Let me stop you here. I have not been a mystical person. Ever. I am generally turned off or away from people when they start reading too much into things and begin to think every single solitary thing that happens is somehow divine and telling them something. I'm not there.
Music has threaded it's way through my life. Somehow music has been the thread that forms the fabric surrounding my memories, and moments in time. I'm not sure why, but there are just some songs that take me back to a very specific place and time in my past. Some of these moments are fond occasions that bring a smile to my face. Some of these moments are painful. Some are yet both.
Where can I start this thread? This song has weaved it's way through so much of the last 5 years of my life.
I do not recall the first time that I heard the song called "How he Loves". But what I do recall, is that it spoke volumes to me. It immediately was stuck in my head, and became one of my all-time favorite worship songs.
For the last month, we have been praying for affirmation. The transition to Michigan has been trying, and things have not gone anywhere near close to planned. Not even a little bit. We found ourselves in a place where we began to question if we had perhaps fallen out of step with God's plan. We began to wonder if we had taken a wrong turn somewhere.
So we began to pray. Nothing specific. Just that God might begin to show us that we are where he wants us.
In a conversation about two weeks ago, Shanon and I talked about friends. She was telling me how she had been missing one of our friends in FL, and even though they still text from time to time, they felt so far away. I remember telling her specifically that I really didn't think I had been very close with anyone since my brother Darrell died. Since that bond was broken, I had just kind of floated along. We both shed some tears and went to bed.
(That's Darrell on the right =)
The last time I was able to spend time with my brother Darrell, was just after he had went into HOSPICE care at my mother's house. On my final evening in town, I was able to borrow an acoustic guitar from a friend, and we had this awesome time of worship together. I think a couple of my sisters were there as well. He sang along with me to "How he Loves". He even asked me to play it again. I will never forget this night, the songs we sang, and the time we spent in prayer before I had to get in a car and drive 1200 miles away.
The Sunday after Darrell passed away, I and two of my sisters attended Darrell's Church. It seemed fitting. Wouldn't you know it, "How he Loves" was the last song that the worship band played that morning. My sisters and I, standing with our arms on each other's shoulders, rocked back and fourth and belted that song out at the top of our lungs. It was a beautiful moment that I will never forget.
Snap forward to a week ago. My son Alex and I were at one of our friends houses, we had done some work for them that evening. While we were there, somehow we got on the subject of my brother. I shared about some visions and dreams I had had, back when he was alive. It was a great talk.
Well before long, her husband came home. As I approached him I saw his shirt, and for a moment I almost broke into tears. This is what he was wearing:
Now, this shirt is kind of a big deal. Darrell had made this shirt semi-famous in the family. So much so that after he passed away, I made a special trip to his daughter, so she could have it. I had never seen ANYONE wear this shirt besides my brother. Could this be God telling me something? On the way home, we heard "How he Loves" on the radio. We also heard that John Mark McMillan (songwriter) was coming in concert to a church the next town over from us. weird, right?
Later on I read the thread on a picture that Joe's wife had posted of Alex and I helping them out. A couple of the responses used the word "family". Could this be God responding to the conversation that Shanon and I had?
We continue to pray. God show us that we are in the right place.
So yesterday, (Friday), I get a message on facebook from our Pastor. "Hello Steve, someone contacted me wanting to bless your family, is it ok for me to give them your phone number? Good people :)"
So naturally I say, ok.
I tell Shanon what Pat messaged, and we both kind of looked at each other. We began to speak of vegetables, it's the harvest time of year here, maybe someone had veggies for us. Maybe someone made us dinner? The suspense was killing us.
So my phone rings. On the other end is a man named Chuck. He is a friend of a friend, and they have an extra car they don't need. After praying about it, they thought they should give it to us........yeah. He seriously said that. I didn't even know what to say. What do you say to something like that? Besides thank you???!!!
So Chuck and his wife Pam come over today. This is not a old rag tag car. This is a car they could have sold and got a bit of money for. Incredible. They stay for almost an hour, they pray with us for us and the car, and I swear to you, they left as old friends. Not strangers. Seems like we have known them for years.
Perhaps God is telling us something, yes?
So after they leave, I go to move the car from where it was parked.
I start it up, and I hear......
Thank you God, for affirming we are where we are supposed to be. Thank you God for always giving us what we do not deserve.
Thank you God, for the fabrics.
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