A Letter from God

Ephesians 6:18 NIV
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

I drove into the fog of Honeycreek to find clarity.

Fog on the Road to the Episcopal Conference Center at Honeycreek
20 May 2011

I awakened this morning to a beautiful sunrise masked by thick fog. As I sped south on I-95 toward my last day at school, an overwhelming urge inside my soul caused me to exit the interstate and drive to my religious sanctuary at Honeycreek chapel beside the river.



Sunrise Over the Golden Isles
20 May 2011



I could no more fight the force inside me than iron can resist the pull of a magnet.  In fact, as I drove eastward, I heard myself humming the old gospel hymn, "He Leadeth Me." 

I strained my neck to look at the sun through the fog over marsh and through oak and pine dripping with Spanish moss.  An occasional burst of sun rays cut through tree branches as I headed deeper into the woods toward the river.

At the river, I witnessed a tremendous yellow sunrise. Birds chirped. A woodpecker rhythmically tapped. The river flowed calmly. God's world unfolded in a song, breeze and color. I needed to witness this.

As I returned to the car, I passed the wooden bench, where I had spent time in prayer before. Work called. However, I turned on my heels, returned to the bench, sat down and bowed my head. I needed to talk to God this morning more than I needed to get to work on time.

I prayed for my friends and family who have loved ones in the hospital. I prayed for my friends who are carrying enormous burdens. I prayed for doors to open for my future, and then, I prayed for our exchange student, Teo.

God clearly spoke to John and me in September about her. He directly spoke to John and told him to bring her into our home. John had never heard the voice of God before, but he recognized God's command to take Teo into our home as soon as he heard “The Voice”.

Now she is soon returning home. I told God we had done our best for her. We had taken her in as He asked, and I hoped we had been good host parents.

I lingered a little more in silence and reverence at that holy spot and then returned to the car with a much lighter heart.

I sang "He Leadeth Me" as I maneuvered the winding curves of the road toward the interstate.  I was happy and ready to face whatever the day brought me as I got onto I-95.

I had barely been on the interstate five minutes when I pulled behind a tractor trailer. Its serial number was painted in all capital black letters about three feet high on the back of the truck: 33 MTEO 38.

I stared in disbelief at the letters. Teo? My Teo?  What about those threes. Holy numbers?

Oh and also--if I add them up individually, they equal 17, which will be her age on July 2^nd, her birthday.

As I passed the truck on the left, I saw written on the driver's door of the cab this address: Cincinnati, Ohio.

My hometown.

Additionally the type of service provider was identified on the cab as well: It was a U.S. mail contractor.

I had just received a letter from God acknowledging receipt of my prayer!

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Lord, Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to acknowledge my concerns.  You are truly an amazing God. I am humbled by your attention to details.



Honeycreek Chapel

 

The River that Flows Beside the Chapel