Being His Hands

If you missed the previous blogs in Justin's story see links at the end!

"These Are Their Tears" By Justin
Showing how God transforms our tears into beauty

My God

 By: Justin Bee

My God, Your name is most precious among names

Your good- is our perfect

Your words of creation are not to comprehend

Your Truth is just

You allow choice, You provide options

Lord, You set in motion all things from the beginning to the end

The air I breath is perfect

My flow of blood: Graceful

Your teachings are unforgettable

Belief fuels faith and Your faith performs miracles

Answers to all questions are within Your words

God Your power is superior, beyond imagination

Your glory IS only

Your Son was and is our Savior

Your will is sometimes mystery

Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall

In Jesus Name- I live

When Justin handed me his note book with the following story in it, I flipped to the page before it

and found the above prayer and instantly was transfixed by the raw honesty and sincerity of it- but more than that, by the truth. As the fourth line says, God's truth is just- it's always just. From my very first encounter with Justin, I gave him the nickname "Justice", since after all it's what his name means. Often when I write him, I put Justin Justice Bee. God changed Abram’s "high father" name to “Abraham,” "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5) and his wife’s name from “Sarai,” “my princess,” to “Sarah,” “mother of nations” (Genesis 17:15). God changed Jacob’s "supplanter" name to “Israel,” “having power with God” (Genesis 32:28). He changed Simon’s "God has heard" name to “Peter,” "rock" (John 1:42). There is something to your name. Around here we call Matt, Kansas and in a way it wipes clean your past and gives you a new identity. When we surrender our lives to Christ "behold, all things become new" but what I find interesting, especially with the story you are about to read is how often times we find God there, in our past, when we look back, gently calling us forward, leading us even before we knew Him. After all, He is the Master Carpenter, and in cases such as Justin's story here, we see His beautiful handiwork taking shape. 

This story started out as a memory and as Justin dug deeper into it, he saw God's hand on this day and set out to reenact it to the best of his ability that he might document the powerfulness of God moving in his life before he called Him Savior.  

March 17th

On my way down here to the class room I prayed to God that as I go to write this memory, He would help me to separate what actually happened that day, from anything that I might accidentally over expound upon just to make a better story. Also, that the truth that I see in God's presence in my life, even before I knew He was there, I will be able to express to the exact conclusion that I have personally made from the experience.

I was 21 or 22, and while I can't remember the entire day, (as in before and after the actual events of the story) the first thought to the last and everything in between are very dear to me still. 

I had many close friends at the time- well, actually, looking back, not very close at all I guess. I should say, I cared about many friends I had in those days. 

The unique experience started when I was driving down the road one day, I just got this feeling that I should call my friend Krista, only, I didn't know why. I couldn't shake this feeling, so I went ahead and called her. The first thing, well, the only thing I could think to say was, "Is everything okay?" She answered with shock- something like, "How did you know? Who told you my aunt died?" I said, "nobody, I just had this strong feeling that I should call you for some reason." She told me that her aunt had just passed away that night saying how crazy it was that I called her out of nowhere, knowing something was wrong. 

After I got off the phone with her, I pulled over into the next parking lot, which was right down the road in between Sugarcamp and Dry Run on RT 50. Little did I know at the time that the Teen Challenge Women's home was directly across the street. I only know that I felt compelled to get out of my truck, kneel down on the curb of the parking lot and start to pray. I can't remember what I prayed, but immediately after I stood up and returned to my truck I remembered where her aunt lived. I had been there once, only one time, and had never met this woman, but all I wanted to do was be there- somehow. 

On my way over, I was lead to stop at Meijer to get something to show her family that... well..., I'm not even sure... I didn't really know what I was doing or why I was doing it, but it felt right. So as I went into the store, I realized I had no idea what I could get. I walked outside to the garden center when I turned and saw these beautiful, bright orange flowers. Instantly I

knew they were perfect, so they were the ones I bought. It felt odd that I was about to take these flowers to her husband, who I also did not know and had never met. I almost turned around and didn't go through with it, but I felt like I just had to. 

As I arrived at her street, there were people outside so I drove past and didn't stop because I didn't know them, nor did they know me. So I turned around and drove back up; this time, there was no one outside. I thought I would just place them on the sidewalk and go- and I did so- only as I was getting back into my truck, a man opened the front door and just looked at me. As a stranger in the driveway of someone who had just passed away, all I could say was, "I brought some flowers", and pointed to them. In return, the only reply he could make was, "Thank you." Then I just got in my truck and left.

