God's protection story #5

My husband Herb ran from the call of God on his life for the first eight or so years of our marriage. In college, his heart's desire had been to be a professional baseball player having had a pretty successful record as a pitcher at Mercer. However, those hopes were dashed his senior year and yet he did not feel inclined to pursue the ministy. He had already decided as a sophomore in college that he could not visit hospitals or nursing homes, do funerals or speak in front of crowds. So he "ran" and had been running a few years before our life together began.

We married when I was a senior in college and since he was a year ahead of me, he had already started a job by the time we tied the knot. In fact we both went to work (my job was part-time) at a children's home in Macon. We had been there only a year when we moved to Milledgeville for Herb to begin his coaching/teaching career. Unfulfilled in that pursuit, we moved back to Macon after two years for him to begin work as an insurance salesman.

It was during these few years in Macon that God protected my husband from two near life and death experiences. Just a side note: the "Doberman pincher story" where God protected Herb took place after this time. Herb was with yet another insurance company and we were back in Milledegeville. In fact, we were move to Milledgeville for a third time, but that is another story altogether and by that time my dear husband had surrendered to the call of God on his life.

Herb was being trained by an older, experienced agent when they were held up one night at gunpoint. The thieves had hidden in the bushes till Herb and the other agent had come out of the house. When Herb and his boss had gotten to the car, the robbers pushed guns into their backs and demanded the money. Of course, they gave the money to these guys. And their lives were spared. But a few weeks later, Herb was in an even more serious situation.

While making a call to a house in a depressed neighborhood, Herb was approached by a guy who made him get in the front seat while he climbed into the back seat of Herb's car. He demanded Herb's wallet, called him Mr. Dean and told Herb to NOT look back at him in the rearview mirror. After emptying the contents of the wallet, this brazen young man exited the car reminding my husband to keep looking forward and not to look at him. All this took place in broad daylight.

Even though Herb did not come to a full surrender of his life at this point, I know God used it to show him the fraility of life. It would be a few years before he finally realized that God knew best and Herb decided to go with God's plan for his life and not his own. But when he did, it was a complete change!

My husband is one of my favorite preachers. I am so grateful to God for sparing his life and allowing my husband to find his calling in life. I am also thankful that God spared his life so that I did not have to raise my oldest as a single mom. God also blessed Herb and me with two more wonderful children after these two incidents. Thank You for Your protection, Lord!