God's salvation is for all of us, I have a testimony of his saving grace.

[arrowcreek]

Part 8 " My Story "

The family and I arrived in Chesterfield Missouri in Later August of 1985, when we got to our rented house, some friends were there to welcome us home, and to help us unload the furniture and our belongings. With all of the help we had unloading the truck and placing it in the house, went very quick and smooth that really surprised me, because it took me and my family almost a week to load it, another good thing was nothing got broken, or scratched, that's more than I can say for the professional movers, who moved me the first time going west to Reno.

After settling in our home, I was ready and anxious, to start my new job, and meet all the people I would be working with, well it turns out that Bud, was there, who use to work with me, in the Reno company a few years back. I had visited him and his wife Mary, at their home many times in Reno, I knew he had moved back to St. Louis, just didn't know what company he was working for, there are a lot of food service companies in the St. Louis area, so that was a big surprise for me.

My coworker Walter was my new boss in a since, he was to get me started, and help out with any questions, I might have with work related issues, and company policies. Now I can say one thing he treated me good, and we got along real well. When I got home after work that first day my wife greeted with a kiss, and a smile, she said have you been smoking? I said no why, you smell like you have, that's when I told her about Walter, who was a chain smoker, he would lite one cigarette after another all day long, working on the drafting table next to me, the company did have a small over head filtered ventilator just above our drafting tables, but it didn't help the situation much, that meant going home every day smelling like cigarette smoke. My wife didn't like it, but I got use to the smell I guess.

Enjoying my new job it was just great, I had no pressure from management I was pretty much on my own, getting the shop drawings done for the utility location stub-ups and contractor approval. Wayne was the company purchasing agent, my phone buddy who helped me in getting this job, was now my new best friend, who really loved Jesus and wanted to know more of the bible, so every day we would have our lunch hour together, with our bibles in hand, discussing the word of God. Sometimes we would go to a near by restaurant, or brown bag-it, and go to a park close by. This was good I could get some fresh-air and be away from Walters cigarette smoke, but during the winter on bad days we had our lunch in Wayne's office. This I believed disturbed John, the owner, because he always eat his lunch in his office just a couple doors away, I'm sure he heard us discussing God's word and having a great time studying it together, I found out later he and his family were members of a Catholic church.

All this time Life was going great, my wife found a job in Chesterfield, as a hairdresser, my oldest son now nineteen, was working at a lumber yard, driving a forklift, the middle son, was a south-more in High-school, and the youngest son, in Junior-high. I failed to mention, my wife attended beauty school, back in Reno, a few years before our move here, she had a good business going with her clientele there, before I made her pack-up and leave, so I'm the blame I guess you could say, she had every right to get on my case, about having no clientele and starting all over again.

We found a small church close by that was on fire for the Lord, they called it, The Land of Praise, the pastor, Lucky and his family, along with all the church members, was the greatest bunch of people you could ever meet, they welcome us with open arms, with the love of God, to the likes of nothing I ever felt in a church before. At this point I was sure we made the right move, so now we had to find us a Home of our own, instead of living in the rented house, that was very nice, but it was not ours to own.

So the hunt began for a nice house in a quit neighborhood, that would be close to schools, and my wife's work, as for me my work place was thirty miles away so that was not a issue. After looking at many houses, we found a nice home on a cul-de-sac, off the main road in Baldwin, a connecting city of Chesterfield Missouri. My wife and I put a contract on the house, and they excepted our offer, our closing date was in March 1986, it was a little early for us to be moving, because we had a one year rental contract, meaning there would be five months left, we would be accountable for the remaining rent payments, but we didn't want to lose the house to another buyer, so that meant we would have to work something out, with the owners of the rental house.

Monday morning March 17 1986 was a beautiful day driving to work and thinking I had only ten more days until the closing on our new home. That meant I could do some remodeling, and painting, the rooms, the way we like it, this is something I liked doing, and was anxious to get started. Well after arriving at work, I started getting things ready on my drafting table, for another days work, when Walter came over and said the company had a meeting, over the weekend and they decided, to let me go due to a needed cutback on company expenses, starting in the engineering department, that meant I had to go, being the newest employee there.

