ann kiemel

oh, i'm so excited
to tell you one of the most
beautiful stories in my life.

it happened a couple weeks ago.
hot afternoon. i was coming home
from visiting tom and jan in sacramento.

the gas needle was on empty. and i
coached it along. 'come on, you can take
me into lodi. i know it's a long way, but
you're old faithful, and i'm counting each mile.
you need to pull this buggy all the way. please
don't disappoint me. you know better than
anyone HOW much you need to keep
pumping'.

and my begging became pleading. and
serious talking with God. i had no doubt
Jesus and i and my faithful, 2005 suv would
come through. THEN, the little gas pump
showed up. i was serious. real serious now.
and i humbly told God to do what He needed
to do.

out in the middle of nowhere, among scrub
bushes and blowing dirt, i saw a shell station
and was just grateful because i was close to
being bone dry. winding around on cracked
pavement, i started pulling up to a pump...but
just as i did, out of the corner of my eye, a little
deeper in the weeds, i saw a chevron, and felt
God pointing me THERE. so....

i pulled out and into chevron…sometimes, i
really can't figure God out, but i try to keep my
ears open and to simply obey. i pulled up to a
pump, and went in and handed the guy $50 for
gas. and head for the cold drinks. i only
noticed that the man behind the counter had
very sad eyes. after filling my cup, as i was
turning toward the cash register, i asked this
tough mexican if he knew Jesus?

huh?!
have you met Jesus?
Jesus?!! i don't believe in Him or God.
now i was standing in front of him. across
the counter.

heh, he said, did you hear me? i won't ever
trust Him or believe God cares about me.
my father....my FATHER...asked me to let
him borrow $400,000, and he's never paid
me back. how can a father do that??!

we were alone. he had massive upper arms
and chest. a body builder. but a broken man.
it showed all over his face and the obvious
tension in his body. and i was NOT going to
leave him by himself. i had a mission to take
care of.

moe. that was his name. and the depth of
my compassion was massive. i sang to him:
'God loves you and i love you and that's the way
it should be'. i reminded him that only God Himself
could have brought me there. God literally drove me
right to his front door. did he understand? i told him
miracles Jesus had done as a single mother with four,
young sons. and i sang another little song. my eyes
glistening.

why? why, i want to know, did you start talking about
Jesus to me? well, moe, Jesus told me to and i don't
mess with my Savior. that's why i'm here. a messenger
for Jesus. forget your dad, moe. forgive my language, but
i think he sounds like a real jerk. let go of your bitterness. God
has all kinds of plans for you. and i reached across the counter
and took his hand in mine. we were still all alone.

"moe, i want to pray with you. do you know how to receive
Jesus into your heart?" and i prayed. swimming in love. and
he held my hand tightly. "moe, if you really meant what you
prayed, then welcome to the children of God". as i was walking
out the door, moe said one more time, "i just want to know,
one more time,how you got here and why you kept talking about Jesus?"

because Jesus loves you that much....to send me and let you know.
"if i can help somebody as i go along....then my living cannot be in vain.."

Jesus is sending us in the by-ways and corners of the world.
i don't think i could even find that chevron again. but MOE?
he's in my heart and soul and bones and core. forever!