Tuesday, December 16, 2008

hiking with athanasius

"It was January 11th that I committed suicide," he told me as we drove together. It wasn't an attempt, he told me, it had worked. For several seconds his heart had stopped beating, just like he had intended. It wasn't a stunt used as a platform for a desperate cry. It was what he wanted for himself. For the painful blood to stop repeating its cycle through his body. Today his heart beats just fine. God actually gave him a new one. One that is tender with compassion and that desires others to find God too. We walked together and prayed together, drank milkshakes and bought burly belt-buckles together, we are brother because God gave us both new hearts.

"I would sacrifice to the devil anything that I could find in the prison yard...10 years of solitary confinement," was the testimony of another conversation. I believed him. Neither of us minced words as we talked together late into the night. I told him plainly, "Sir, I have more hope for you than you have for yourself, because my God is unstoppable and irresistible." Between dinner in Gig Harbor (another story) and entering this fellows house I had 10 minutes alone. 10 minutes of holding my precious Bible and praying for wisdom--10 sweet minutes of being alone with God. Two other brothers were with me and God gave us much boldness.

Your prayers are always coveted and being remembered in prayer always refreshes my soul. Sometimes I long for the stillness and fresh breath of the hills. It was said of Athanasius, the great defender of the faith at Nicaea, that of all things he loved the mountains the most. We are going to be hiking buddies in heaven.

2 comments:

Dave said...

Daniel,

God has given you the gift of being able to express yourself well. Keep it up.

mike said...

Praying for you bro. Always encouraged to read about how God's moving in Bremerton.

That pictures amazing. You should send it to me.