That was the biggest shock of my life, being fired after only being there just six months, they said I could stay and work the week and finish-up my shop drawings I had going, but saying no-way, I was shocked to hear this, so I left there forgetting to say goodby to friends, I made working for this company. It had only been the week before, that John, the owner took Me, Wayne, and Walter, to lunch at his privet indoor tennis club, where he was a member, the very nice restaurant, over looked the tennis courts. John shared how well the company was doing, and the company appreciated our good work, he told me how the installers liked my shop drawings, and how well the equipment went in place, and lined up with the utility connections, saving the company time and money with faster install time.

Now on my way home I was thinking how was I going to explain this to my wife, and family, we had high hopes of living here in Missouri, and moving into our new home, now not able to close on, me not having a job, and most likely loosing our earnest money, that the owners requested for a deposit. I was so upset, that praying was hard for me, what was God trying to tell me, surely He knew what would happen to me and my family, before we moved to Missouri. So did the Lord open the door for us to stay in Reno, with the job offer the day we left? Are was it meant to be this way? The answer to these questions came in a plan God had for me, that took a year are more, for me to understand what his plan was, for my life, and the lives of my family.

To be Continued:

Angels Watching Over Us, is also part of my Testimony after 41 years as a Believer in Jesus Christ as my Savior.

http://www.thetreeofliberty.com/vb/s...tching-Over-Us

[arrowcreek]

#13 12-12-2015, 09:13 AM

arrowcreek Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 483

Part 9 " My Story " As I begin to write this part of my testimony, It's not easy for me, because this was the most trying time, in my life, as I wrestled with God, wanting to know why, this was happening to me, and my family. Just trying to go back in time, and put my memories in order, how all of this unfolded, is more than I want to do now. After returning home that day, and telling my wife I just got fired, wasn't easy for me, because I had made a lot of promises to her, of things being better then we had it in Reno. She was a little upset, but we both agreed, I shouldn't have any trouble finding a job, with all the food service companies, in and around the St. Louis area. So I got busy right off the bat, typing up my resume, and calling on all the companies, we had been doing business with over the last few years. The first week I made contact with a couple companies, and had interviews setup, for the following week. My conversation with them sounded promising, so that made me feel confident, that I shouldn't worry about it, God was in control. Now I need to mention this, Sunday the day before I got fired, I made a pledge to God, and The Land of Praise, that I would tithe, ten percent of all our family earnings, starting next Sunday. Now what was I to do, since I had no job, was I to follow through on my promises, or just skip it? We as a family decided to keep our word, and trust in the Lord, as he provides. The second week the interviews that where arranged went really well, there was a good chance I would be working, at ether one of the two companies, in research and development, working on building and designing Utility Distribution Systems, and Ventilators, a product line I help design and build in Reno. The Reno company had a exclusive on this product line, because they where the only ones filling the demand for this equipment. Now every company wanted to get in on this new item, but they needed someone with the no-how to do the engineering and design work, and I was hoping that would be me. On Monday of the second week, God blessed my check book, with $572.55, instead of $6.28, I could not find a mistake anywhere, so I just excepted it, Praise God. The day came and went as we where to close on the new home, we just believed God had some thing better for us in the days ahead. There was no way we could get our own home, with-out me working. I had to signed up for unemployment, that meant I would get a check twice a month, again Praise God. We also had some good news, a check was waiting for us, the earnest money, that we had put down on the house, the owners returned the full amount, my family and I learned how to give and take as the Lord provided every day. The church became a very big part of our lives by now, I had plenty of time to do work, needed at The Land of Praise, usually carpenter work, like putting a window in the children's nursery. so the mothers could look in on their kids, without going in the room. The church members also helped us out in so many ways, I could write page, after page here, how God moved among us, to lend a helping hand in meeting every bodies need, without us complaining are saying any thing about our needs. I'll just mention this one thing as a example of how God moved, but there was many, many, others I could write about, but this one stands out above all the rest, that I remember. We had a washer and dryer that kept breaking down, the washer had a bad gear that wouldn't stay in place, so I drilled a hole in it, and put a nail in, to hold it. My wife would complain of gear grease, leaving spots on the clean clothes, and the dryer wasn't getting the clothes dry, without running for a long time, needless to say the washer and dryer were very old and needed to be replaced. I had promised my wife many times I would do just that, replacing them when we got our new home. Well it came to that point in time, we could not wait any longer, the washer and dryer had to go, so we bought new ones, taking the money out of the savings, we had for food and rent, trusting in the Lord for our other needs. My family and I attended our church, The Land of Praise, on a Sunday morning in July 1986, still looking for a job, God was providing some of our family needs, with food and other things, we didn't have the extra money for. Now I will come back here later in my testimony, but for now, our Pastor Gary said the Holy Spirit spoke to him on Saturday afternoon that he should take up a church collection, for my family, so he ask the church members to do so at the end of church service. After the collection, they counted the money, it came to a thousand dollars and some change. By now we had learned to except, as well as give, this has always been hard for me, but I'm learning to trust God, for who he is, in providing our needs. So my family and I said thanks to all the church members, and God Bless. Monday morning I took the money and deposited it in the bank, to replace the money I had took out for the washer and dryer, it was then that I realized it was the exact amount, down to the very penny, I had paid for the both of them. For me it was a Miracle and a lesson to trust God, when it comes difficult times. To be continued: Angels Watching Over Us, is also part of my Testimony after 41 years as a Believer in Jesus Christ as my Savior. http://www.thetreeofliberty.com/vb/s...tching-Over-Us

