DAVE: IN OCTOBER 2013, I WAS IN A BAD CAR ACCIDENT.
THE EMTS HAD TO RESTART MY HEART.
I WAS IN THE ICU AND RE… REHABILITATION AT HOPE NETWORK,
BUT THAT’S NOT THE BEGINNING OF MY STORY.
I REALLY LOVE AMERICAN HISTORY, ESPECIALLY THE CIVIL WAR.
I USED TO KEEP A STACK OF CIVIL WAR BOOKS IN MY TRUCK,
AND USUALLY STOPPED TO READ ONE WHENEVER I STOPPED FOR LUNCH.
BUT ONE DAY I GRABBED A BOOK BY JOSEPH STOWELL CALLED "THE FINAL QUESTION OF JESUS."
IT’S ABOUT THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN JESUS AND PETER THAT’S FOUND IN JOHN CHAPTER 21.
THAT BOOK CHANGED MY LIFE IN WAYS THAT I WOULD NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND UNTIL YEARS LATER.
I REALLY THOUGHT THAT I LOVED THE LORD, BUT IT WAS REALLY A LIE.
I DIDN’T LIKE PEOPLE. IN FACT, I HATED PEOPLE.
BUT STOWELL SAID THAT JESUS WANTED US TO CARE FOR PEOPLE FOR THEIR GOOD
EVEN IF IT COSTS US SOMETHING.
HE SAID WHEN YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON PEOPLE, YOU IN ESSENCE HAVE TURNED YOUR BACK ON JESUS.
I READ THE BOOK OVER AND OVER, BUT I REALLY DIDN’T LIKE PEOPLE.
EVERY RELATIONSHIP THAT I HAD WAS A PROBLEM TO ME.
I WAS LIVING IN A HOTEL AWAY FROM MY FAMILY, MY WIFE AND FOUR KIDS.
I HAD DESTROYED MY MARRIAGE.
ON CHRISTMAS EVE 2008, PASTOR ROD INTERRUPTED THE CLOSING SONGS OF THE SERVICE...
BY SAYING THAT HE THOUGHT SOMEONE THERE HAD A GIFT TO GIVE TO JESUS.
I HAD ALWAYS HELD THINGS BACK FROM GOD.
THAT NIGHT I GAVE EVERYTHING I HAD BEEN HOLDING BACK - MY JOB, RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS.
I TOLD THEM THAT HE COULD HAVE ALL OF ME NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.
I TALKED WITH MY WIFE THAT NIGHT.
LATER THAT WEEK I STARTED PRAYING AND READING BIBLE WITH HER OVER THE PHONE.
SHE WAS REALLY LOVING TO ME AND SHE WAS ABLE TO FORGIVE ME.
THREE WEEKS AFTER THAT CHRISTMAS EVE PRAYER, I WAS LAID OFF AFTER ALMOST 30 YEARS IN CONSTRUCTION,
BUT I LEARNED TO PRAY DURING THAT TIME.
EVERY WEEK I WOULD PRAY WITH RANDY HECKMAN.
THREE TIMES A WEEK I WOULD PRAY AT THE BOILER ROOM OR THE B SHOP,
SOMETIMES FOR THREE HOURS AT A TIME.
I STARTED READING MY BIBLE IN WHOLE NEW WAY AND I LOVED IT.
I MOVED BACK HOME. THE KIDS BEGAN TO FORGIVE ME,
AND RELATIONSHIPS BEGAN TO IMPROVE.
I STARTED TO LOVE PEOPLE AND REALLY LOVE THE LORD.
IN THE ICU, THEY FOUND MASSIVE BLEEDING IN MY BRAIN.
MY WHOLE RIGHT SIDE WAS AFFECTED.
I CAN’T USE MY RIGHT ARM ANYMORE, AND I SPEAK LIKE HAVE HAD A STROKE.
I USED TO BE A GOOD WOODWORKER.
I CAN’T WOODWORK ANYMORE.
I USED TO HAVE A LOT OF SCRIPTURE MEMORIZED, BUT I CAN’T REMEMBER IT ANYMORE.
I HAD MY MASTER DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING,
BUT I CANNOT MULTIPLY NUMBERS ANYMORE.
BUT GOD HAD DIFFERENT THINGS IN STORE FOR ME.
THE LAST WEEK BEFORE I WENT HOME FROM HOPE,
I WAS ASKED IF... I WOULD WANT TO BE A CHAPLAIN FOR THE RESIDENTS AT HOPE NETWORK.
EVEN THOUGH I SAID YES, I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT IT.
BUT PASTOR ROD CAME TO VISIT ME.
HE TOLD ME THAT ALL I NEED TO DO IS WASH FEET. I LOVE THAT!
BETSY IS A PERMANENT RESIDENT AT HOPE.
SHE SITS ALL DAY PLAYING YAHTZEE OR SORRY! BY HERSELF...
OR WITH ANYONE WHO WILL PIL…PLAY WITH HER.
I CAN WASH BETSY’S FEET LIKE…
BY PLAYING YAHTZEE WITH HER EVERY DAY.
IN 2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 12 PAUL SAYS, “HE DELIGHTS IN WEAKNESS.”
I USED TO BE A STRONG MAN.
I AM NOT STRONG ANYMORE,
BUT THAT MAKES GOD’S POWER MORE PERFECT IN MY LIFE.
I WON’T LIE. SOME DAYS I AM IN TREMENDOUS PAIN,
AND I WISH THIS HAD NEVER HAD HAPPENED,
BUT THEN I PLAY YAHTZEE WITH BETSY, AND SHE GRABS MY HAND...
AND SHE TELLS ME I’M A GOOD FRIEND TO HER.
I TELL HER THAT JESUS REALLY LOVES HER,
AND SHE SMILES AT THAT.
OR MY GRANDDAUGHTER ABBY WILL HUG ME AND TELL ME THAT SHE LOVES ME,
OR MY GRANDDAUGHTER MIA WILL SIT FOR 25 MINUTES WHILE I TELL HER ABO… ABOUT MY DAY.
I CAN’T IMAGINE NOT LOVING PEOPLE ANYMORE,
AND I KNOW I LOVE THE LORD IN THE WAY THAT I NEVER DID BEFORE THAT CHRISTMAS EVE PRAYER.
I LOVE ALL THE PEOPLE AT HOPE, AND I WANT TO SHARE THE HOPE...
THAT I HAVE IN CHRIST WITH THEM.
AND I GET TO LEARN THE BIBLE ALL OVER AGAIN.
I WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD THESE CHANCES IF IT WASN’T FOR THE ACCIDENT.
AS IN… AS HARD AS IT IS, I WOULDN’T TRADE MY PRESENT LIFE FOR THE OLD DAVE FOR ANYTHING.
MY NAME IS DAVE DIETZ AND I'M A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE.
I’M A BRANCH THAT’S BEING PRUNED,
AND I’M A TRANSFORMED FOLLOWER OF THE LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.