gauge, it was now pegged on the letter H. No, went the silent scream into the night. I pulled over, found some water, and the car limped and groaned to Lee Street. I was crushed, the vacation now looked like it was going to now have some good old stress put on it. Yet, I was about to learn that God's plans are not always what you think they are going to be for you. He loves to challenge and make our faith fresh and new.
I pulled into the Persson's driveway one defeated little pup. I saw the steam which now was billowing like a forest fire under my Honda's hood. I could barely see at all and I could only make out a shadow coming towards me in the darkness.O.K Lord, now what? The figure now tapped on my window and this is how I would be introduced to Roy Persson. I opened up the door and the first words that I heard were, "Well GLORY, you must be Mike and it looks like you got a problem here. Pull your vehicle up on that ramp and will try to get it fixed for you."
The three boys came on out and smiled and took me into their home. Their mother Gracia, introduced herself to me, and after that, asked if I was hungry. A total of five minutes must have passed since I had drove up into their drive. In just that short amount of time what once seemed so desperate of a situation was turned into hope. I did not see Roy come back in for some time. He came back with the report, "Mike, your water pump is out." Before I could say anything I was told by Roy, "Don't worry about it, will try to get it in the morning."
This is how I was introduced to two of my favorite examples of what walking by faith looks like. The first lesson that I learned from them was showing grace to those in need. I believe that has always been a mark of their lives. (By the way, Roy worked on the water pump with his sons and it was fixed before I left. If that was not enough, grace was shown even more as I never payed for the water pump.) Grace and kindness were a mark of their faith, but it was not only to believers.
Through those early years I always marveled at how Gracia loved to go to the Laundromat. Yeah, you heard me right the Laundromat. Even though her sons were willing to purchase her and Roy a washing machine she would have no part in it. WHY? What woman on God's green earth looks forward to going to the Laundromat? The answer, Gracia. You see she told me that whenever she went there she looked forward to opportunities to share the Gospel with others. They both not only talked about the lost and the need of a savior. They both actively shared the grace of our savior with all men. There is a lot of talk about how we need to share in this world but little is being done. Not so for Roy and Gracia.
I learned the importance of prayer in a family. What amazed me was that when I got to know them they only had three of their sons still in the same house. In the morning they would have prayer with them, not as little children but as young men. They had done this earlier in their lives but it still continued on. Whenever they saw me come to their house from my various ministries they would always pray for me. Often the first question would be, "How are you doing Mike?" After I would tell them how things were going, I would hear them say,"Well, we need to pray about that."
I just got done talking with their youngest son Nate the other day. Nate was bringing up to me how that he believed that one of the main messages of the Bible is that of one simple word, TRUST. I don't know about you, but even after all of these years I struggle with that one. I often feel like the Father who cried out to Jesus, "I want to believe but help my unbelief." I want to be like the hero's of the faith in Hebrews 11 but sometimes I struggle with the simplest of things.
Herein is the rub, I believe that what Nate said is true. The more I look at scripture the more I see how the Lord just wants me to simply trust Him in all things. Nate had, and still has, two great examples living before him today. Roy and Gracia from their early days of ministering to the needs of those around them even to now have trusted their savior in so many things. This does not mean, that there might not have been times of doubt, but their lives have been examples to others, of how we can trust Him, to meet all our needs, according to His riches in Christ Jesus.
What I love about these two hero's of my faith is how that I know that they would not even want me to bring these things up about them. You see they would tell you that all the GLORY belongs to Jesus. I am reminded of an old Cathedral song that would sum up their lives with these following words. "All the glory belongs to Jesus, All the praise belongs to Him, All that I am or ever hope to be, All the glory belongs to Him." Lord, I thank you for the examples of faith you give to us in our lives, not only from the scriptures, but even those who walk beside us daily. Let me walk as you would walk, and give you all the GLORY.
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