Lord Give Me Strength

In 1995, I was sitting in my living room talking to a client named Nancy. I was counseling her. Suddenly, I heard three men arguing in my front yard and one of the voices sounded familiar. I went out to my porch and saw three men arguing. One of the men was my son Karl. As I looked on, the two men started hitting Karl and trying to drag him down. I figured they wanted to kick him. Karl is 6'6" so they were having a hard time.

I went down the stairs and stood behind my son. As the two men pushed him, I pushed him back. My goal was to keep him standing. The whole time I was praying. “Dear Lord: Give me strength. Help me save my son.” Eventually, the men left. Karl went home. I went back to working with my client—a bit embarrassed.

Fifteen minutes later, a car drove by and shot three bullets into my living room. Emily and I ducked for cover. The car drove away. I went back to trying to help my client. Ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. The neighbors had called the police.

The police asked me if someone had shot a gun into my apartment. I was afraid, so I said, “No.” The police said, “Then why are there bullet holes in the wall?” Then they said, “May we come come in?” I agreed and just as they stepped inside my son came back. The police interviewed him in the kitchen and talked to me in the living room while Emily looked on her eyes were wide open with fear.

Next, the police took a was a statement from the two of us.
It turned out that Karl knew the men. They lived in the neighborhood. Karl then showed the police where they lived and one of the men was arrested. The other man got away.

The next day, the man who got away told someone to tell Karl that they were after both of us. Karl begged me to move, but I had nowhere go. So, I asked God to protect me.

Six months later, Karl and I testified in court about what had happened. After my testimony, the man on trial said, “Why didn’t you call the police?” I said, I didn’t want anyone to go to jail. I felt sorry for all of you.” The man said nothing and we left the courtroom.

The next day Karl went to see the man who got away and he agreed to leave us both alone. I was relieved.

A year later, a man knocked on my door. He said, “Do you remember me?” I said, “Yes, you are the man who I testified against.” I invited him in and we had a nice chat. He said he was sorry and I told him he had really made me afraid to leave the house. He apologized a second time. I then asked him how he was. He said, while in jail he had found God, and he never forgot me. I smiled and said, “Congratulations. Praise the Lord.”

We parted company, and two this day I pray for this man and thank the Lord for giving me the strength I needed that day. Oh, by the way, my client came back.