Baseball Bats, Tazers, and Frying Pans

I've been living on my own for about 5 or 6 years now. Lonely at times but for the most part everything is pretty much going as should be expected.

This past Sunday evening.......all of that changed. I was walking out of my apartment and down the stairs to ground level.....it was about 5:45pm. I LOVE living so close to the church! Church starts at 6pm....and I wasn't even late!

So anyway this man was sitting near the bottom of the steps and as I passed by he looked at me....his face really red and eyes watering to the point of tears. He was probably in his late 5o's or early 60's so my first thought was heart attack. I asked him if he was ok.....to which he responded....no, no I'm not ok.

Now I will tell you that my first instinct was to say sorry about that and keep on walking.....but I immediately thought to myself "Self, you been praying for opportunities to reach out to the lost....so start reaching." So I asked the man, what was wrong and he said he was thinking about his past. Said that he'd done a lot of bad things in his life. So I said, Oh what brought that on. The man told me that he'd gone to church and that he's done some really bad things. So I told him that God would forgive that if he gave his life over to God....that Christ paid the price so that he could be forgiven from his sin and his past. He said no....not me, God won't for give me.....I started to explain that my God is an awesome, powerful God when he interrupted me to ask my marital status. Red lights flashed in my brain and the nagging feeling that had been tugging at me the whole time became to intense to ignore.....Get away and get away fast. So I simply told him that I had to go but that God could forgive his sin....was the only one who could if this man would put is trust in God......as I tried to turn to leave the man said that he'd killed people......so I simply thought....hhmmmm ok....got to go.....I told the man that the Apostle Paul had killed people simply for believing in Christ and today because of his belief in Christ he is in Heaven....I've got to go but I'll be praying for you. With that I walked away....a very brisk walk to my car. A few minutes later I was at church.

I talked to one of my preachers who said, call the police. I talked to our head of security who said that the man was probably just drunk but that I should be alert and keep my eyes open.....he gave me his card. I talked to another one of my preachers who told me to call him when I got home to make sure that I got home.

And then, I decided....pepper spray.....I'm getting pepper spray. So I began the research, no one sells it...but everyone is supposed to have it. Almost everyone I talked to said Walmart....Nope....they did have the portable blow horns though.....then I looked online....did you know they have pink tazers? Huh....but no....I wanted pepper spray.

Then starts the suggestions from friends and family......brother says get a gun....not quite ready for a gun...my friend Ashely.....her thoughts were the best...take a frying pan to bed with you....then you can cook him breakfast in the morning....HUM OK....then she said a good old fashion ball bat....good but still not the practical idea that I'm looking for. So I presented the issue of the missing pepper spray in study tonight. I was instructed how to hold my keys to create a sort of "brass knuckle" effect, I was told to install extra locks, and to make deliberate notice of all points of entrance on my home....thankfully there is really only one. Be alert, stay vigil, fight like a crazy women....nails, teeth feet. Kristine said "tazer him....just tazer him...I want a tazer...they're cool!" Ok so all the suggested registered the advise checked in....and prayer request made.....the best thing anyone could have ever said to me was this.

After study as we cleaned up and prepared to leave my friend Tara approached me and put a key in my hand. She said to me, trust your instinct, this is my spare key. If you ever, ever feel like you can't go into your home come to mine....don't even get out of your car. You know where I live.....you come right away....if I'm home or if I'm not....you come and wait.

Sometimes, all you need is knowing that you've got a place to go....and people that are taking you seriously, and taking you to the Father in prayer.


Isn't God Good?

Run with patience!
Jaime
Heb 12:1