God's Grace October 12, 2012
The night my son Michael witnessed to his friend Ryan – October 12, 2012
by Tom Valdez – We Are Christian Soldiers
The Denver Post – Castle Rock family thankful to survive home explosion – By Jordan Steffen, 10/12/2012
The Denver Channel – 5 injured when natural gas explosion destroys Castle Rock home – 10/12/2012
CBS Denver – Explosion Destroys Home in Castle Rock, Family Survives – October 12, 2012
Raw video: Natural gas explosion levels Castle Rock home
I tell this story knowing that some will always doubt the existence of the Spirit of God. I am proud to give my testimony.
Michael came to me and told me about dreams and thoughts that he had been having about his longtime friend, Ryan. Michael told me that he was being convicted to reach Ryan and ensure that he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Savior. We talked about what he was being told by the Spirit. He told me that he was convicted by the Spirit and knew he had to reach Ryan about the Lord. I told him that when he had a chance to speak to Ryan about the Lord, he should. Michael said he would.
Michael came to me a week later and asked me what I used to say to people when I was witnessing to others when I was young. I told Michael that I would have to think about it and get back to him.
I tried to think back but couldn't remember what I used to say when I witnessed to others about the Lord. Finally, I said a prayer and asked the Lord. Instantly, it came back to me, and I began to recall the stories and facts from the Bible that I used to witness to others. I sat down with Michael and told him the stories and how to witness using them. We went over it time and time again. Michael told me that he believed he was ready. I told him that if he needed help while he was talking with Ryan, I would help him.
Michael came to me on Thursday, October 11, 2012, and told me that he and Ryan were going to hang out that night. He told me he was going to witness to him and asked if he could call me if he needed help. I told him yes and that he would do fine, and that I would be there for him. We said a prayer that Ryan would listen to Michael and accept the Lord as his Savior.
It was about 11:30 p.m. when Michael called me. He told me that he was having problems remembering the stories and wanted to come home and have me talk to Ryan. I told Michael to come home and that I would. Minutes later, both Ryan and Michael came home, and I began to tell Ryan the stories I was taught many years ago.
I finished giving my testimony to Ryan and Michael at 1:30 a.m. on the 12th. As I left the kitchen and walked to my bedroom, I said aloud, "I did my part, Lord; You do Yours." Ryan and Michael were supposed to sleep at Ryan's house that night, but they decided to stay at our house.
I was woken up by Ryan's voice upstairs, talking on his phone. I could hear him laugh and say that he was okay over and over again. As I listened, Ryan kept answering call after call, repeating that he and Michael were okay. I got up when I heard Michael and Ryan coming downstairs. Ryan was telling a friend on his phone that he was okay. Michael told me that Ryan's house had blown up at around 7:00 a.m., and that everyone was calling to see if he was okay.
Michael told me they were heading to Ryan's house to check it out, and that he was hoping that Ryan's mother and the four kids were okay. I told him to be careful. Ryan's house had blown up just five hours after we had finished telling him about the Lord Jesus.
When Michael and Ryan left my house, I thanked the Lord out loud for taking care of Michael and Ryan. I went back to bed and told Kelly about what had happened. We talked about how Michael and Ryan could have been killed. I told Kelly about what I had said to the Lord as I was coming back to bed the night before. I said another prayer, again thanking our Father for all that He had done for my son Michael and for Ryan.
When Michael came home that afternoon, I talked to him about how the Lord Jesus had just shown Himself to Ryan—and to our family as well. Ryan's mother had a black eye, and she had cut her feet getting out of the debris. Their four adopted children came out of the explosion with just minor scratches. The house blew up because of a natural gas leak in the basement, which is where Ryan's bedroom was.
Michael and I talked to Ryan about how, if Michael had not talked to him about the Lord and both of them had not come to our house that night, they would not have survived the explosion.
I went by Ryan's house about five days later and saw both of his parents looking through the remains of their house. I stopped and talked to them. I told them I was happy that no one was hurt. I said that this was the Lord telling them that they needed to be thankful for their family, and that the Lord had taken care of them. They agreed that it was a miracle that no one died.
About two weeks later, I got a call from Ryan's parents, and they asked me if I could take a look at their laptop and desktop computer to recover data. I couldn't recover the data from the laptop, as it was crushed. I was able to get the data off the desktop, even though it was heavily damaged.
I put the laptop in a box, and it sits in my dining room as a reminder of the power of the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Ryan and some of Michael's friends came over to the house, and one of the boys asked what that was, pointing at the crushed laptop. Ryan said, "That was God showing me that He existed."
When I tell this story, I always say that if Ryan and Michael hadn't come and stayed at my house that night, they wouldn't be with us today.
Michael and I did our job that night, and the Lord Jesus did His.