Basketball Church

I used to play basketball regularly on Sunday mornings.  At that time I didn’t go to church at all.   The gym where I played was 17 miles away from my home.  A nice little distance.  One particular Sunday morning I was out on my porch at home and from there I could see a half-court basketball court.  I was thinking to myself, “Rather than go to that gym 17 miles away, it would be nice to get a game right here in my backyard.  I would settle for a good half-court competition to eliminate the long haul up and back in exchange for my normal full court workout.”  

The half-court where the church came to Dorian

After fantasizing for a moment, I thought, “Yeah, Right, there is never anyone playing on that court Sunday morning.”  So I proceeded to go back inside to get ready to go.

I looked at my girlfriend and said, “You know, maybe we ought to go to church.”  The thought just crossed my mind.  It came out of nowhere.  “I mean on Sundays instead of me playing basketball.”  And she said, “Well, I’d be agreeable to that, yea.”  So I said, “Good”, and then I proceeded to continue getting ready to play basketball. 

Well something drove me back out on the porch before I left.  I really wasn’t sure why at the time, but now I know why.  Anyway so I look over to the court and I see some guys on it.  I thought wow, OK.  But then I immediately dismissed them as probably being scrubs.  That’s slang terminology for guys who would not measure up to my competitive standards.  I like a good hard competitive game and I thought, “No way am I going to get so lucky that a good game was about to materialize in front of my eyes.” 

(Read the rest at WTNESS.ORG)

Dorian

Troy, Michigan

This story happened around 2001.

Godly Coincidence reinforces Jim's belief

(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My friend Jim Deahl-Coy of Ferndale, Michigan was driving to meet me to car pool last week, early in the morning.  It was just about sunrise.  He told me that he was driving north on Woodward towards 11 Mile Road, and was saying out loud to Jesus, "Lord, thank you so much for this amazingly beautiful sunrise that you painted for us, to start our day!  It is wonderful!"  Just at that moment, Jim drove past a church that had a large custom-message sign out front (you've seen them).  The sign was an electronic sign that rotated between four messages.  At the exact moment Jim looked at it, the message changed to say, "You are welcome!"

It sent shivers up and down Jim's back because of the coincidence in timing, he said, and the perfectly appropriate double-meaning, and made him believe even more deeply in the reality of Jesus living today and caring about even the little things in our lives.

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

"Ask Daniel to Pray for the Fire"

About 4-5 years ago, my son Daniel and I were planning on spending a weekend together at home . . . the girls were going out of town.  Our plans were modest; one of the most anticipated events was cooking up some hobo pies (sandwiches made in cast-iron skillets) over a backyard campfire, and watching late night movies under 'blanket tents' in the family room.  So, all week we were looking forward to hanging out, and I saw the anticipation building in his eyes as the weekend approached.  Simple plans, safe expectations, quality time.  

On Saturday night, we went back to our fire pit and starting gathering wood and kindling.  I'm a bit of a pyromaniac at heart, so with bonfire in my eyes, we crafted a beautifully ventilated tee-pee structure that would cook up those hobo pies in no time flat.  We stepped back to survey our work, and satisfied that this was the stuff of legend, I struck a match and dropped it in the center of our pile.  The first raindrop fell.  I looked up, not realizing the storm clouds that had gathered overhead.  The drizzle began before I had a chance to get the thing started.  It may sound childish, but inside me I began to feel a wild disappointment starting to swell.  After a few minutes of failed attempts, I was planning alternatives to salvage the evening and share it in a way that sounded equally exciting.  At that moment, I had the distinct impression to ask Daniel to pray for the fire.  Doctrine took over, and I dismissed it as wishful thinking . . . but the thought sharpened and poked me again instead of floating away.  Again, I resisted as the drizzle turn into a steady rain.  As I got up to leave, the words burst from my lips somehow - a request for him to pray for the fire.  He gave me a confused look, glanced up at the sky then down at the fire, and back to me.  He bowed his head and prayed a simple prayer for God to let us have a fire for our hobo pies.

My heart raced as I opened my eyes and stared at the pit.

(Read the rest at WTNESS.ORG)



mO Thomas
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan

Editor's note:  See this other submission by Mo Thomas.
"In his first encounter with any church, Michigan teen has back and legs healed"

How God provided an alternative to suicide in a most unusual circumstance

(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One morning, a number of years back, I made plans for my suicide.  That very afternoon I met Jesus Christ in a way that changed my whole life forever.

I grew up in an environment that taught me to compete, to strive, to overachieve.  As an adult this same attitude marked my life. Even after I was married and had children, my self-worth came from my job. I watched others succeed, saw their success lead to more money and admiration. I wanted to be like them. I worked harder and modeled myself after them. As I became more of an achiever and success in the business sense, I was becoming increasing less successful as a father and husband. My identity was tied to my job. Yes, I was religious in the conventional sense. I even took my family to Church on Sunday.

That year there was a dip in the business, which affected the company, me included, and we found ourselves with a new boss.  I threw myself into my job with even greater effort and time. Meanwhile at home things were getting worse.

