Sharon and others,

Many years ago, after receiving the gift of tongues while I was asleep after
midnight in my own bed, we eventually had to leave the large Baptist church
we were in or be asked to leave.  It was especially hard on Sandy because
she wasn't convinced the gifts of the Holy Spirit were still for today.  It
was hard on all of us as a family because some said I was demon possessed,
our children no longer were granted scholarships in this Baptist church
Christian school even though my sister had been a teacher there for over 20
years at the time, and some of the people in the church flat out said they
would no longer allow their children to play with our children because we
were Charismatics now.  In a home meeting one night, we had probably over 30
people crammed into this man's living room who was one of the assistant
pastors.  All during the time of worship, and as we sang, I knew I had a
message in tongues for this group but I had never done such a thing before
and was too nervous to speak up.  It would not go away, what the Lord was
saying to do, so I finally said, "Lord, if this is what you want me to do,
what about the interpretation?"  He said, "You will interprete your own
message to the Body you speak in tongues."  I freaked out.  "Me?  What do
you mean, me?  Not me."  At the end of the Bible study, we had a prayer time
with requests.  I still did not speak up.  Finally, as Wayne, the assistant
pastor whose house we were in, was going to close in prayer, I spoke up and
said I had a message in tongues.  It was one of the hardest things I ever
did but I did it.  Then I interpreted what I said which blew me away in and
of itself because I had never done that either.  The message went something
like this.  "God knows where you are and He wants you to come to Him.  He is
waiting and willing.  He knows you are afraid.  He will meat you half way,
if you cannot come on your own all the way.  In fact," I continued, " He
will come all the way to you if you don't even feel you can come half way."
I felt stupid.  Was that really God or was it just me?  I felt embarrassed,
too.  After the closing prayer, people began moving around, some leaving,
and when the chair next to me was empty, I felt someone sit down next to me.
She spoke.  "Brother Phil," I so much appreciate you letting the Lord use
you tonight.  I am that person you were talking to.  I really needed to hear
Jesus say He would come to me even if I can't come to Him.  So thank you,"
she said, "for obeying the Lord tonight."  She got up and left.  I never
asked her name so I never knew who it was.  We hadn't been in the church all
that long yet.  I've never forgotten that experience because it was
something I never could have thought up on my own but it came out.

Phil.