This was all so very weird because looking back on the entire thing, I really didn't want to do like, any of it- from the phone call (which I didn't want to do at first but then had to), to the prayer, and then the flowers I saw and thought, "no, those won't work." I just kept hearing a voice telling me where to go, which flowers to pick- every single thing I did felt like it meant something. I don't know exactly what but those specific flowers meant something. Maybe it was the strong orange color of them, the type or the reason I chose the one with three flowers verses the one with only a single blossom. 

I've never seen that man, neither been to that house since. I know it was some sort of message for her family, from God. I never told anyone of the flowers, not even Krista. Somehow I didn't feel it would be right to tell people what I had done. Only now looking back on it all, I know why... because it wasn't me that did it, it was God using me to do what He wanted.

Matthew 25:40 says, "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."

Justin didn't know at the time that he was being Jesus that day, or that he was doing it to Jesus as well, he just obeyed. It was Justin's obedient spirit that answered the call to accept Jesus as Lord over his life, to enter Teen Challenge, and to walk upright before Him daily. If only we all could have such an obedient spirit. To be His hands, to be His feet, speak His words- to do unto the least of them! Go out and "Bee" those things today! 

As always, remember that Jesus is that beautiful light that expels all darkness!

Till next time- the Carpenter's Daughters and Sons love yall!

Previous blogs: His Crown Jesus the Carpenter: Making a Heroin Addict a Hero

The above photo was taken of Justin with the painting "Calvary" by Stephen Sawyer, www.art4god.com it has literally save Justin's life- and countless others' I'm sure.

Steve posted this on his Facebook page along with the following:

A YOUNG MAN NEEDING SPONSORS

"Justin is a 24 year old guy, who has been secretly battling a severe heroin addiction for the past 5 years.

After accepting Christ in Nov. ’13 he saw the painting "Calvary" posted on a friend’s blog. He was overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't stop staring at it and felt the Lord speak to him saying, “It’s time”.
He sat his friends down, opening up to them about his past. They got him "Calvary" for Christmas and it has become one of his most prized possessions. As a result of that chance glance, he has entered the Teen Challenge program- in his own words- he wants to come out, “looking like Jesus, acting like Jesus and talking like Jesus.”
This painting has literally saved Justin’s life; you can see with the huge smile on his face he is doing amazing! Justin is in desperate need of sponsors to help finance his stay in what they call the “Jesus Factory”.
If you are interested, you can send a donation in the name of Justin Bee to: Teen Challenge Cincinnati, P.O. Box 249, Milford, OH 45150 or for more information e-mail Masfaith3@aol.com "
Thank all of you for reading this and considering helping someone.
They contacted me, thanked me for my work, and hoped for some assistance in a very difficult and brave recovery. The photo and comments in quotations are from them.

Stephen

Birthdays, Basements and Bonfires

The other day, my sister Leah and I were walking 6 dogs (as we can often be found doing) and I was telling her of a thought a that occurred to me the day before. I had just turned 30 years old- I thought this would have upset me, "I can't believe I'm 30 already..." etc... but somehow, that was all wiped away when I realized, not, "I can't believe I'm 30" but rather, "I can't believe I'm only 30 and I have accomplished/experienced so much in my life."

Yes, while my life has had it's fair share of challenges, disappointments, pain, suffering, and so on, I can't help but look back and see all the amazing things that have been jam packed in my life. Not just my childhood or big move to Oklahoma, three months living in California, a 3000 mile bicycle trip, care giving for my grandmother and uncle, starting and successfully running a business, buying and renovating a house... I could go on forever, but the real joy- that's in the everyday things. The people, the friends, the family that have come, gone and stayed in my life. All of this and I'm only 30!? Man, I am so excited about the next 30 years of my life.

To celebrate this monumental milestone of my life, we invited pretty much everyone we had ever met over to our house for a party on my birthday this past weekend. Not everyone we had ever met could actually make it, but those that did are VERY special and important people in my life. I value each and everyone of them more than they know. We had kids running around, Leah bought toys and made a kids station in the basement with glow sticks, balls, and puzzles just to name a few things. It was a time to see friends I hadn't in what seemed like years, and new ones I had made just a couple of weeks before. Leah had prepared food galore and what she managed to miss, was made up for by all the wonderful goodies everyone else brought. My favorite part was when a girl friend of mine pointed out at 10 pm that there was still a ham in the oven... oops, yes... the ham... Leah thought a ham would be a perfect addition and put it in the oven 2 hours prior to the party so it would be ready when guests arrived... five and a half hours later, people wanted HAM! So, out came the ham not too worse for wear with it's additional 3 hours of cooking, thank God is was on low...

