Saturday, August 13, 2005
AWESOME STORY
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Dear Subscribers: If you are around the New York State or Tri-State
area and may have the interest to buy my car, I have placed it on
auction at eBay.com or you may visit me at Kingston, NY. Thank you and
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- Rick de la Pena, FoodForThought Moderator
My Item at eBay: CHRYSLER CONCORDE '94 57k Miles:
Please click the eBay link below-
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AWESOME STORY
By Ken Gaub
Aug 13, 2005
At the time I was driving on 1-75 near Dayton, Ohio, with my wife and
children. We turned off the highway for a rest and refreshment stop. My
wife, Barbara, and children went into the restaurant. I suddenly felt
the need to stretch my legs, so waved them off ahead saying I'd join
them later.
I bought a soft drink, and as I walked toward a Dairy Queen, feelings
of self pity enshrouded my mind. I loved the Lord and my ministry, but
I felt drained, burdened. My cup was empty.
Suddenly, the impatient ringing of a telephone nearby jarred me out of
my doldrums. It was coming from a phone booth at a service station on
the corner. Wasn't anyone going to answer the phone? Noise from the
traffic flowing through the busy intersection must have drowned out the
sound because the service station attendant continued looking after his
customers, oblivious to the incessant ringing.
"Why doesn't somebody answer that phone?" I muttered. I began
reasoning. It may be important. What if it's an emergency? Curiosity
overcame my indifference. I stepped inside the booth and picked up the
phone.
"Hello," I said casually and took a big sip of my drink. The operator
said: "Long distance call for Ken Gaub." My eyes widened, and I almost
choked on a chunk of ice.
Swallowing hard, I said, "You're crazy!" Then, realizing I shouldn't
speak to an operator like that, I added, "This can't be! I was walking
down the road, not bothering anyone, and the phone was ringing...."
"Is Ken Gaub there?" the operator interrupted, "I have a long distance
call for him."
It took a moment to gain control of my babbling, but I finally replied,
"Yes, he is here." Searching for a possible explanation, wondered if I
could possibly be on Candid Camera!
Still shaken, perplexed, I asked, "How in the world did you reach me
here? I was walking down the road, the pay phone started ringing, and I
just answered it by chance. You can't mean me."
"Well," the operator asked, "is Mr. Gaub there or isn't he?"
"Yes, I am Ken Gaub," I said, finally convinced by the tone of her
voice that the call was real.
Then, I heard another voice say, "Yes, that's him, operator. That's Ken
Gaub."
I listened dumbfounded to a strange voice identify herself. "I'm Millie
from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You don't know me, Mr. Gaub, but I'm
desperate. Please help me."
"What can I do for you?"
She began weeping. Finally, she regained control and continued, "I was
about to commit suicide, had just finished writing a note, when I began
to pray and tell God I really didn't want to do this. Then, I suddenly
remembered seeing you on television and thought if I could just talk to
you, you could help me. I knew that was impossible because I didn't
know how to reach you: I didn't know anyone who could help me find you.
Then, some numbers came to my mind, and I scribbled them down."
At this point she began weeping again, and I prayed silently for wisdom
to help her. She continued, "I looked at the numbers and thought,
'Wouldn't it be wonderful if I had a miracle from God, and He has given
me Ken's phone number?' I decided to try calling it. I can't believe
I'm talking to you.
Are you in your office in California?"
I replied, "Lady, I don't have an office in California. My office is in
Yakima, Washington."
A little surprised, she asked, "Oh, really, then where are you?"
"Don't you know?" I responded. "You made the call."
She explained, "...but I don't even know what area I'm calling. I just
dialed the number that I had on this paper."
"Ma'am, you won't believe this, but I'm in a phone booth in Dayton,
Ohio!"
"Really?" she exclaimed. "Well, what are you doing there?"
I kidded her gently, "Well, I'm answering the phone. It was ringing as
I walked by; so, I answered it."
Knowing this encounter could only have been arranged by God, I began to
counsel the woman. As she told me of her despair and frustration, the
presence of the Holy Spirit flooded the phone booth giving me words of
wisdom beyond my ability. In a matter of moments, she prayed the
sinner's prayer and met the One who would lead her out of her situation
into a new life.
I walked away from that telephone booth with an electrifying sense of
our heavenly Father's concern for each of His children. What were the
astronomical odds of this happening? With all the millions of phones
and innumerable combinations of numbers, only an all-knowing God could
have caused that woman to call that number in that phone booth at that
moment in time.
Forgetting my drink and nearly bursting with exhilaration, I headed
back to my family, wondering if they would believe my story. "Maybe I
had better not tell this," I thought, but I couldn't contain it. "Barb,
you won't believe this: God knows where I am!"
>From Sherry's Inspirational list
PRAYER
"We love you, O our God; and we desire to love you more and more. Grant
to us that we may love you as much as we desire, and as much as we
ought. O dearest friend, who has so loved and saved us, the thought of
whom is so sweet and always growing sweeter, come with Christ and dwell
in our hearts; that you keep a watch over our lips, our steps, our
deeds, and we shall not need to be anxious either for our souls or our
bodies. Give us love, sweetest of all gifts, which knows no enemy. Give
us in our hearts pure love, born of your love to us, that we may love
others as you love us. O most loving Father of Jesus Christ, from whom
flows all love, let our hearts, frozen in sin, cold to you and cold to
others, be warmed by this divine fire. So help and bless us in your
Son." (Prayer of Anselm, 12th cent.)
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