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Sam Lynd
Royal Oak, MI
This happened in 1974

Total Confidence in God eliminates this lady’s fear of cancer

I sat at the nurse’s station reviewing my first patient of the day. I flipped through her chart as the techs prepared her for the procedure. Nothing special. She was a 56 year old lady from Bradenton, Florida, who had a coin size mass seen in one of her lungs on a routine chest x-ray. Using computed tomography I had been requested by her referring physician to get a piece of tissue from the nodule to be examined under a microscope, by the pathologist to determine histologically if the growth was benign or malignant. Having reviewed her history and her routine chest films, I walked into the procedure room to introduce myself, explain the procedure and answer any questions she might have. I found a pleasant 56 year old female, who seemed quite calm and answered all my questions with a calmness not ordinarily seen in these situations. Most people have a deadly fear of cancer and death and both anxiety and barely suppressed fear are usually the norm.

I explained what I was about to do and that the tissue sample would confirm or exclude malignancy. I explained how I would numb the skin over her chest and then using CT imaging for placement, I would attempt to insert a cutting needle in the middle of the soft tissue mass in her lung and obtain a core of tissue for the pathologist to examine. She listened carefully as I went on to describe all the possible complications associated with the procedure. She smiled and nodded her assent, asked no questions and signed the consent form with the same degree of concern as if signing a letter to her best friend.

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

A true story as related by John T. Spencer MD,
a recently retired physician, after almost 40 years of practicing Medicine. 

 

Virgin Mary appearing to Chaldean Woman in Southeastern Michigan, part 2

(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This is a follow-up to the posting of January 20, 2013, titled “Virgin Mary appearing to Chaldean Woman in Southeastern Michigan”.  I was invited to visit the home of the woman by one of the priests supporting her.  The priest gave a Mass at this woman’s home on Wednesday, March 6, 2013.  There were about 30 people present, all seated on the family’s furniture and folding chairs.  The priest stood in front of the several religion icons that were weeping oil while giving Mass.  It was a very worshipful event.  There were no curiosity seekers, indicating that every person was individually invited.

The visionary is a Chaldean woman that I would guess is in her 40’s, and she was very humble, peaceful and welcoming to all.  I was astonished to find out that just recently she had been in the hospital and was still weak from that experience, but still wanted to open her house to involve others in this miraculous series of events.   

The visionary has two sons, and I met them both.  One is a football player at a local high school, and the other is in middle school. This woman is married to a man who owns a small business.  Their names are withheld to protect them from curiosity seekers and mass media.

The visionary has been undergoing several types of suffering, and she is doing so willingly.  She has had unusual and recurring medical problems, lack of support from her extended family, pressure from the local clergy to give up some of the icons, loss of privacy.  The Virgin has asked her to share in Her suffering and in the suffering of Her Son.  Here are some interactions recorded between the two of them.

Visionary:  “I hear the people criticizing me and the visitors wanting oil . Please stop the oozing of the oil so that the people will stop visiting my small house.”

The Blessed Virgin Mary answered her: “ This is a wound from among the wounds of my Son which He gives you, to bear and to share with me in my sufferings.”

The Visionary was kneeling before the Icon. She was praying and complaining about her financial difficulties and the people’s gossip, who were accusing her with attempting to attract attention and make money.

The Blessed Virgin Mary spoke to her: “ Share with me in my sufferings , as ..."

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Bill Schaef

Royal Oak, MI

After prayer, unexpected visions and healings

I  have been involved for some time with healing through the graces of the Holy Spirit, both receiving healing and being part of the instrument for healing. I can remember the first time, some 30 years ago, when I was part of a prayer team meeting at Duns Scotus in Southfield Michigan under the guidance of Fr. Duane Stenzel OFM. 

The holy place known as Duns Scotus in the 1980's.  Southfield, Michigan.

       

One day a young man came in asking for prayer, but wouldn’t share anything specific. As we closed our eyes and prayed over him, I clearly saw a picture in my head of a boy sitting at a kitchen table and an older man standing over him and they were yelling at each other. 

As a “rookie” with Healing prayer, I wasn’t sure what to do, but shared aloud what I saw. The young man burst into tears and said that the man was his father and that they had been in their kitchen just this morning and had a nasty argument. From then, the leader of the prayer team gently proceeded to lead the prayer into the specific situation. The sense of peace that came over the young man and his gratitude as he left the session re-confirmed for me how much God loves us and wants us to know and experience His peace ... and that He will use all available instruments to do that.

I didn’t think anything was unusual about my experience as there seemed to be many “signs and wonders” going on with all the prayer groups and Healing sessions at Duns Scotus. It was a bit of a “spiritual oasis” during the 80’s. I know of others that had similar experiences to mine. It truly was a great feeling to know you are being used by the Holy Spirit in some way.

 

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Gerry

Troy, Michigan

Salesman

Armada in the clouds going homeward tell Peter Hritiu that WWII was over

Aug. 14, 1945,    World War II

In the U.S. Navy

On board CVE 58   Aircraft carrier Corregidor           

Operating from Pearl Harbor.