 It sort of reminded me of the story where Jesus turns the water into wine and the host of the wedding praises Jesus in John 2, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” So that being said, I'm not sure Jesus would have turned anything into ham since he was Jewish... but you get the idea.

We wanted to have an extra space in our house to entertain for this party and since Matt had already been working on the basement, we decided to turn all of our attentions on one room working around the clock. Now, when I say around the clock, you might be thinking, getting up early, going to bed late... no. I mean AROUND the clock. Literally, between Matt, Leah and I, someone was always working in that room 24 hours a day for at least the entire week before the party. I was hanging drywall at 4:00 am and walking dogs during the day loving every minute of it. My body ached, I didn't have time to eat (neither did Matt, but he can't afford not to eat, his body shuts down... oops) but again, I felt like Jesus, "I have food you know not of." I had time during those hours to reflect, spend time with God and just be alone with my own thoughts. I was excited about envisioning a house full of the family and friends that I love. Leah put the last coat of paint up the night before the party and I laid the floor the day of. Our friends would ask, "hey when did you guys do all of this?!" "umm... just now, like, literally today..." 

Part of the newly finished room

Outside we had a huge bonfire, I couldn't have asked for better weather on an early November day, there was little wind, the sun was warm and the sky was clear. Everyone gathered around the fire and made new friends or were reacquainted with ones they had met at gatherings here before. After several of the guest had gone, Leah got out the guitar and played a new song she had written that despite the fact that it is a full blown country tune, is, I think, the best song she's ever written- (which is saying a lot because she's written several. I love) That song seemed to set the mood for the rest of the evening with people telling stories of God moving or doing extra special things in their life, even when they didn't know it was God at the time. My friend "Mrs. T" told a story of how God saved her from a gunman pointing the gun at her through her car window, bowing her head, praying, looking up and him being gone. Another friend "J", told how when he was at his very lowest, with $5 to last him the rest of the week, no food, his girl friend and son gone, was at the store about to cry when a man extended a hand with money in it to him. "J" asked this man, "out of all the people in the whole store why are you giving this to me?" "I don't know," the guy shrugged his shoulders, "God just told me to I guess." 

Little did "J" know at that time, God was waving him down saying, "hey, I have a plan for you!" God was making Himself evident in his life here and there but most recently, saving his life from what should have been a fatal car wreck. He totaled his car and walked away without a scratch. Less than a couple of weeks later, Matt, Leah and I had the privilege of meeting "J", and a couple of weeks after that, "J" had the privilege of meeting Jesus.  This past Tuesday night he sent me a text message saying that he had asked Jesus into his life and his heart. The rejoicing that went on in my heart and in this house must have rivaled that of Heaven itself. I have had the wonderful opportunity to present the gospel to people and pray with them many times in my life, but never have I seen anyone so sincere and humble, so genuine and good at heart. So here was the second birthday of the week- November 12th, the birth of a new life, being born again. John 3 "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." It is such a beautiful, precious thing and in revisiting the scriptures of salvation to share with "J" I have had a renewed joy and thankfulness of that amazing sacrifice in me! He died so that I might live. It amazes me still.

 The third birthday(s) of the week, were last night when we got to take two of our very good friends (who happen to be twin brother and sister) out to dinner for their birthdays. I cannot tell you how much I enjoy celebrating the birthday of a friend that I hold dear. To thank God for another year spent with them, thanking God for allowing them to be in my life, letting them know just how special they are to us. Another friend was able to come, so including my mom, Leah, Matt and myself we had a party of seven. I was able to tell the story of "J" to these friends, who also rejoiced over his new birthday and I was reminded of the very reason of our existence. Birth = life. God created us, God gave LIFE to us, so that we might choose Him and choose to please Him. In turn, He wants to give us life to it's fullest! To bless us with new births, physically, through children, and spiritually, through people like "J"- new LIFE. How amazing and beautiful of a cycle this is that He has set out for us. I never want to say no to a life God wants to give me, whether it be a child, or a new brother/sister in Christ. Psalm 127 3-5 says, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate."

Since I'm not married yet, I will be thankful for the brothers and sisters in Christ the Lord blesses me with, His children- He never says, "no thank you, I have 2.5 children and that is enough." He ALWAYS wants more children, more of you and more of me. 

  
Thank you for sharing my birthday and these others with me, and remember as always, Jesus is that beautiful light that expels ALL darkness!

Much Love for Yall,

~ Michelle