SPIRITUAL TSUNAMI FLOWING! Part III
Do you have your first cup of coffee ready? Is your heart and mind excited to receive another spiritual tsunami testimony…I sure hope so!
This morning reflection comes back to one of my precious family members, my dear brother Patrick, who two years ago opened his heart to Jesus as his Lord and Savior! Yes, I had been in prayer for Patrick for years.
Of all my Prescott family, Patrick and I are most alike. First, Patrick and I love to talk, but I would honestly say, Patrick loves talking more than me, got you Patrick, ha, ha, ha! Second, Patrick and I really enjoy SPORTS! In fact Patrick, with his two precious sons, are passionate, Georgia and GT fans. I normally get pretty harassed by these three when GT plays football against my TarHeels, who frustratingly lose to them too often!!!
One more item to quickly share, which emphasis how tight we have been over these last few years. His son Alan is the premier all sports expert! Alan is so passionate about his Falcons, and his other sport teams. Heads up, do NOT go up against Alan in regards to any stat competition about his teams, you will LOSE your money, so just give that money to someone in need! Anyway, four years back, in a visit with them I just ask, “Alan is there ever a time during the year when the Falcons and Braves both play on the same weekend?” I would love to visit and see both play.” Immediately Alan said, “Uncle Jerry that sounds so cool!” Like any young adult, Alan right went straight to his phone, and in a few minutes Alan looks up with a huge smile to Patrick and I, “ every year it looks like there is ONE weekend when both teams do play at home!” And just like that, SPORT PALOOZA ATL PRESCOTT WEEKEND ONCE A YEAR WAS BORN!!! We begin with a golf tournament on Friday, Patrick and I play the boys! Now Alex the oldest son can HIT the golf ball a LONG way! So Patrick and I just try to hang in there! Then we enjoy a Braves baseball home game on Saturday, followed by Falcon home football game on Sunday…what FUN!!
Patrick’s Testimony
The Veil has been lifted
‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.’
Romans 12:2 NKJV
I had just heard that I was to become a granddad. The joy was tremendous, excitement for my oldest son, Alex, and my daughter-in-law, Maddy. Excitement for my wife Susan, her eyes were gleaming at the news she would be a grandma (Gma). Then after a few minutes, something stirred inside me and caused me to think, what legacy am I going to be giving this child? There I was, in joy for one moment and perplexed the next with that question.
What had my life, to this point, added up to? Material things fade over time. Money may buy comfort but does not provide meaning to life. As this question was tumbling in my head, I had this feeling wash over me that I needed to go back to church. Susan and I had not been to church since our move to Marietta in late 2019, and then Covid hit. It had been nearly 3 years. So, we decided to try the closest Methodist church, which was Mt. Bethel.
Understand, that while we had attended church in the past, if it was not for Susan nudging me or me leaning against the end of the pew, I would have fallen out of the pew in deep sleep. I had never “connected” at church. My faith was thin and childlike. Over a span of decades, a barrier had been building up between me and Jesus.
August 21st, 2022 9:20am, we arrive at Mt Bethel for Sunday Worship Service. The sermon, given by Jody Ray, was titled No Golden Calves (from Exodus 32). In the sermon, Jody described that everything the people of Israel needed had been provided by God, yet when delay crept in, they doubted and looked to map out their own destiny and created a false idol. I felt a strong emotion come over me, something was getting through to my heart, through the barrier that I had let build up. I had lived a life of putting everything in front of God, and His son Jesus. I knew better (I was “baptized”, “confirmed”), but I had allowed my life to be about work, pursuit of money, events, etc. All in the justification that I was taking care of my family. I put fleshly desires, and “false idols” ahead of Him. Jody then quoted Dwight L. Moody – “If you want to know what kind of parent you are, don’t look at your children, look at your grandchildren”. The barrier was coming down, Jesus, had never abandoned me, although I had allowed a barrier to come between us. He used the news of becoming a granddad, to wake me up and put me on a path to hear a sermon that I needed to hear. When sitting there in the pew (fully awake), as if no one else was in that sanctuary, it was not Jody, but Jesus talking through Jody directly to me. My eyes were opened, the veil had been lifted.
It is not my legacy that I leave to my grandchild, but His legacy, an everlasting legacy and one in which we will never be separated from those we love.
As I started this walk with Jesus, it led me to study prayer under the guidance of Pastor John Freeland, which lead me to a wholeness service in November of 2022. It was during that service that a “wave” of emotion led me to the alter in prayer. Romans 12:2 was in my mind, and I prayed for forgiveness of a life following fleshly desires. As I was kneeling at the altar a very strong rush of wind came from behind me, then through me, and toward the Cross above the altar. I was stunned, I started to babble, or what I thought was babble but now know was a presence within me, that was guiding me. I felt a huge relief, like a weight lifted off my heart, and comfort surrounding me. I told Susan on the car ride home, what had happened, and then I called Jerry. After hearing what happened, Jerry asked me – “Patrick, you know what happened?” and I said, “Yes, the Holy Spirit entered me” Jerry replied “AMEN! Brother!”. Nothing has been the same since. My eyes are open, the barrier is gone, the veil has been lifted. THANK YOU JESUS!
