My encounter with God

I wanted to share the story with you about my encounter with God this last time I was out on Maui.

Me and my wife take trips out to Hawaii every year for the last 3 years. We have visited every island. Last November we embarked on a journey to visit the last island – the big island of Hawaii. Upon our arrival we encountered just about every possible problem. Our airbnb was cancelled, we had a very difficult time finding a new house to stay at, and having 2 boys under 2 years old, hotels were not an option. Upon our arrival I had lost a filling and had to go see a dentist. So to say this experience was sub-par would be an understatement.

However, this was not the biggest reason I didnt feel at home on the Big Island. Upon my arrival I noticed I started to feel very anxious and a bit uneasy. I thought that this feeling would eventually go away, but this feeling only got worse. I started to sleep pretty awful and almost cancelled my very anticipated fishing trip because of feeling very uneasy. So we decided we needed to leave and go to our roots (Maui). We have been going to Maui for our anniversary every year.

So on the 11th day of being on the Big island, we packed our stuff and left for the airport. I didnt realize that our flight would be on a 6 passenger dust cropper airplane – being a nervous flyer didnt make this experience better.

Upon the arrival of Maui, we were back to paradise. That feeling I talked about being uneasy was gone. It was as if we had entered a different universe. Some say that because of the amount of sacrifices on the Big Island and how the culture worships idols. Whatever it may be, the feeling that I had of being uneasy was not because of feeling sick, or feeling unhappy….it was my exposure to the spiritual world. I would love to get into some of the stories about how God has exposed false “prophets” to me over the course of my spiritual walk, but I will save it for another day.

When we arrived to our condo in Honua Kai – we were greeted by some of the same obstacles. Our room wasnt available and the keys were not dropped off. However, the feeling of just being there was sufficient enough to be content with our circumstances. My mom had come on the last day on the Big Island to help us babysit and enjoy some sun. She was very pleased with my gesture to fly her in for company. After sitting down at the table that night, my mom mentioned that she had an ear infection….when I heard this I made the statement that “how do adults get ear infections?I havent had one for over 20 years since I was a kid!” Little did I know, that was about to change. The following morning I awoke to my ear hurting…thinking nothing of it I ignored it. The following day i woke up and the hearing in my left ear was completely gone. I couldnt hear anything. So i jumped into my car and drove the streets looking for a pharmacy. As I was driving down the road I seen a guy walking down the street and he was carrying a cross. In the moment, I heard a little voice in my head say “go talk to this guy, go pray with him!” I was a little confused on why i had developed this thought. However, I kept driving…I found a local food coop store and bought an ear drop for ear infections. I started to use this medicine the entire day and the following day. Unfortunately, even after 3 days this medicine did nothing to my ear. So I decided to go see a real doctor. I started to drive around looking for a clinic, and what do you know. I see the same guy walking down the street with a cross and that inner voice came back repeating the words “go talk to him.” I of course ignored it yet again. I was able to see a local doctor and he confirmed that I had an outer ear infection and would need antibiotics. So I took the medicine for 2 days straight….however I did not get any better. On the 3rd day I went back to the physician and asked why my ear infection had not went away….he was stunned. He did not have any answers for me. So he sent me to a specialist kahului. As I left the doctors office I once again seen the man walking down the street with a cross. And i couldnt believe it. This was the 3rd time i had seen him in a week and all in different parts of town. Once again that voice said “go talk to the man, and pray with him!” I was finally listening. Was this God speaking to me? Was God trying to capture my attention?

A little back story: we were in downtown Lahaina (3 years ago during our anniversary) and we were window shopping….we ended up running into this guy as he was out in the street corner and I was compelled to come talk to him. This was the same guy I kept seeing in the streets. I actually walked up to him and had a causal conversation about his cross and how he carried it around town. I told him he was doing a good work preaching the streets like the great prophets once did. It was a good conversation. But just like anything else just an ordinary conversation with a fellow believer.

So as I heard this voice telling me “GO TALK TO THIS GUY, PRAY WITH HIM!” It had become loud. It was definitely God speaking to me. So I gave in, I thought…FINE….As soon as I go see the specialist in Kahului I would come back and talk to him. Upon the arrival to the nose, ear and throat doctor he made a diagnosis that the ear medication that was given to me was the wrong medicine. When I asked him how this was possible, he said….I have no idea. The doctor you originally seen has been in this practice for a very long time. Its not like him to make this mistake. I was mind blown. Did God allow this to happen on purpose? So he prescribed another medicine and I was on my way.

As I drove back into Kaanapali, I told my wife that I needed to do a few errands and I would be back. As I drove down the street I couldnt see where this guy was….in this exact moment. The inner voice said “go back to that exact place, where you originally met this guy several years ago.” I was confused…could this also be the direction of God? So I did as instructed. As I drove down the road I thought to myself…what are the chances of him actually being there? Could he have traveled there in a few short hours and be in the exact spot? I guess I was about to find out. As I entered downtown Lahaina, I found a parking space and started to make my way to that exact spot. As I turned the corner….my heart dropped! The guy was standing exactly where he was when we originally met! I was over whelmed in that moment. I had goosebumps going through my blood.

