We usually eat lunch around 1pm and then make a Waffle House stop after the evening services, which ends up being around midnight or later.  Well, late Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning we made our usual stop into the Waffle House on Davis Highway and God was about to do something very UNusual with us.  A homeless man came into the Waffle House and immediately one of our students, Jennifer, came to me and said, “Pastor Marty, we have to help this guy.”  So we began ministering to this man and he said he needed some food.  Jennifer suggested that she would buy it and I said, “no, that’s okay, I will get it.  You will need your money for the rest of the week.”  Jennifer responded by informing me that God had really laid this homeless man on her heart and that she would pay…she added…”God will provide for me or else I can do without!”  WOW!  What faith!  Long story short…Ward and I took this young man over to the Greyhound bus station to see about getting him a one-way ticket home in hopes of getting him off the street (he has a grandma and grandpa in Panama City Beach, FL).  The bus station was closed when we got there, but I knew this scenario was bigger than a bus ticket or a hot meal for a homeless guy.  I asked this homeless guy his name (God doesn’t recognize this guy as a homeless man…he recognizes this young man as Mickey!)  Mickey shared a bit of his story and Ward and I began to pour it on thick.  Mickey gave his heart to Jesus in a Greyhound Bus Station parking lot with tears running down his face.  Glory to God!  It was around 2:30am and the bus station didn’t open til 9am.  I gave Mickey all of my information and told him to call me at 9am.  He did.  Ward and I met Mickey at the bus station and bought his one-way ticket home.  Mickey was sooooooooooo grateful!  I spoke to Mickey later on Wednesday night and he made it home to Panama City Beach.

God desires for us to love Him AND His people!  Because of one young girls compassion for people, a 29-year old man doesn’t have to spend eternity (or the present) in a devils hell!

And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Matthew 14:14 (New King James Version)

Branded By Fire,

Marty Darracott