[arrowcreek]

---

Part 10 "My Story"

At this point in time I have been unemployed for four months, sending my resume to more than twenty five companies, across the USA. At one point I traveled to Denver Colorado and worked two days, finding out that the company was not right for me, after a lot of praying the Holy Spirit, I felt was telling me no. You see by now, I was so desperate, taking a job anywhere, but Denver would mean moving again, at my expense, and that was impossible, with our money situation.

After arriving home on a Friday evening, it felt good just to be with my wife and sons, I just new God had a plan for us, we just needed to be patient, for it to happen, in the St.Louis area. I would get up early every mornings, to read my bible, sometimes I would take my car, to a park near by, and watch the sunrise, thanking God for another day, and what His plan was for us. There were many days, I would just read my bible, underlining all the verses the Holy Spirit pointed out, now understanding these verses for the first time, having read them many times before. The Lord had me reading all sixty six books, Genesis through Revelations, settling down in the Book of Psalm, where I found daily strength and joy in the Lord, as we walked together every day, in His Word, underlining each verse, I felt pertaining to us. Learning to trust the Lord, with all our problems, I now had a good idea of how David felt, when he was on the run from Saul.

We found out from another company, that someone was slandering my name, and giving me a bad reputation, in the food-service business around the St. Louis area. I never did find out who that individual was, but I always suspected the company in Reno, most-likely they would be contacted first, due to the fact that was my longest place at work. My wife and I discussed this over, and this very well meant, I would have to seek a job, outside of the St. Louis area. This was such a big blow to my wife, because she was settled-in, now enjoying, being with her family, and friends again, another move was not in the cards for her, are me, as far as that goes.

Later that day, on Saturday, my wife was in bed crying her eyes-out over this, she was so up-set that she ask me to call the Pastor for prayer, this was more then she could handle, but I didn't feel it was necessary, because I was learning to trust God in these situations. This all happened, the same day, at the same time, the pastor said the Holy Spirit, had him pray for my family, also take up a offering during the Sunday morning service for us.

All this time I still believed this was where we would find us a home, and live our life around our family and love ones. My wife and I pretty much gave-up the idea of me working for any food service company, so we started looking into owning a business, we looked at Dairy Queen, then making Cinnamon Rolls, the kind they sell in shopping malls, this being a new franchise, available at that time. With none of these businesses panning out, I called Local 26 Sheet Metal Workers Union, in Reno, asking the Union president, if he could get me back in the union, he said sure not a problem, this would help me get a job with Local 36 in St. Louis on the "B" list, meaning, I could work only if no "A" list workers were available.

