PART 5 - THE TAMPA TIMES

Greetings -

This is Part 5 of "THE TAMPA TIMES."  Below are the links to the parts that preceded this one.

BEFORE TAMPA - http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2011/03/before-tampa.html 

PART 1 - http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2011/03/tampa-times.html

PART 2 - http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2011/03/tampa-times-does-anybody-feel-me-on.html

PART 3 - http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2011/03/part-3-tampa-times.html

PART 4 - http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2011/03/part-4-tampa-times-and-public-praise.html

Scriptures are from the King James Bible.

PART 5 BEGINS:

As mentioned in previous parts, I had seven days to find somewhere else to live - more on that a bit later.

My short time in Tampa, I had visited some churches.  At one church on a Sunday, as I sat in the sanctuary, the Holy Spirit so powerfully moved within me that I sat sobbing in joy and gratitude.  Then I went to my knees in worship and adoration to our Lord.  Visibly affected by the move of the Holy Spirit upon me, one of the church members came over to where I was in the sanctuary.  He asked something like "How did you learn to praise the Lord like that?!"  I forgot what I responded. 

On another Sunday, at the same church, a member walked up to me and discreetly placed money in my hand.  I graciously thanked him.

I visited another church that had anointed services and was regularly packed to capacity on Sundays.  And even on Wednesday Bible study nights, it was regularly well attended.  It was the first church that I had attended where the teacher/pastor was so anointed in holiness that people joyously shouted at Bible study.  My experience had been more sedate Bible studies.  The ones at this church were lively and anointed!  

In my various church visits, I had met and engaged with some church members.  I also met a Christian crossing guard who worked down the street from the boarding house where I lived.  It was to those few people that our Lord led me when I was faced with the urgency to move from the boarding house in seven days.

I had few options as I was still on a job search and collecting unemployment compensation.  Most property owners won't rent to applicants in such circumstances.  I wasn't worried though because I knew that our Lord had sent me to Tampa.  His word says in Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Our Lord had arranged for me to have three options.  Below only one real name is used, and that is Tabitha. 

Here are the options:

1.) Move in with Gail, who offered to rent me, in her apartment, her bedroom.  She would move into her living room.  That didn't appeal to me as I didn't want her to give up her bedroom.  She persisted and offered that I come to visit to decide.  One advantage was that she lived close to where I could conveniently get around on public transportation to job search. 

I had met Gail at the Wendy's where she worked.  She invited me to her church; that is the one that has the lively and anointed services.

Prior to this place-to-stay situation, one day, Gail had let me know that she was still in to fornication.  That deeply bothered me relative to living with her.  Our Lord hadn't given a clear answer about the living arrangement option - but I know His Word! 

Anyhow, I went over to Gail's place.  While there, my spirit became grieved.  It was now clear that I couldn't live there.  I didn't tell Gail that day.

2.) Lillian, an elderly retired lady who had an empty bedroom.  She offered that to me at a price that I could afford.  She attended the same church as Gail.  The concern was that she lived a good distance away with very limited public transportation options.

3.) Tabitha's recommendation, Doris.  I mentioned Tabitha in a previous post titled, "PUBLIC PRAISE - http://lioneaglesoar.blogspot.com/2010/11/public-praise.html.
This is an excerpt from that post relative to Tabitha: "Tabitha and I began a rich friendship. We met because I was walking down the street praising the Lord."

Tabitha and Doris attended the same church.  I'm keeping it real here people - Doris had a cold spirit and I wasn't at all inclined to live with her.  She lived across the street from the boarding house.  Later...Tabitha told me that she knew about Doris' cold demeanor but didn't feel inclined to share that with me.  I guess because she knew that I urgently needed somewhere to live.

Tabitha gave me Doris' number.  I phoned her to inquire.  Her coldness was palpable.  She informed me, with reluctance in her voice, that I could stay there.  I thanked her.  When I got off the phone I pretty much told the Lord that I didn't want to stay there.

The next day I told Gail that my decision was not to stay at her place.  I again considered Lillian but couldn't get around the lack of transportation options - sigh.

Our Lord told me to call Doris again, and this time, to arrange a visit.  I reluctantly did as He instructed.  Doris and I talked and I informed her about the coldness matter and that I felt no Christian love from her.  She expressed shock.  She was slightly friendlier as we talked and I felt somewhat better.  She agreed to charge me a reasonable fee to rent there.  

Our Lord led me to volunteer once a week at a place called, The Trinity Cafe, a faith-based program that daily feeds the needy.  I love their program.  They feed the needy on tables with tablecloths, flower vase centerpieces and with real dishes and silverware (no plastic and paper).  And they have server volunteers to serve the guests just as happens in some restaurants.  I was a server and donned my apron and pleasantly said to the guests, "Welcome to The Trinity Cafe."  The cafe operators encourage the volunteer servers and staff members to engage the guests with small talk.  I didn't need such encouragement (smiles) but was pleased to know that they encourage it.

We, volunteers and staff members, prayed in a circle before the guests arrived.  The manager, a Christian backslider, asked me to pray one day.  I prayed a prayer that was less than a couple of minutes long.  Later on another day, an elderly Jewish volunteer told the manager not to let me pray because I prayed too long.  I went home and our Lord led me to this scripture in Luke 6:11 - KJV, "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."  After assurances from our Lord, I didn't believe that my prayers were too long.  They were typically less than a couple of minutes in length.  Later one of the chief operators shared with me that the Jewish volunteer and his wife, also a volunteer there, had received complaints about their abrasive attitudes; she stated, though, that they faithfully came to volunteer.

The chief operators of the program are a husband and wife team.  The wife, I'll call her Dana, came to me one day and stated that another Christian volunteer had said to her, about me, that she had never met a Christian so enthusiastic about God.  Dana commended my enthusiasm.  One day, she shared with me that her daughter was soon to go on a missionary assignment to another country.  Our Lord led me to pray with her and to give her some scriptural content.  She cried in relief from the words of comfort and assurance from our Lord.  

Long story short, I lived with Doris for about two months.  Mostly, it was unpleasant.  Her coldness wore on me.  But I know that our Lord had me there for a reason - for me and for Doris.  One day, our Lord told me that I needed to get out of there before my birthday on April 30th.  With my circumstances, I had no idea where I would go.  One night, our Lord gave me a dream that Doris and her relatives were sitting in her living room talking negatively about me.   

Before I moved from Doris', I had obtained a job as a telemarketer.  I worked there, and so disliked it that one day, I said to our Lord, "Lord, please get me out of here."  It wouldn't have been decent and in order for me to quit because I needed a job and nothing else had developed.  While I was there, I performed the best that I could but it, frankly, wasn't a good fit.  Well, after about a week, our Lord did get me out of there.  I went to jail.  

To be continued...

Sandra

Written Sunday April 17, 2011

Copyright 2011          

NOTE: Please read the post directly below this one titled, "BEAUTY IS HEART DEEP."  Thank you for your indulgence.