It was evening.  Operations for pilot training had ceased for the day.  The weather was fair, the water was calm and the sky heavy with the mountains and puff of billowy clouds.  I was on the flight deck enjoying the quiet and having yet another look at what nature had to offer.  At first glance at the sea, there were no seagulls, no dolphins, nothing to see in the water.  My eyes lifted to the sky.  All of heaven was filled with clouds as far as the eye could see and they seemed to rest heavy on the horizon along the entire view from left to right.  It was pleasant providing shade and quieting the glare from the water.  The wind was quiet and the clouds floated easy, undisturbed, holding massive shapes.  Too many to count or describe except for their colors:  dark gray, light gray with patches of blue where the clouds allowed a peek at the sky.  

Suddenly, as though I was watching a movie, I saw silhouettes of ships in the clouds.  I saw a battleship, a cruiser, a destroyer, a troop ship, an aircraft carrier, and others.  A full armada going in the opposite direction of the enemy.

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Peter Hritiu

USN Sailor First Class

Written April 13, 2013

In first encounter with any church, Michigan teen has back and legs healed

Two years ago, in the middle of the EACH initiative (editor’s note:  see www.EACHtoday.com for explanation), I attended an evangelism training session at a local congregation.  It was a rather small crowd, and included 2 college kids that I had never met before.  Turns out that one of them had not been to church before, and had been invited by his friend.  The message that evening was about Jesus healing

the blind man, a powerful story from the Gospels.  Immediately afterwards, this college kid who had never attended before came forward to receive Christ, saying something to this effect: “I want to know that Man.”  After the pastor prayed with him, the kid...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

]
Mo Thomas

Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan

Too-accurate coincidence of timing prompts willingness to donate

A few years ago, Joe Van Hagen of Royal Oak, Michigan opened some mail from a charity that he and his wife were donating to at that time.  The letter mentioned that the charity was fundraising for some new buses, since the old ones were wearing out badly.  The letter said that if everyone who received this letter donated $100, they would be able to replace all their buses.  Joe didn’t have the money at that time, so he decided not to contribute.  The next letter he opened was a completely unexpected $1000 check from

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

(Submitted by Joe Van Hagen)

Coincidental Roses for a Jailbird

Joan Wyss of Royal Oak, Michigan brings flowers every week to the jail ministry at the Oakland County Jail.  Often she brings daisies or carnations. This week she was in the florist’s shop and let herself be led by the Holy Spirit, as she likes to do.  She felt led to buy roses this time.  She brought them to the jail for the worship service for incarcerated women.  After the service, one of the prisoners talked to Joan.  She said she had just today completed a nine-day novena (editor’s note: A novena, in the Roman Catholic Church, is a form of devotion consisting of special prayers or services on nine successive days.  The Latin word for Nine is Novem.)  She said the novena in the name of the Little Flower (the nickname of Saint Therese of Lisieux)... 

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

Thanks to Joe Van Hagen of Royal Oak, Michigan for bringing this story to our attention.  Joe is also a member of the Oakland County Jail Ministry with Joan. 

What God’s Voice Sounds Like – (reported experience #7)

(this blog has grown up and is now a full website.  Please go instead to www.wtness.org.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

God spoke to me one day.  Loud and clear…  "You are going to move somewhere far away."

 

My job was a nightmare.  Actually, my boss was a nightmare.  He seemed to want me fired, and to be trying very hard to set me up for it.  Things were a mess.

I'd actually had a string of bosses who'd been difficult to work for, but this one took the cake.  It didn't start out that way, in fact it started out quite differently.  When I'd first arrived for my assignment in Memphis, my boss and I got along fantastically... in fact, all the bosses in the region were great.  Everyone focused on working together as a team, and doing our jobs, rather than the petty little things people sometimes spend their time focusing on instead of their jobs.  I remember telling my co-workers if I hit the lottery I would keep working because I enjoyed my job so much.  

That all changed virtually overnight.

First one boss, then another, then my own boss were transferred to different positions.  Almost overnight, I had a whole new set of bosses and suddenly I felt as if I went from "can't do wrong" to "can't do right."  I wondered how the same person, doing the same work, could suddenly find himself disrespected vs. respected, criticized vs. praised.  How could this happen to me?

Now I had been languishing now for several years, still not able to figure out what went wrong.  I struggled with boss after boss until I just couldn't see any hope for the future with this company.  I'd never been in this position before and I didn't see it changing for the better anytime soon.  In fact, I was convinced my best option was to take a company buyout as those were rumored to be on the horizon.

But God had a different plan for me.  First of all, He saved me.  He had been working on me all along, but I had been resisting.  I'd called myself a Christian all of my life, but had never actually given my life to Christ.  I just lived the way I wanted to live, while still claiming Christ as my Savior... going to church, yet judging others, claiming I was a good person and trying to be "good" on my own, my own way.  I had claimed Him as Savior, but I hadn't accepted Him as Lord, and I was living like I was my own god.  Then my life fell apart due to the way I had been living and He showed me just who I am, a sinner... and the seriousness of my sin.

When I realized how I had sinned against a holy God and Him alone, I knew I deserved punishment, I expected punishment.  However, what I found was grace, amazing grace... and the sound was so sweet,...

(Read the rest at Wtness.org)

 Steve, Southfield, Michigan