It had been a long time since I done any field, are shop work, I was praying that wouldn't be a problem for me. It was a couple of weeks later, I received a phone call wanting to know if I would be interested doing some duct work, and installing a ventilator hood, in Pop Pies Chicken, I excepted the job, even if it was to last only two weeks.

Getting up and going to work was no problem, it just meant I would have to get-up a little earlier to pray before I had breakfast and head-off to work. My first day working on the roof installing a hood fan went real good. The second day I was praying in my garage as I was walking around, now for me to that was not unusual at all, done that many times. As I stopped for a moment, I though, I heard the Holy Spirit, say pray for your back, then I though it happen again, but putting that though away, I continued praying for family and love ones as usual.

It was inside around noon I had to finish caulking a ventilator, just before lunch break, I was climbing up the ladder when one of the legs kicked out, and I lost my grip and fell, to the concrete floor on my butt. The men working in and around me wanted to know if I was OK, I said sure, just so I wouldn't be sent home. I had my lunch and worked the remaining part of the day, in such pain, moving my legs was almost impossible. I managed to drive my car home, I had to have had Gods help, because my back was broken in two places, with a crushed disk, at the third lumbar, meaning I would be in bed for several weeks, before I could walk again. Wishing now that I would of listened to the Holy Spirit, and covered my back in prayer, that morning. How many times do we not listen to God, and go on doing our own thing, another lesson for me, pay attention, to the Lord, because Satan has come to kill and destroy us, but Jesus Christ has come that we can live under his protection, and have eternal life.

Again I had the opportunity to study his word as I lay there on my back, also time was running out on this rented house, we live in, we would have to move out soon, because our year lease was up, and the owners were going to move back. As soon as I was able to walk again I decided to go to Real Estate school, four hours a night, four days a week, to get my Missouri License. Four weeks later it came time for State, and National, exams, my classmates and I numbering around one hundred, were all waiting to get our test results. When the test scores came back only a third of the class passed both exams, required, for your Missouri Real Estate License. With much prayer and faith, I passed, Praise God.

We found a very nice tutor home on a quite street in Chesterfield Mo. that we liked not far from our church and schools, where my two sons were attending. My wife and I made a real low offer on this beautiful home not expecting the owner to except it, but they did. Praise God for answered prayer. Was this finely over and we could now relax and go on living our life around Family and Friends? That answer will come in my next and finial post on this "My Story"

To be continued:

Angels Watching Over Us, is also part of my Testimony after 41 years as a Believer in Jesus Christ as my Savior.

http://www.thetreeofliberty.com/vb/s...tching-Over-Us

[arrowcreek]

Part 11 "My Story "

It was now in the fall of 1986, and winter arrived early in Oct, with a Canadian shot of cold air, coming straight down the middle of the country. We woke-up to a nineteen degree, reading one morning, with all the leaves still on the trees. The real estate business was slow, not many houses selling in our area. I was working for Gundaker Realtors, Better Homes and Garden, one of the largest real-estate companies in the St. Louis area. We had 20 men and 80 women working in the Chesterfield office, that meant I had to share office space with all of them. You quickly learn the successful people in this business is referral, referrals, they are the ones who get all the new listings. Me being new means I would have to get my name out there, and hope to get a listing. I printed up a lot of flyers placing them at many houses, hoping to get a listing from somebody wanting to sell their property. The only paycheck you get is when you sell something or if your listing sells, I had nothing yet, after three months of work. So was God trying to tell me something, was I not listening, by now things where getting pretty tight.

January arrived and still no changes, I'm still looking for work seeking a weekly paycheck, with my wife working in a beauty salon, and the small settlement from the accident with my broken back, we were on a even keel, no gain, no lost, our faith was still strong, trusting in the lord, for what ever came along. I want to say this, we had made new friends in and around where we lived, bible studies took place once or twice a week in their homes, we learn to share how God was moving in our individual lives, that was a blessing to us all. I mentioned before that our church pastor had a radio ministry on Sunday nights, where I had the opportunity, to give my testimony, several times, how God saved my entire family, and love ones. This was a good thing, sharing, learning, how God moves in all of our lives, with a separate plan, for each one of us.

