#5 “Go Tell It On The Mountain”

No different than my life not being my own…is this blog about me.  It’s never been about me…it’s been about God, proof of God (again I don’t need to do that-He already does that but rather my want to share with the world about how He is real), and my personal obedience walking in Jesus’s Holy Spirit.

Since Charlie Kirk’s horrific, unnecessary, and public murder…I am not the only one to notice the increase in revival that was already occurring for God’s kingdom.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Charlie’s death has created a great awakening in the midst of his tragic loss.  Charlie was killed for his beliefs…not his violence…and it’s sad that this is what our country has come to despite the fact that we migrated here for FREEDOM.  One person that is dear to my heart has also been deeply affected by Charlie’s death.  While I was deep cleaning the house this week, I was moved via a VIM to interview my cousin, Michael and ask permission to write about a powerful story I remember him telling me about last year.  For those of you that don’t know Michael, he considers himself “a logical non-believer”.  This is not a place of judgement but rather giving readers a further context because I don’t take this opportunity to share this story lightly and I consider it a deep honor.  Hopefully I do this  justice because Holy Spirit said it must be told and I find it no coincidence that Michael with his kind heart was agreeable to allowing me to share this.

My Aunt (one of my mom’s 2 sisters) had two sons with a man named Homer.  The family lived in Tennessee, an area known for its beautiful mountainous terrain.  Michael is her youngest son and this story is about his paternal grandfather, Albert.  Albert is Homer’s father and when Homer was 18 years of age…Albert died in a very impactfully life changing way.  Obviously, the boys were never able to meet their grandfather, yet they were able to hear this story because Homer shared it throughout his short lived life here on Earth; may he rest in peace.  Homer was “telling it on the mountain” and left a legacy behind by telling this story because prior to experiencing his father’s death…he became a believer in Jesus.  Homer said, “He never had to believe…because he knew.”  His father’s death was his sign that God was there and his faith was never going to be shaken.

To start at the beginning, it is unlikely that Homer lived in a Christian household and was the only heir to his parents, Albert and Josie.  Albert was in the military and Josie took care of Homer. When Albert came home from the military he had some serious mental health issues; it is unknown if it was generalized anger issues, PTSD, or paranoia but I can only imagine it was difficult for Josie and Homer to live with him though they did get a break from him at times because he worked in security post his military career.  Sadly, Albert’s mind was perpetually set on the belief that Josie had cheated on him numerous times while he was away and became abusive towards his family.  Homer said that Josie had not been unfaithful to Albert to his knowledge and at a young age…Homer became protective of his mother.  Homer’s line of defense ranged from launching pencils at his father with a rubber band to getting his father’s pistol to let his father know that what he was doing was NOT okay.  So needless to say it was a rough household to live in for the family. It is also unknown if Albert or Josie were believers in Jesus Christ; though it is possible that they were later on in life.  Albert had been diagnosed with some serious lung ailments and fell ill to the point that he had to go to the hospital.  During his stay, Albert got to the point of recovery and was even using an incentive spirometer regularly.  The hospital staff had said that he was better and that it would be just a couple more days in the hospital for him until he got to go home.  Josie and Homer felt comfortable going home after hearing that and would be back the next day.  When they both arrived the next day, Albert told them that he had been visited the night before by an angel of The Lord who came to him in the middle of the night and took him to Heaven to show him where he was going to be so that he could tell his family.  Michael states during the interview that “Albert wasn’t really a righteous man so Josie or Homer didn’t know if he would actually go to Heaven or not”.  Homer believed that it was a way of consoling his mother and himself during that time.  The angel of The Lord told Albert, “By noon tomorrow, I will come back and take you to your final place.”  When Homer heard this story from his father, he was a young 18 year old son who had been through a lot with this man so he didn’t believe him and carried on with their day.  He helped his father order breakfast that morning and was trying to plan for Albert’s lunch as well.  Albert refused to allow Homer to order lunch because “the angel would be back at that time…I don’t need anything.”  Homer wouldn’t take “no” for an answer and said, “Pffft….you’re going to need something.  What do you want?”  Albert once again insisted, “I don’t need anything.”  Homer got tired of arguing with him and decided to make an executive decision to order a banana for Albert because “he liked bananas”.  So later on when it was getting closer to noon, Homer, Josie, and Albert were nonchalantly having a conversation and he turned to them and said, “He’s here.  I love you.  Goodbye.”  Two short breaths came out of Albert and he passed away.  As the hospital staff rushed into Albert’s room to remove Josie and Homer…just outside of Albert’s room was the lunch cart and Homer’s eye caught the yellow of the banana yet to arrive for his father.  

I asked Michael if he felt that any of that was a coincidence and he said “It feels like an amazing story and unlike his father, he didn’t know his grandfather.  It didn’t hit him the way it impacted his father.  He said there’s nothing he can do to prove what it was or what it wasn’t but Homer had asked him throughout the years when he would reiterate the story if Michael felt like he was being lied to and Michael said that he knows his father was 100% telling him the truth.  I will say, I also asked Michael if he viewed this story differently post Charlie Kirk’s death and he said, “I see it in a different shade.”

As for me friends…after my last near death experience…there’s no doubt in my mind that Albert experienced the angel of The Lord that came to him.  God is Love.  Jesus is Grace.  No one knows what was going on inside of Albert at the time of his death, but I know in my heart that Albert’s death continued to impact me for well over a year and I want to thank Michael for allowing me to write about this phenomenal story.  Friends…it is my hope and prayer that we can SHAMELESSLY and FEARLESSLY walk in Holy Spirit and share our testimonies…God’s children are called to “go tell it on the mountain”; God consistently moves others through testimonies and for that I am …

#Satisfied