Officer Angel
I arrived at the church early today, in preparation for
giving my testimony on my former drug abuse. I brought
literature about hepatitis and pamphlets about the disease
and what to avoid so as not to contract the disease. The
DARE Officer "Jim Angel" was busy setting up his display
opposite mine and we re introduced ourselves. We noticed the
church was not filling up. Some members of my church were
there and some from Emmanuel were there as well. There were
no young people in the crowd but we decided to go on with
the testimony anyway.
We had an opening prayer and sang a hymn and then my son got
up to introduce me. I began by saying how sad it was that no
young people came to hear the testimony God had called upon
me to give, but I was thankful for the crowd we had and I
was determined not to let Satan bring me down. I vowed I
would get my message out to the people and that God would
see me through it to find a way to try again. I gave my
testimony but cut it short.
Then Officer Angel got up and made his speech. He awed the
crowd in many ways. He told a true story about many years
ago when he pulled up behind a car that was parked on a 4
lane road with no on street parking. He got out to
investigate. He walked up to the car and as he looked
inside, he saw an elderly couple with their heads bowed. He
knocked on the glass as if to awaken them. It was bitter
cold out that night and he was concerned that they may have
had hypothermia. The woman raised her head and rolled down
the window. She told him she was praying for God to send an
angel to rescue them. As she was talking, the street light
reflected off his badge and she saw it said "Officer Jim
Angel." She was so shocked as was her husband. He asked her
to raise the hood to see if he could find a problem he could
fix and he noticed a loose battery cable. He tightened it up
and she was able to start her car. They thanked him and went
on their way.
A few years later, Officer Angel was working security at
Wal-Mart and she was coming out the door and she asked if
her remembered her. He said he was sorry but he had met so
many people, he didn't recognize her. She told about the
story of her being broken down with her husband on that cold
winter night and he recalled it. She told him that her
husband was struggling with his faith at the time but that
night changed his life, he got saved that night. She told
him that her husband had passed on a few years back but she
was thankful to Officer Angel because that night was what
made a believer out of him and she knew her husband was in
heaven. Oh, how that story touched us all!
He was standing next to the flag of the USA and he stretched
it out and began to tell the story of how Betsy Ross made
the first flag and he asked if anyone knew what the red
stripe stood for and I said "The Blood" and he said you are
right and the white stands for the cleansing of the blood
that washed us white as snow. Officer Angel really made the
whole day worth it. His stories marvelled us and made us
laugh and cry. I asked him at the end of the service if I
might be able to work with him some day and he said he was
sure he could use me in specific areas and he would be in
touch. Another door the Lord has opened for me.
As the service came to an end, a pastor came to speak to me
about a program he works in where they take troubled kids
and put them in a program instead of jail. If they are
willing to complete the program, they do not have to serve
jail time. He has every 3rd Thursday of each month and he is
going to see if I can take one of his days to give my
testimony to those kids. Another door the Lord has opened up
for me!
Then my pastor handed me my prison outreach mail from women
inmates who are in a local reformatory. The one lady I had
been writing to (her name was given to me by a prison
minister named Don Reed). She said that their church program
welcomed people like me to come to the reformatory to give
testimony! She said she will speak to Don Reed about the
possibility of me giving my testimony there! Another door
the Lord has opened up for me! When I began my testimony I
said I refused to let Satan stop me from trying and the good
Lord heard me and gave me several opportunities! What an
awesome God we serve!
Officer Angel said anytime I needed him to help, he would
work with me to make a date we could both agree on. He is
willing to try again too! Thank God for sending an angel
into my life today! I feel so blessed. I pray that I can
continue to serve God by giving my testimony to many people
who need to hear my message. Thank you for all your prayers
and support. May the Lord continue to bless you for all you
do in His name.
Peace in Prayer, Viki Medley
forgiven@goodnews.net
(Received on November 4, 2001)
