I know that I've told this story before. If you have heard me tell it in the past, well and good. It is a story that bears repeating. It is the truth as I know it. It is a bit long, but trust me, it's worth reading.It is one story in my life about the power of a prayer.
It happened in Grand Rapids, Minnesota - the home town area that I grew up in. Nancy and I had been married for about 13 years. We had three children, two of them were in grade school - the third soon to follow. I was working for a family-owned wholesale business - Nancy was working at a local five and dime store in the fabric department - a harbinger of things to come. We attended the Methodist Church in town - my home church. My family church. I wasn't always a faithful attender but when my children began to reach Sunday School age, Nancy and I both made a choice to reconnect with the church.
I began to become more involved in the church - teaching a seventh grade Sunday School class, singing in the choir, and taking a class on lay speaking in the church. I led worship every so often. I enjoyed doing children's sermons - most times, my own children were the only ones who came up. I even preach once or twice a year. On one of those Sundays, our pastor was in attendance - listening to my preaching (talk about intimidating). He approached me after the service and asked me this question: "Daren, have you ever thought about going into the ministry?"
Of course, I hadn't really thought about it. But once he asked me, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I must have mumbled something to him, because his patient response was "Come and talk to me sometime." As I was driving my family home after church, I looked at Nancy and I asked her "What would you think if I went into the ministry?" She looked at me. I explained what our pastor had asked me. She wanted to know if I was serious. I really didn't know. Like I said, I couldn't stop thinking about it. She said something like "You know I'll support you no matter what you decide" - something like that (I remember it like it was over 30 years ago).
At some point, I made an appointment to talk with our pastor. He asked me some questions like: was I interested in going into the ministry (Yes)... did I have a four-year college degree (No)... how would I obtain a four year degree if I was working full time? (I had no clue). I began to try and process what it might be like to accomplish that seemingly impossible task. If this, then what would I do then? But that, I'm not sure I can do it. Our pastor looked at me and said one thing that would change my life forever: "Daren, if is not in God's vocabulary."
There it was. A huge theological statement that would put my own meager faith to the test. "If is not in God's vocabulary". I left the pastor's office with more questions than I had answers. I was working overnights for the wholesale company in town. I had financial obligations that many young couples had at that time: house payments, car payments - you know the drill. I just didn't know how I was going to enter into the ministry with a four-year degree. The perfect part of this story would be that I sat down and prayed about it and everything worked out. That didn't happen.
Yet.
I discovered that the local community college had a way to obtain a four year degree at the college campus. Two areas of study - one by Bemidji State (education) and the other by The College of St. Scholastica (management). Called the "2+2 Program", these two universities would send their instructors to the campus in Grand Rapids where a person would be able to obtain an accredited four-year degree. I thought management was the best choice, so I went to the local community college, found the sign-up forms, filled them out and sent them in. The perfect part of this story would be that I then sat down and prayed about it and everything worked out. That didn't happen.
Yet.
Once I sent the forms in to the college, I began to be concerned. What do I do I am accepted as a student in this program? The class sessions were scheduled for the early evenings, twice a week. My work responsibilities would not make it very easy to be able to go to college at the same time I needed to be at work. And how was I going to pay for the college tuition? There was no possible way that I could come up with the funds needed. The perfect part of this story would be that I then sat down and prayed about it and everything worked out. That is what happened, but I would wait, worry, fret, and work myself into a stupor for two weeks before I finally did what I should have been doing all along.
I remember it like it was yesterday, not 30 years ago. My prayer was simple - "Lord, I have no idea how this is going to happen. You know what I need in order to do this. If it is your will, I'm okay with whatever you decide. Please, Lord, don't let me be an obstacle to what your will might be." I felt an immediate sense of peace - I knew that all of the ifs, ands and buts no longer mattered. God's will would be done.
Here's what happened the next day: I received the confirmation letter stating that I had been accepted into the "2+2 Program" which would start in the fall of 1987. The letter also had resources to ensure that I would be able to pay for tuition (albeit by the student loan route). So two of my big ifs were answered. I went to work that night, wondering how I was going to spring this one on the boss and work it all out. Turns out, God had that covered for me.
I was called into the owner's office (usually it was never a good sign - strike one) and was told to sit down. The second in command was there (strike two). I wondered what this was all about, getting a little nervous. The owner started to tell me that he was making some changes (oh, ooh, here comes strike three).
Only it wasn't strike three. Turns out, it was a heavenly home run.
The changes the owner wanted to institute was moving the second in command to vice president in charge of select accounts. He wanted me to move into his role of purchasing agent for the company. It meant working straight days. I would be able to attend the classes without disrupting my work responsibilities. Oh, not only that, the company was giving me a raise. I know, right?
Yeah, I would say that God had all the bases covered. Here's the lesson I learned: all of the wondering, all of the uncertainty, all of the head scratching I did meant nothing - "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life" - Luke 12:25. Only the prayer that placed God at the center - "whatever your will, Lord" - only that prayer made the difference. Jesus taught us to pray that way. Whenever we experience uncertainties in life, we must know that this is the only way to pray.
I'm here to tell you ----- it works!
Great story!
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