We were thankful for everything, my oldest son now nineteen, and soon to be twenty, was working to be a electrician, choosing not to go to college. My second oldest son, chose to go to college, leaving high-school early in his senior year, to be with two of his friends, he had enough school credits to do this. So my wife and I decided to let him do this, joining his two buddies at the University of Missouri, in Columbia Mo, he chose to major in Business School. The youngest son was a south-more in high-school at this time, meaning there was only four of us now, because the oldest boy was still living with us.

This was a cold winter in more-ways than one, I'm still doing real-estate, I had two listings of property only, still not haven't sold anything. Everyday praying and thanking God for another chance, to see what was in store for us, trying not to complain about anything, wasn't a easy thing to do. One afternoon I was praying and walking alone in the house, I thought I heard the Lords voice, say open your bible, then I heard it again, I happened to be standing in a doorway that had bookcases on each side, not having my bible in hand at that moment. I took one off the shelf next to me, it was the New International Version so I opened it up, it seem to open on it's own, the Holy Spirit say read, I was looking at Ezekiel 3 verse 1 and reading when I was told to stop at verse 11, with that I heard the Spirit say your called, to be a Watchmen. This happened January 29th 1987 at 12:50 pm.

This was the biggest changing point in my life, because being a watchmen wasn't something that happened over night. My study habits changed in a big way desiring, to read what the prophets of old, and new testaments, had to say about the return of Jesus Christ. This would take reading my bible and listening to the Holy Spirit, for days, weeks, and years, still going on, soon to be 29 years. Being a watchmen is not a easy task, you will find that family, and friends, no-longer want to be around you, when you start quoiting scriptures, that deal with the return of Jesus Christ, and the coming judgements on America, my wife now says where is the man I married long ago? If there are any other watchmen reading this, I know they most likely have experienced this also. There is so much more I could write about how God moved in making all these changes, not in just me, but others also. I may do that, so this watchmen will end it here, and pick it up later if the Lord leads me to do so.

Now going back to Thursday 01/29/1987 after the watchmen calling, I was so confused as to what I should do now, I still needed a job, with family to care for. Going to bed that night I had all of this on my mind, so sleep wouldn't come easy, so relax and pray yourself to sleep. Not mention any of this to my family, because I was so confused, as to what God's plan was us, move are stay put. Waking up early the next day, the Holy Spirit had me go outside, something I normally don't do, it's cold in Missouri this time of year, as I was walking down the driveway, there was a newspaper wrapped up, laying there, what's this I though, we don't get a news paper, it's yours I felt the Spirit say, read it, taking it in the house, I did just that, with my morning cup of coffee. The first place I looked, was in the help wanted section, going down the list coming to a add, for food-service work experience.

After having breakfast, I had a strong feeling about this add, to go ahead and call, the phone number, seeing if there was any possible chance for me to find work at this place. The add did not give a company name, or a where the location was, when I made the phone call I was surprised to find out it was a company, I had done business with many times, while working in Reno NV. It was a big food service company in Buffalo New York, that built equipment for restaurants, up and down, the East coast, we use to supply most of the kitchen ventilators for their veriest projects. They said yes we would love to have you work for us, but why wasn't I working for the Reno company, so I gave them my story, that's when they said, the management and owners, have all been replaced there, you might want to give them a call, before you make a decision to working for us.

So I did make that call, and yes all the old management was gone, including the owners, that I though new nothing, about building food service equipment. After talking to the shop manager Joe, who I new and worked with for many years, was surprised to hear I needed a job, he wanted to know when or how soon, I could get back to Reno, he need a layout mechanic for the kitchen ventilators, wanting me work for him in the shop.

That evening at home, my wife and I had a long talk, about me going back to Reno, working for the same company I quit just 17 months ago. We agreed to give it another try, so I was to drive my car out and rent a small room for a month, to see if this was really from God, and His plan for us returning to Nevada. I arrived in Reno a week later, after driving through the worst snow storm, In Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, I never want to go through anything like that again, but through it all God got me to Reno, safe and sound, Praise God.

