Complimentary Story
April 2024In last month’s issue we told how Satan attacked us and our equipment in an apparent attempt to stop us from traveling any further. It seems that since that did not work he made another attempt.
A few miles South of town, a blister formed on the bottom of Harry’s foot. We have been walking for two months and have recorded over 700 miles on the cart’s odometer. It seems very unusual to have blisters start bothering us after so much time and distance. It is a very deep one and is very painful. He took his boot off and wrapped a rag around it to help cushion the bottom of his foot. Once he is moving, the pain is not so bad, but getting started after we stop to rest has been very difficult. We realized after a while that it was not a blister at all, but instead was a stress fracture. (Jeremiah 30:17a).
We are looking forward to leaving Kansas, even though we have enjoyed it. It seems we have been in Kansas forever. It has, actually, been about 6 weeks. We have started watching the mile markers. We just passed number 18.
We walked into Liberal, KS with the hope of seeing Dorothy’s house. It is there, complete with a yellow brick road. Past Liberal, there is a truck stop that let us set our tent behind the building.
This is a red-letter day for us. About one mile past the truck stop we crossed into Oklahoma! Harry took a picture of the sign that welcomed us to the state to preserve the moment for posterity.
Just after entering Oklahoma, Harry heard a word from God that was just as clear as it was other times on the walk and it caused an empty feeling to come over him that is hard to explain. The Lord told him very clearly that the walk is over. Whatever we were to accomplish was finished. Here we are, still hundreds of miles from our planned destination, and the word comes that it’s over! The Lord also told him that He would start sending rides for us. Well, we are still out here and still walking so we will just wait to see what the Lord has in mind. (Psalm 27:14).
A few miles into Oklahoma, a state trooper stopped and checked our I.D. He told us about a park about 20 miles away he knew we could camp in. We explained we couldn’t make it there until tomorrow and he said there is probably a place in the next town where we can camp. WRONG! The officer explained he had to write something up about talking to us and gave us a copy of what was a warning ticket for a motorist.
When we got to the next town, we found there was no place to camp anywhere close and the land is open and flat so “disappearing” was out of the question. A couple overheard our conversation and offered a ride to the rest area the officer told us we could camp in. There was a major storm coming and this was our only hope of missing the worst of the rain. This was the first ride the Lord had promised He would be sending for us.
When we got to the rest area, we found it was a Welcome Center. It had already started to rain. It looked as if it could rain all night. We waited out the first heavy shower in the outdoor bathroom and discovered warm water showers in the restrooms. Praise the Lord! (Ezekiel 34:26).
Praise the Lord for another blessing. We have been at this rest area for a night and an entire day. We are behind the information center and near the drive; certainly not hidden from view. At 2:00 AM this morning, we were awakened by lights shining on the tent and someone calling to us. It was a police officer. He was very nice but informed us that tent camping is not allowed in this rest area. Harry told him a state police officer had told us we could camp here. His reply was, “You can spend the night in a car or camper but not a tent.” The officer said we could stay the rest of the night. Praise God. It would have been very disheartening to have to break camp in the middle of the night with no place to go. It was the “ticket” the state policeman had given us that convinced the local policeman that we were telling him the truth and that was when he told us we could spend the rest of the night.
Once again, we can look backwards and see where God provided for us before we ever knew we had a need! If we did not have that piece of paper, the outcome would have been entirely different. If people would only take the time to look back at situations they will find that God is there helping in many of life’s problems!
We do thank God for this place to wait out the storm and His protection while we were here. It rained several inches yesterday and last night. It would have been a very difficult time to have been in a field along the road somewhere. Even though we certainly were not hidden from view, no one paid any attention to us until 2:00 O’clock this morning and then we were allowed to spend the rest of the night. Thank you Father!
“And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee...” (I Chronicles 17:8 KJV).
Email Contact:
Harry@Virtually-Forever.com
