People Magazine and Prayer

 So, my dad (Harold Green) passed from this life into eternity in July and our family has made a quirky but rather amazing discovery; Daddy was quoted in People Magazine in 1979.  None of us knew!  Not any big measure of notoriety but still rather amazing!  Did Daddy prefer no one know he was quoted in People or did he not know himself?  We will never be sure.  Although Bob Erler hadn't crossed my mind in well over 30 years, I read the article and instantly remembered the man featured whose life story radically changed when it intersected with the Redeemer. Daddy loved "Erler," as he and the "boys" referred to Bob.  What my daddy loved the most was what God had done in Bob Erler's heart and life ... talk about amazing!  Bob wrote a book and told his story, They Call Me the Catch Me Killer.  Daddy was passionate about that book because he was passionate about stories of redemption.  He gave out copies of Bob's book to hundreds and hundreds of friends and strangers over the years.

As I recall Bob Erler's amazing story, and remember Daddy, a couple of verses in the book of Hebrews just keep running around on the inside of me. The writer of Hebrews, in the beginning verses of chapter 12, talks of Jesus, the AUTHOR and the FINISHER of our faith.  Both pieces of that truth grab my heart, for their implications in my life but particularly now when I'm praying for others.  You see, our church has entered 21 Days of Prayer for Penn State University here in Happy Valley and as I pray, I keep having this overwhelming sense within; to ask the Lord to begin writing individual faith stories in the lives of Penn State students, faculty and personnel; a few by name.  Now "begin" may not be the best word choice here because author God started all faith stories before time began but I think it might just be semantics.  Or maybe the redemption part is where we are to call upon His Presence to reign on those who don't yet know Jesus as Lord; asking the Holy Spirit to cause individual stories to intersect with the story of Jesus.  And thus, the re-writing of a life story begins by author God. Just like when He began the re-write of The Catch Me Killer’s story, and all of the details were redeemed.  You can read a portion of that story in the 1979 issue of People magazine.  Be sure to note the quote by Associate Pastor Harold Green, he was my dad!  Smile.       


http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20074779,00.html