My youngest brother, who was serving the Lord and now is a minister, heard the thud when I fell to the floor. He rushed from bed, into the room to see what had happened. He found me unable to sit up and seemingly pushing against empty air with both palms, so he woke my parents, who came rushing into the room and began praying for me.
Now in a cold sweat, I asked, "Mom, what's happening to me?"
I'll never forget her response: "Joe, you mean to say you have lived in a Christian family all these years, and you don't know what's happening to you?"
I knew!
My parents' prayers were being answered, but not in the way they had expected. Their oldest son had foolishly challenged God to prove his existence and God did so in a terrifying manner. Finally, the presence released me, and weakly, I staggered to my bed.
A Secret Prayer
The next morning I knelt before God by the side of my bed, and I requested that if he wanted to use me in the ministry, to have someone call me to go to a service to sing. (Since I come from a family of musicians, I love to sing.) That evening I received a phone call from a man — a minister's son I had not seen since I stopped attending church at age 13. He said he was speaking at a mission and needed someone to sing for him. He asked if I would do so. I was flabbergasted, but I agreed. However, I was skeptical of why he had called me.“Mom, were you listening at my bedroom door and then asked John to call me to go to the mission with him?” I asked.
“Joe, how could I know that he was going to the mission? I would never listen at your bedroom door, and of course, I didn’t call him. How could you even ask such a thing?” Mom replied.
I really knew Mom wouldn’t do such a thing as listen at my door. Even if she had, she couldn't have heard me. I had prayed quietly in my room, alone with the door closed; only God could have heard my prayer.
Following God
Well, that did it for me! One month later, even though I had been born again such a short time, the evangelical seminary of my choice accepted me and waived its requirement that an applicant had to be saved for at least two years before being accepted for ministerial studies. My application to attend under the G.I. Bill of Rights was accepted. I also needed recommendations from three pastors. I asked three who knew my parents. When I explained my salvation experience to them, they each agreed to recommend me.Using my G.I. Bill for theological studies, I now hold a masters degree in theology. I never have regretted my decision to follow God’s will for my life. My life in him has been significantly more fulfilling and adventurous than anything the world could have offered me.
It was on a church bus, traveling to a youth rally in another town, that I met my wife, Maria, who has known the Lord since early childhood. Throughout our ministry together, she has been God’s gift to me and to our congregations – supervising the church schools, the children’s churches, the musicians, the kid's evangelistic crusades, and much more. When the Lord presents his workers their star-studded crowns, Maria’s is certain to be entirely covered with soul winner’s stars.
I thank the Lord for pinning me to the floor that terrifying night so many years ago. I also thank him for answering my secret prayer request. It began for me a spiritual adventure I have never regretted and one I am still enjoying.
