Window (5) I
LOVE TO TALK TO YOU, DEAR LORD
In October of 1954, I went to help Dick and his
wife Ella with a church they were starting in Grant, Nebraska.
They had rented an old store building on main
street that had living quarters in the back. Dick again had a big
part to do with me playing the piano. Then I had such a desire to
learn how to play the piano, that after I couldn't take any more
lessons, I kept working on hymns. Dick had me play for some of
the services, which gave me some practice.
While I was with them, Dick had another abscess
and had to go to Denver for the surgery. God brought him through
it. It seemed that when he lived in the Midwest he had more
trouble with his leg. But through it all his faith was strong in
the Lord. Many lessons on faith in God were learned while I was
living there, and I will never forget those days. When our
parents were visiting us in 1955, I was quite ill and decided to
go back to Iowa with Mom and Dad.
That year I got a job baby-sitting nights for a
nurse. In the early spring of 1956, I had quite a prayer meeting.
Something I will always remember as long as I live is when I came
to the end of my rope, so to speak. In my desperation I cried,
"God, I've done everything I can do to try to get money to
go to College, but I can't do it. You have called me to preach
your Word and I need training. God, what are you going to do
about it? I've done all I can do." His sweet voice came back
telling me before I went to college that fall, I'd have enough
money to pay for the full year. Oh GLORY, HALLELUJAH. Yes, the
glory of the Lord filled the house where I was baby-sitting that
night. This was such a wonderful time for me with His presence so
real, and I didn't tell anybody about what God had told me, but I
begin to make my plans. God gave me the assurance that I should
attend Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene
University); in Bethany, Oklahoma; so I wrote them about it and
made all the necessary arrangements.
In 1952, Dad was able to build a new home in
the eastern part of Mason City. He had helped one of the men he
worked with build a home and now he helped Dad with our home. We
moved to this new home in November of that year. Mr. and Mrs.
Eugene Lester lived in the house next to us before we moved. They
also moved about the same time. The house we were living in
belonged to one of the cement plants and they had decided to sell
them to private parties. Mrs. Lester knew she had cancer and had
made arrangements with her lawyer to have Dad be a trustee for
her husband when she died. One day Mom and Dad went to see them
and found her in a coma. She was placed in a nursing home, where
she died. They were both born again Christians, for which we
praise God.
Dad had to check on Mr. Lester quite often. One
night white we were there he asked me how much money I had for
college. Saving every penny I could, I told him close to $100.00,
which isn't much for a college bill. He pulled out his billfold
and gave me over $500.00. That was the answer I had been
expecting, but I didn't know where it was coming from. Oh, praise
the Lord! The Lesters had been robbed a number of years earlier
and he had been injured quite badly. He was mostly blind and
because of the circumstances Dad was made his guardian. The
following day I deposited the money in the bank. Oh, PRAISE THE
LORD. HE DOES NOT FAIL.
The day finally arrived when I boarded the
train headed for Bethany. It was not easy to say good-bye,
for I had been home for a while, and I knew I'd miss my family.
Finally, we could see the train coming, and I
had to say good-bye. It was not easy to say good-bye to my
family, for they were so precious to me. Tears came, but with
them was the anticipation of what I would be learning in the
months to come.
After traveling all night, I arrived at El
Reno, Oklahoma where I changed trains and headed for Oklahoma
City. Upon arriving there I found that the cabs were on strike,
but I was able to get one to the bus depot just in time to get a
bus to Bethany. When I got off the bus, I didn't know which way
to go, so I looked and finally headed in what I thought was the
right direction. After seeing some Quonset huts, I saw a young
man standing by a car reading his Bible. So I stepped up to him
and ask him where Bethany Nazarene college was. He said,
"This is it."
All I could see from that point of view was the
Quonset huts, and wondered what kind of a college I had come to.
He told me how to find Bud Robinson Hall, the dormitory where I
would be staying. In walking a little further I saw the beautiful
campus.
After I finally found my room and met my
roommate, we went to Sunday school and church. During church I
became quite homesick. In the first place I was so tired from my
trip and it was all so strange to me. When we got back to our
room I threw myself on my bed and had a good cry and that ended
my homesickness. There were times when I would be lonely for my
family, but God filled in those lonely times.
After I had taken all the tests and had
registered, I went to pay my bill. Because I could pay for the
whole year at one time, I got a 20% discount and paid it all with
a check. How can I ever praise God for all His goodness to me? He
had heard that prayer that night, and knew I needed His help.
Perhaps this was what He wanted me to do all the time, but I
didn't realize it. Many lessons were learned by depending on God
completely.
If we allow the devil to do it he will make our
prayer time a thing of duty, rather than pleasure. No one
anywhere, but God, can bear our burdens and carry our loads.
If we really love the Lord like we should our time spent with the Lord, us talking to Him and Him talking to us, will be the most precious time of our day. It will many times be at the place of prayer we will see the Brightness of His Glory.
I LOVE TO TALK TO YOU, DEAR LORD
And have You talk to me.
You take away my doubts and fears,
And give me victory.
come to You with heavy heart,
All weighted down with care.
You tell me not to fret at all,
For You still answer prayer.
I come to You with problems,
Some big, and some so small,
And though they seem impossible,
They are not much to You at all.
I come to You so often,
In every single day,
But You don't seem to mind at all,
You like to have me pray.
And when I am so lonely,
I come on bended knee,
It's then I feel Your loving arm,
I know you still love me.
I know I am so far behind,
In giving thanks to You,
And though I have ten million years,
I still would not be through.
I know You gave Your life for me,
Upon a Roman tree,
That I might be saved from sin,
And live eternally.
One day I found You as my Lord,
You've never failed me yet.
Though I have failed so many times,
You seem to just forget.
I love to talk to You,
Dear Lord, It's fellowship sublime,
You are the God of miracles,
And Your promises are mine.
By Arlene R Wright.
Contents Window 4 Window 6 The Winds of the Spirit The Voice of the Nazarene