I arrived at the church early today, in preparation for giving my testimony on
my former drug abuse. I brought literature about hepatitis and pamphlets about
the disease and what to avoid so as not to contract the disease. The DARE
Officer "Jim Angel" was busy setting up his display opposite mine and we re
introduced ourselves. We noticed the church was not filling up. Some members of
my church were there and some from Emmanuel were there as well. There were no
young people in the crowd but we decided to go on with the testimony anyway.
We had an opening prayer and sang a hymn and then my son got up to introduce me.
I began by saying how sad it was that no young people came to hear the testimony
God had called upon me to give, but I was thankful for the crowd we had and I
was determined not to let Satan bring me down. I vowed I would get my message
out to the people and that God would see me through it to find a way to try
again. I gave my testimony but cut it short.
Then Officer Angel got up and made his speech. He awed the crowd in many ways.
He told a true story about many years ago when he pulled up behind a car that
was parked on a 4 lane road with no on street parking. He got out to
investigate. He walked up to the car and as he looked inside, he saw an elderly
couple with their heads bowed. He knocked on the glass as if to awaken them. It
was bitter cold out that night and he was concerned that they may have had
hypothermia. The woman raised her head and rolled down the window. She told him
she was praying for God to send an angel to rescue them. As she was talking, the
street light reflected off his badge and she saw it said "Officer Jim Angel."
She was so shocked as was her husband. He asked her to raise the hood to see if
he could find a problem he could fix and he noticed a loose battery cable. He
tightened it up and she was able to start her car. They thanked him and went on
their way.
A few years later, Officer Angel was working security at Wal-Mart and she was
coming out the door and she asked if her remembered her. He said he was sorry
but he had met so many people, he didn't recognize her. She told about the story
of her being broken down with her husband on that cold winter night and he
recalled it. She told him that her husband was struggling with his faith at the
time but that night changed his life, he got saved that night. She told him that
her husband had passed on a few years back but she was thankful to Officer Angel
because that night was what made a believer out of him and she knew her husband
was in heaven. Oh, how that story touched us all!
He was standing next to the flag of the USA and he stretched it out and began to
tell the story of how Betsy Ross made the first flag and he asked if anyone knew
what the red stripe stood for and I said "The Blood" and he said you are right
and the white stands for the cleansing of the blood that washed us white as
snow. Officer Angel really made the whole day worth it. His stories marveled us
and made us laugh and cry. I asked him at the end of the service if I might be
able to work with him some day and he said he was sure he could use me in
specific areas and he would be in touch. Another door the Lord has opened for
me.
As the service came to an end, a pastor came to speak to me about a program he
works in where they take troubled kids and put them in a program instead of
jail. If they are willing to complete the program, they do not have to serve
jail time. He has every 3rd Thursday of each month and he is going to see if I
can take one of his days to give my testimony to those kids. Another door the
Lord has opened up for me!
Then my pastor handed me my prison outreach mail from women inmates who are in a
local reformatory. The one lady I had been writing to (her name was given to me
by a prison minister named Don Reed). She said that their church program
welcomed people like me to come to the reformatory to give testimony! She said
she will speak to Don Reed about the possibility of me giving my testimony
there! Another door the Lord has opened up for me! When I began my testimony I
said I refused to let Satan stop me from trying and the good Lord heard me and
gave me several opportunities! What an awesome God we serve!
Officer Angel said anytime I needed him to help, he would work with me to make a
date we could both agree on. He is willing to try again too! Thank God for
sending an angel into my life today! I feel so blessed. I pray that I can
continue to serve God by giving my testimony to many people who need to hear my
message. Thank you for all your prayers and support. May the Lord continue to
bless you for all you do in His name.
Peace in Prayer, Viki Medley
[email protected] (Received on November 4, 2001)
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