Tote-n-Float Pacific Northwest Adventures

After the break, I returned to WSU to pursue sports and education.  Several weeks later a very strange thing happened.  I was in the fraternity dorm, located on the fourth floor, looking for a way to make my sleeping arrangements more comfortable.  I was alone.  Suddenly, God showed up!  I do not mean I saw someone or heard an audible voice, but God’s presence was so overwhelming that I physically whirled around and spoke out loud, “What?  What do You want?”  I was startled.  I received an answer immediately; “Terry, you’ve spent the last 19 years living as if I don’t exist.  Is this how you want to spend the rest of your life?”  It was as if a spear shot through my heart.  “No!  No, I don’t want that.  How could I be so blind?”   And that was the end of the conversation.  I was left standing there feeling like a fool.  I thought, “How could I have left something this important out of my life?  Things are going to change.”   I did not know about Jesus or the Bible at this point, so these were not options.  Instead, I decided to join the Peace Corps to somehow undo all my misdeeds.  Fortunately, they never responded to my letter of application! 

Several weeks later I received a Living New Testament in the mail from mom.  On the inside cover she wrote a note: “Terry, I thought you would like this.  If you have five minutes will you take a look at it for me?”   The note touched my heart.  I had never read the Bible before, so I put the New Testament on my bookshelf for a later time, and there it stayed until I started feeling guilty about mom’s note.  Several weeks passed, then the day arrived.  It was 9:00 PM, and I had finished with my studies.  I thought, “Just five minutes.  That’s all the time I need to spend on that Bible to get rid of this guilt.  Then I can pack it away somewhere.”  So I picked up the New Testament, turned to Matthew and started reading.  The next time I looked at the clock it was after midnight.  I was not the same after this.  I remember my first response as I read Jesus for the first time, “This stuff is true!  Everything Jesus is saying is true.  It is as true as anything I see in the college lab!” 

Summer break was at the door, and soon I was back home with my family.  I have two wonderful younger sisters, Jenny and Beki.  Shortly after returning home, Jenny pulled me aside in the basement and said, “Terry, I need to tell you something.  My life is going to look different from now on.  I want you to know why.  I also want to be the one to tell you.  I’ve decided to give my life to Jesus Christ and follow Him.”  I thought, “Wow!  What an unusual thing to do - give your life to God!  I didn’t know a person could do that!”   That is as far as it went at the time. 

I did not know how to go about giving my life to God, so I started reading books.  One book stands out in this story, Like a Mighty Wind, by Mel Tari.  I found it in our living room, and it was like reading the book of Acts in the New Testament.  Mel Tari is from the Philippines, and I was captivated by the miracle stories.  A few weeks later I saw an advertisement in the Seattle Times that said he was coming to the Opera House to speak.  I wanted to go hear him in person.  A friend of mine named Joyce (high school cheerleader) joined me. The Opera House was packed – 8,000 people!  At the end of his lecture, Mr. Tari made four points:  “1) We are sinners, cut off from God’s love and in need of salvation,  2) We must receive Jesus as our Savior to receive forgiveness for our sins,  3) For Jesus to be the Lord of our lives we must be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and  4) We need to take this Good News to the rest of the world.”  Next he invited anyone with questions to come down to the stage and there would be someone there to help them.  He specifically mentioned prayer for healing and prayer for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I looked at Joyce and said, “I’m going down to the stage.  I do not know the difference between accepting Jesus as my Savior and receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.”  Joyce followed me, and we worked our way from the balcony to the back of the stage. 

Joyce and I joined a small circle with about sixty other adults.  In the center was a kindly older gentleman in a suit.  I never did get his name.  He spoke softly and explained what it meant to follow Jesus.  He talked about living for God, learning His ways, depending on Him for strength and direction.  All the while, I was silently praying to God, “Yes Lord!  Just like he says.  He’s saying it better than I know how, but that’s what I want to do.  I want his words to be my prayer to You.  I don’t know if something is about to happen or not, but I do know I want his words to be my prayer to You.”   After this short explanation, he invited us to follow him in a short prayer to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.  This is when my life changed forever.  I was standing with the others on the stage floor, my eyes were open, and my hands were clasped together at my waist.  As I started to repeat the words of this simple prayer I felt a love more powerful than anything I could possibly imagine.  It came over me like spiritual oil, entering my head and soaking down into my whole being.  I became aware of a divine Person entering my life.  The experience had a physical side to it as well.  My vocal chords, tongue, throat and cheek muscles began to move independent of my will.  I could feel each muscle responding on it’s own and I started to speak out loud, thanking God for what He did for us in Christ.  The others in our circle were experiencing something similar.  Many were praying in tongues, some were on their knees.  I was just standing there – in shock!  For me, the entire event only lasted about 15-30 seconds, though I’m sure I could have had a richer experience if I would have simply rested in His wonderful love.  I didn’t know how to do this.  I was dumbfounded at the reality and kindness of God.