Monday night is date night; few exceptions. Here was one...

Monday night is date night. Cristy and I pretty well keep it- few exceptions. No other appointments, no other people... again, few exceptions.

Last night we made one. I have a spiritual father in the faith, of sorts, a man I came in contact with just a few years ago. I was in a time in my life when I was wrestling with what my background in the Southern Baptist Church in which I was raised told me to do: "We're people of the Bible; do whatever the Bible tells you to do!" And, wrestling with the tension of what the Bible was actually telling me to do- heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the Gospel boldly, see cities transformed... (This is not a slam on my heritage- I am grateful for the foundation that was laid and have written about it here).

In other words, my background told me to lean into the Scripture- not experience. Yet, now, the Scripture was showing me things that the experience in my background had not prepared me for... Odd.

Lamar Junkins was- is- a gentle man who is humble and full of grace. He pastors a church not far from us. God brought him into my life at a time when I needed someone to offer guidance and counsel- and prayer. The story is longer that I'll post here. And, there's much more that I'm grateful for...

He taught me about the Holy Spirit while sitting in Ruby Tuesday in 5 Points South- we took the table for about four hours, and he left the waitress a great tip for the "rent."

He convinced me that we could pray for healing for the wife of a staff member who was "unable to bear children," according to the doctors. They now have two girls.

He showed me that you could trust that God would speak a word of wisdom, insight, or (dare I say it) prophecy through you to another person. You could trust that God would speak...

Last night we went to see him at St. Vincent's hospital, where he's recovering from a bypass surgery, neuropathy in his heel that led to a blister gone awry, and a gall bladder issue. We went to encourage and love him; we left with him encouraging and praying for us.

Completely backwards. And completely like Jesus.

Praying for your healing, Lamar. Thanks.

Comments

[Kristine McGuire]

He reminds me of a lady I knew once...a friend of my mother's. She was in the hospital with cancer and ministering to everyone around her.

Funny how God brings people into our lives right when we need them. Sounds like Lamar is very special. I'm praying for his full recovery.