All the shop worker were happy to see me, and have me working with them again, making me happy to be there also. I must of worked in the shop for a couple of weeks, when the engineering department found out, that I had worked, upstairs in the drawing room before, they ask me to help out.
After a week or so the new management ask me to work permanently, with the engineering department, they would allow me to keep my union status, and not having to give it up, to work with them. Also they would have a moving company move our belongings to Reno, when we found a house here.

It was like a different world working for this company, I told my wife to put our home in Missouri for sell by owner, because my real-state license was only good back there, we could do our own paper work if need be. This was hard on my wife again, selling the home and working in the beauty salon, with a good clientele by now, and having to give it up, and start over in Reno again, she is very good at what she does as a Hair Dresser, people love her every place she has worked.

I was now back attending church, at the South-hills Christian Assembly, the same church we had attended before leaving Reno, everyone was happy to see me again, wanting to know when the family would arrive, the only thing I could say was it would happen, when our house sells in Missouri, asking them to praying for us, that God would send a buyer. By now I was living with some friends, we had meet in church, back in the early 80's, this helped out big time in saving me money, also having more living space was very nice.

It was about three months later, when I moved back in town closer to work, at another Christian friends house. They were in the process of building a new home, I volunteered to help them out after work, and weekends. This was good for me, because it took my mind off the worries, of not selling the Missouri house yet, and missing my family, not being here. Now I must say working with wood or metal was something I really enjoyed, and there was plenty of that in building their 4000 square foot house. Helping them design and build all the staircases in this two story home was again a joy for me.

Our house in Missouri sold in November and closed in December, the movers packed up all our belongings, and headed west to Reno. My wife and youngest son flew in, arriving here on Christmas Day, a few days before the movers got here. We were now renting this nice home over looking the Truckee river close to downtown Reno. The house was empty because our friends moved into their new 4000 square foot house, leaving their old house empty and for rent, just for us. My wife and I see it as a blessing from the Lord. Praise God

My Story has made a full circle, He moved us to Reno in 1973, then I moved the Family back to Missouri in 1985, then the Lord moved us back to Reno in 1987, it was a learning lesson for all of us, we have to put our Faith and Trust in the Lord, and follow his plan, because his way, is always the right way, even if it becomes very difficult at times.

Conclusion:

My wife and I will soon celebrate our 55 Wedding Anniversary, and 28 years here in the same house, after moving so many times. I'm grateful the Lord has brought us back to Reno, we love the mountains and clean air. My wife returned to work as a Hair Dresser, building a good clientele, where she and another coworker, opened their own Beauty Salon. Our oldest son after a couple years in Missouri working as a electrician, moved out here to be with us. He also found electrical work here, later he started a Internet business in his garage, that bloomed into a successful company, naming it America Internet, then selling it five years later. The second oldest son graduated from the University of Missouri, now living and working in Missouri for Citi Bank Corp. their headquarters in St. Peters Mo. The youngest son finished High School here, after graduation he went on to college, the University of Nevada Reno, graduating as a medical tech, and now working in the Lab at the Reno Veterans Hospital as a Lab technician. My wife and I are retired and we have five grand Kids, three here, in Reno, two, in Missouri. We are so thankful for all of Gods Blessings, in our lives, and all the tomorrows, that may come our way, we serve a Awesome and Holy God.


A special Thank You to all who have read My Story or even part of it, the Lord does have a plan for your life, and any one who has Jesus Christ as there Lord and Savior, also has a testimony of His Saving Grace I'm sure.

God Bless

[Forty9er]

Thanks arrowcreek for your testimony to God's faithfulness and His leading. God leads every one of His children, sometimes through hard and difficult paths and there are times when we can't see His leading but He asks us to walk by faith. Your testimony reminds me of one of the verses from an old hymn:

Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

[dmatic]

Very nice story, Arrowcreek. I enjoyed reading it! Thanks

[Dr E]

Very good. Loved it