As I approached him, he smiled and said “hey how are you?” I told him, that God actually sent me to come and talk to him. He was very casual about it. He asked me what was going on…and I had told him. In that moment God spoke to me. He said ” God closed your ear physically so you would listen to him. you have been ignoring him, he has been speaking with you and you havent listened.” I was astonished. This was God talking to me….I was so over come by the power of the Holy Spirit, it convicted me. It corrected me….and of course it strengthened me. God is alive and he is trying to get my attention. I could only wonder…why? What did he have to tell me?…..Little did  realize that there was a bigger picture that was unfolding and I started to see it. God had started planning something for my life. Something big. I just cant figure out what it is yet. After our discussion we had a little talk, and he prayed with me, literally the next morning my ear opened up. I had been healed.

I tell people about the time where I gave God an ultimatum (I say that facetiously). Because in the moment I didnt think about it. About 5 years ago, I had someone ask me, why I wasnt in ministry work? And I answered….well, if God gives me the wife I need. The children I want (ive always wanted 2 boys) and a financial stability where I am not relying on a paycheck every month. I might consider it. Little did I know, God had already started the process. After i graduated WWU, I had just gotten out of a long term relationship that had dragged on for several years….being distracted with school was my only excuse on why I didnt end that relationship. I knew that God had not been the center of that relationship. So I broke it off. About a year later, I started to write a devotional blog. I did this as a way of expressing my emotions, but also giving people insight on my personal walk with God. As I started to grow in faith, I started to pray for a wife. I didnt look for one….it never even crossed my mind how I would meet her. Just a few short months later…someone showed me a picture of some girls that were family friends….and this inner voice said. This one right here is going to be your future wife. I was so shocked about that thought, because nothing like that had ever entered my brain. I thought nothing of it, and continued to live life. A few short months later I was invited to a birthday party by a friend and that friend hadnt spoken to me in years. I decided to go. As i arrived to the party, I was casually talking with some old friends….and that girl from that picture entered the room. I was shocked….what were the chances of me ever seeing her. Well, in that moment I introduced myself…and let me tell you for being a confident speaker I literally put my foot in my mouth. I couldnt believe how awkward I got. After that encounter I decided to send her a bouquet of flowers anonymously. A few weeks later I actually started to run into this girl everywhere I went. I seen her at a coffee shop…a store…someones house. About a month later an old friend of mine, moved in around the corner from my neighborhood, and he started calling me daily. Inviting me over for dinners and BBQs. Little did I know this whole time he had been planning to set me up with his younger sister! So one day, as we are at the table….his sister walks in…and right behind her was this girl (LUDA). The girls from the picture, the one I sent flowers too. The one I kept seeing everywhere I went! So i decided to talk to her. Little did I know, her friend had been interested in me, do she paid almost no attention to me. I later wrote her, and told her I wanted to meet for coffee through Facebook. She agreed, we went to coffee and during that, what I thought was a date, she rejected me….her reason was she was too busy with school and church….I was devastated. But I pretended nothing happened and continued with my life. A few short weeks later she had finally found out that I was the one that sent her the flowers and she decided to tell me that the reason she couldnt date me was because her friend liked me. I told her in the nicest possible way, that I was in no way attracted to her friend and I actually liked her. This changed everything. We became inseparable. We dated for 3 months and were married in 6. This was truly a God send. The way I had met her, and all of our encounters you couldnt of planned. And the fact that I had never seen her was very surprising.

The biggest shocker of all of this was I knew her father. Many years ago I encountered her father as I was occasionally talking to him about life and work. I had shared an experience about how I proposed to a local girl and her parents refused to let me get married. So his response was, if that was my daughter I would let you get married. Little did he know. I would eventually marry his daughter.

So as God has been paving the way for me, family wise. He has also blessed me tremendously with my business. I own an exterior contracting business that is almost self sustaining. Late last year, just after this encounter with God in Maui, I was praying about how I would only be able to relocate if God gave me a buyer for my business or send someone that can help run it for me. Shortly after my prayer, I seen a guy at my church and this inner voice (Holy Spirit I would argue) said go offer this guy the position of being a Manager? So I did. He thought about it for like a week and agreed. He was the last and final piece to complete my self sustaining business. We had all the people needed to run my business unattended.

Just a few short months ago, I tried to apply for a house loan here locally and to my surprise I was rejected. I didnt understand why….So we decided to start looking for homes in Maui just for fun, our dream to move to had become the pinnacle of our conversations in our house. So out of curiosity we applied for a loan in Maui and to my surprise we were approved. So why did God not approve my home here? Was this the final answer? So it would seem that way….

Maui here we come….we have put in an offer on a home and hope we can be a part of the Kumulani campus church.