God's Call to Unity

[DrWearWord]

I was 18 years old, and skating the thin edge of the blade between life and death.

I had already planned how I was going to die and it was in my mind about to happen.

The details are even to this day too much to want to remember to look into for very long.

But back in this same darkness was light.

My story is I believe more personal than most and something for decency sake I will paraphrase.

Some of us know much of what a nightmare that life can become.

Why we remember is to keep us humble and why we forget is when we stumble.

Well a bottle of wine and a game... He was going almost gone.

(how was that for paraphrasing?)

Well I was getting my hair cut. I was telling this man who was rather flamboyant about this book I was writing.

I am writing a book while I am also planning my own demise... (schemes)

Well I tell this guy that I am going to write a book and put all of this stuff about God in it.

I go on about how I am going to write about the Egyptians and Atlantis etc...

He would preface everything I said with that is OFF and that is ON...

After noticing him say this I turned my head around and looked him right into the eyes and said.

What makes you think that you know what is right or wrong?

He said, "the word of God"...

Then he said, "I am part of a Biblical research and teaching and fellowship ministries called The Way."

He continued by saying we have fellowships in our home and he asked me if I would like to come to one.

I looked at him sizing him up. (purely a fleshly response)

But something about him attracted me. It was the love in his face. I had never know anyone like this ever.

But the haircut got done and I had to run. Before I left he gave me this white card with a green globe of the earth on it and his phone number on the back.

A month later I was at the rock of ages and Dr Wierwille was training me as a WOW. I had sold every thing I owned to get there and pay the fee.

But I get ahead of myself

So I left the beauty salon and headed out into a bright sunny day with my hair cut and I went to look for a job.

I found a job and rented an apartment and made some new friends.

This turned out to be a nightmare that only a bunch of adolescent teens could get themselves into back in the early 80's.

Partying and of course my plan of my own death which involved a bridge and a note.

So my party friends called me and said to come on over and I was stoned and I could not think straight. I called this person on this card and just wanted to talk.

He came out from his house and we went to a bar alone. Then we talked about God but he only had two drinks and left abruptly.

The next day I could feel the turnstiles spinning in my life I was faced with my own demise and this life of total chaos night after night of adolescent parties and crazy reckless abuse of the flesh. It had brought me to my own image of self.

So it was five o-clock and it was just getting dark. I was either going to go over to another party bash or call this friend I had met with the card.

I remember the feeling like I reached in my back pocket and got the card out but I was only half using my hand and arms. I dialed the number and called this man. He answered the phone and said come on over, me and my sisters are about to have fellowship. I thought it was kinda weird, his sisters?

I never even considered that this could have been a human slave trade ring or some really dangerous cult that would have held me against my will. I was 18 and I was not sure if my intentions for going there were completely honorable.

So I left the phone booth and got into my rag top Chevy and drove off to their house. I remember this feeling again like I was only half driving like my foot had something else pushing the gas pedal.

My arms felt like noodles and did not want to drive the steering wheel into the driveway.

I have thought back on this and wondered if this was a guardian angel.

So I got out of my car and closed the door. I walked up to the house and knocked.

When the door opened a woman stood at the door. She had a smile on her face that I will never ever forget. It was so warm and her eyes were so excited and happy full of love and acceptance.

Yet I felt so dirty and out of place.

Then I met this man who I had met earlier twice.

He introduced his two sisters. I then began to think this was weird. I looked at the two woman and they looked nothing like him or each other.

I took the man aside and asked about the sister thing because I became really uncomfortable.

Then he said oh no they are my sisters in the word and that seemed to relax me a bit.

Then he said let's all get together and hold hands and pray.

There was another kinda disheveled gentleman at the fellowship too.

So we all clasped hands and several of them prayed.

For some reason the prayers didn't phase me a bit. I was still nervous and felt out of place.

Then they got out the song books and this only intensified the fear. I felt suddenly like I had the worst hangover in my life but I continued on.

They handed me a book and we all held them up and they gave a page number and I turned to it.

At that time I felt kinda prideful being a guitar player and all I felt I could pull this off.

So they began to sing the words and I was silent for a moment. Then one word came out and and I looked down and the page and read the words they just went by quickly as my eyes struggled to read them.

Then certain words jumped off the page and hit me like I have never experienced before. How Christ Jesus died for me... and lifted me up. My friends just smiled and sang... I read the words they went into my mind and the most profound feeling came over me. I became a believer.

I stayed almost all night at the kitchen table while they and the coffee poured everything they could into me about the word. I as so hungry and they were so loving and proud of this word and way.

My world had changed. Two days later I was moved into their basement a week later I was in the PFAL class and four weeks later I was saying goodbye to them and heading out on the WOW field.

But the old man was still lurking underneath. My sisters and brothers in the word had their doubts about me going through such change so radically fast.

They did not understand when I cried like a baby when I had to say goodbye to them... I felt embarrassed.

I needed peace...

So on one of the first days of the rock I gave God an ultimatum. I said if I do not find peace in one year I will leave the ministry and my faith.

I had wandered away from what I was supposed to be doing I was supposed to be getting in line somewhere and the WOWs were supposed to march. I got lost and then I lost my faith in the crowd.

I found myself inside the big top tent alone. I sat down and I began to pray to God.

This was when I gave God the ultimatum about peace in one year. Suddenly I heard a voice coming from behind a curtain and a choir began to rehearse "In answer to God's call" I heard Claudette Royal's voice like and angel and suddenly the WOWs began to march around in file around the big top tent and they completely enveloped me and I could feel the love of God and I began to cry and I got up and found my WOW family.

The rest my friend is HIS story...

Edited July 24, 2007 by DrWearWord

[excathedra]

thank you for your story

[DrWearWord]

thank you for your story

I am thankful that I am here to share it. :)

[waysider]

Thanks, DWW

Will we hear more detail regarding your time as a WOW?

[act2]

Welcome, DrWW, and thanks for laying it on the line!!!

I do hope that you still have that peace.

[DrWearWord]

The WOW field was a disaster for me but through it all God kept the peace in my heart and I seldom look back to that "dead" life before my conversion.

I did reach at least one soul while on the WOW field. Still doing the ministry of the Lord 26 years later. I have many thought provoking stories of converting others to the word now and they comfort me just as the memory of this man and his sisters who loved me and saved me comforts me still so many years later.

Edited July 25, 2007 by DrWearWord