On Lake Erie in 1954, my mother Dorothy Walter, a new Christian, heard the voice of the Holy Spirit concerning my future.  She was resting on a swing in front of a cabin my father rented for a weekend of fishing. She saw me standing on a stump raising my hands in the air when a distinct voice said to her “Your Son will be a Preacher.” She arose from the swing, walked over behind me without my knowledge, and heard me saying “It is about God! It is about Jesus.” Two phrases I repeated over and over for several minutes.  She did not reveal this epiphany to anybody until I entered Seminary.

 

Eleven years later, at Camp Witherspoon, I received my call to serve Christ.  I was last camper in line on a five mile night hike through the woods, led by a husband and wife team of camp counselors. The hikers consisted of six girls and six boys from our cabin area.  I was last because the other hikers were fearful of being eaten by bears if they were at the end of the group. 

 

I enjoyed being last, taking my time, and listening to the world of the forest since it was not drowned out by teenage conversations. Nor was the darkness pushed aside by the handheld flashlights we all carried.  I was musing about the wonders of the night life when from nowhere, and yet everywhere, I heard a voice saying “Turn off your light!”  It was definitely a command, and I stopped in mid stride to look around. I even said in a low voice, “Who are you. Where are you. Are you trying to frighten us?”  I assumed there was another counselor from camp following us. 

 

Receiving no response I continued walking, not exactly sure of what happened.  I took about two dozen steps and the voice said “turn off your light, now!” It was an emphatic command, and my finger responded immediately; the light was off.

 

I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and receiving no further instructions, I began walking, following the other campers. Several minutes passed, and I began to realize I was not stumbling in the dark. In fact, I could see relatively well.  By watching the bobbing and swaying of the flashlight beams of the other campers, I began to judge when they were going around bushes, under limbs, stepping over stones or logs.  It was an incredible experience I cherished for the remainder of the hike.  I do not know how long I walked until the voice came upon me again, saying “Just as you followed these lights, so shall so follow the Light of God, the Lord Jesus! You shall serve Him.”  

 

I never looked back, never missed a step, and serve Jesus to this day! Yes I have stumbled, we all have, but the light leads ever onward.

 

I pray those I touch in the name of Jesus will also know His presence in their lives.  AMEN

​

​

​

​

​

​