11/19/2021
Bradenton Tabernacle Church first testimony: When I first walked into the church where I went after dropping Mr. Bill off at the hospital, I saw the usual suspects: old people, frail people, men riddled with pain and arthritis, a few Hispanic women with babies, a black couple with two little kids dressed up in black shiny shoes and white bows in their hair, and a huge group of elders seated behind the pulpit dressed in suits. I found out later that one of the elders had been miraculously healed of Parkinson's Disease two weeks prior. One woman had been instantly healed of stomach complaints and was unable to eat anything.
Many people came up to me to say hello because they don't see too many new members, or "young fellahs" and the minister was glad to see me and gave me a huge hug. I thanked him again for being there for me last Monday and he said, "You're welcome here and you can introduce yourself if you want or do whatever you like.
This service has no program, no bulletin, no set rituals, we let the Holy Ghost handle that." I looked at him right in the eyes and said, "I am ready for anything. I can tell my story about what happened here or I can just sit here and rest my mind."
We sang some songs and then he asked me to come up there. I walked right up and said, "Hello. I have never spoken like this in front of a church in my life." They all laughed and I told the whole tale of meeting Mr. Bill at Starbuck's across from Ringling. I told them about the challenges: the day I got him cleaned up at Turning Points, when he shot up in the bathroom, the journey across town trying to get him help, the hours and hours spent trying to get him in a treatment program and then the hospital. I spoke of how when I had gotten him admitted, how my nerves were shot and I saw the lights on in their church. "Praise God!" They all shouted. Their church and their minister taught me how to take care of myself better and get rest or I would be drained by what I was trying to take on. He was the one who put the "Spirit-touch" on me.
When I told them the Holy Spirit told me to do something, I didn't have to explain my language or apologize for being religious and I thanked them for the freedom to speak my heart. I told them of the constant blocks and failures, Mr. Bill's relapse, and of our being rejected by Centerstone drug treatment after 7 hours of waiting. I said I felt as if I was Moses standing by the Red Sea and the troubles were the Egyptians coming to capture or crush, the Israelites were my fears and doubt, but my true mind was Moses banging his staff on the ground. But the sea was not parting. I felt like I was banging and banging and I asked out loud, "When is the sea going to part? Is it going to part?" I told them the job wasn't done yet but that it was still hopeful and Mr. Bill and I could still succeed. We are dopeless hope addicts and not hopeless dope addicts.
The minister then put his hands on me and I felt the shaking power in his strong grasp. Quite strong for an 80 year old man. I dropped to one knee and he put the touch on me again and I gently trembled all over. I didn't get it before when they would sing, "come to the well and drink." I got it then and it didn't stop there. I took my seat and a man stood up.
"Everybody here knows me but Brother David doesn't. That addict you were describing? That was me three years ago. I've been to the showers at Turning Points, I know what you are describing, and now look at all this!" He showed off his white pressed shirt, colorful tie, and slacks. "Don't give up, man. It's worth it." I put my glasses on because I am near-sighted and looked closely at his face. I was at Turning Points 3 years ago. I recognized him and remember him how he used to be and I just lost my composure and choked up a little bit. I looked behind me and my name was on the powerpoint. The camera man and tech behind the scenes was seriously gifted. Every time someone spoke, once he heard the name, he created a powerpoint on the spot for everyone to know who it was. I sat down and was resting and could feel a healing energy circling inside of my heart. I just kept moving my hand around and thought of the Yin/Yang symbol and how it whirls in space. After a few more people spoke out in church, I said something that the minister heard but nobody else. In a flash, a microphone was handed to me. "Say again exactly what you just said a moment ago." I took the mic and repeated my words, "I was a sinner, I am one...I had a problem and drank too much for ten years, about twenty years ago. I still carry the stress of that around and as I am sitting here in my seat, I feel the presence circling around in my heart and healing it."
Everybody just about cracked their knees off jumping and hollering about that. "That is the Holy Spirit at work!" I felt my resistance to bias, religious damage, ideas of who Jesus or the Holy Ghost, or whatever was, and just let that "healing feeling" circle around and around.
Nearly that entire service was dedicated to me. It wasn't planned, it just flowed from Grace like an icy bath. As I reflect, it just seemed like the years of volunteer work, the thousands of people I treated with Rachel and Rebecca, the thousands of needles donated by Lhasa OMS, the money I spent, the many times I've given my last nerve ending to those broken ghosts, was honored by these people who had just met me for the first time. It felt like the Spirit was saying, "Here you go. Have some attention, drink from this well that doesn't run try. I'm not going to burn you."
Just when I thought the service was over, and it had been 2 1/2 hours that flew by in fifteen minutes, the minister brought me up AGAIN after a woman testified to her miraculous healing. He put his left arm around my shoulder, and it was really heavy and he said, "Brother David come on back up here and I am going to sing this song just for you." I stood there up in front of everybody and just relaxed my anxious mind and let it happen. He sang a whole song and the church sang with him as I stood there like a possum in the headlights. I sat back down and closed my eyes and tried to remember and really feel all that had happened.
As I was leaving, a guy handed me three pennies stamped with a cross in the middle. I have been having money issues and am near to landing my dream job. Thank you Holy Spirit, that was a nice touch.