I had spent my entire life chasing the rat and I was tired. My current job was providing me with a generous income of $70,000+ a year. For the past nine and a half years it had provided better than $55,000 per year. I had already retired from the U.S. Air Force and was now working in the aerospace industry. I had examined my life and found it miserable. After thirty years, I had nothing to show for it.

My church was offering the Experiencing God course by Henry Blackaby and I decided to take it. Almost immediately, I felt God calling me into full time ministry. I was 52 years old and was not looking for a career change but as I continued the study, I felt a stronger pull to serve God full time. I finally made a “deal” with God. I told Him that if He was really wanting me in ministry, then He would make it possible for me to retire from my current job. Several things had to happen to make this possible. First of all, I had to be 53 years old. Then I had to be on current lay-off status. Finally I had to have a minimum of ten years with the company. As of January 1, I had nine years employment and I would need to work one-thousand hours to be credited with my tenth year. There was no overtime available to gain extra hours and I was not on lay-off. This was my “fleece” before the Lord.

On May 15, I received a sixty day lay-off notice. On May 31, I turned 53 years old. On June 10, I worked my one-thousandth hour . God had done what I had asked Him to do. And on Sunday June 20, I went forward and answered God’s call upon my life. I told Him, “Father, I surrender my life, my family, and all that I have into Your hands so that I can serve You without concern for my needs.” I was not going to draw a line in the sand and only serve God half-way. This was going to be a faith walk for me and for my family.

Satan immediately attacked my families resolve with a “crisis of faith”. I would not be able to draw my retirement until my fifty-fifth birthday. That would require almost two years of living by faith on the $1400.00 a month retirement from the Air Force. I still had three teenagers at home. We were all sitting in the living room and there was a rather loud “discussion” about my having been irresponsible in not providing for my family and that bills were due and there would be no money for food. My wife was in tears and I had just tried to reassure her that God would provide because I had placed us entirely in His hands. My wife just continued to cry and I was beginning to wonder myself. It was at that moment that there was a knock at the door and I went to open it. There was a man there from my church. He said that “God told me to give you this.” And he handed me a wad of money and left. I was speechless but I thanked the Lord and went to my wife and said “Here, I think this is for you.” and gave her the money. She stopped crying as she counted the $200.00 in her hand. God had provided at just the right moment exactly what she needed to reassure her faith that He was in control.

I praise God for His faithfulness and His love. Trust in Him and He will never fail you.

Submitted by John Tyler, pastor of Lighthouse of HOPE church in Adelanto, California lighthousejohn@verizon.net