HAROLD KELLER

Let Him plan your actions for you Saturday, I spent most of my day at the ball park. I had two grandsons playing in a tournament and, as a grandparent, I never miss an opportunity to see them play. I stayed in the sun too long and really got sunburned. That night, I spoke to a group of recovering alcoholics and drug abusers. I really was tired and physically whipped by the sun. My head and face were burning as if with fever. After my scheduled talk, a few of the people in the group wanted to talk to me, one on one. I don’t know how many I spoke to but feeling as I did, I was anxious for the night to come to an end. I’m ashamed to say that I was almost tired of praying with people, but did ask God to forgive me. I was tired, hurting and just felt miserable from the beating I took from the supposed good day at the park. After three hours, it looked like the night had come to an end. I was relieved and ready to get in the car and head for home. On the way out, a young man was sitting on the sofa, looking sad and lonely. I stopped to say good night and then asked him if he wanted to talk. He didn’t say yes, but I detected a hurting soul. I sat next to him and asked, “What’s wrong?” With a tear in his eye, he said, “I have no one that cares about me.” In the course of our conversation, he said that his mother was in jail for forging checks and selling drugs and his dad was shot and killed 10 years ago. By this time, he was really weeping. “I have no one to turn to,” he said. While speaking to this young man, I suddenly forgot my personal discomfort. I just wanted to listen to this young man and love him. I told him that when we feel deserted by everyone, the Bible says that God will never leave or forsake us. I then told him about Teen Challenge in Hot Springs, Ark., where he could get direction in his life, and it would be an opportunity to get a GED. I asked him to think about it and give me a call Sunday if he made a decision. As I walked out of the treatment center, I thanked God that I didn’t pass up a chance to listen to one of His special people. I could have missed a golden opportunity in a meeting that could have only been arranged by God. Sunday night, the young man called me and told me that upon discharge from the treatment center, he would like to go to Teen Challenge. HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group. Call him at (985) 652-8477.