Okay, I HAVE Got to give God some CRAZY praise!!

My church here in Verona had dedicated a three day fast (for the last three days of the month of September) that was to end on Sunday. I partly joined – well to tell the truth I really didn’t. You see I don’t have breakfast here, because its coffee and croissant (whatever), have a huge lunch (courtesy of you know who), and no dinner (cause of the fear of getting fat). So in all, technically it could be said I already fast, so I will be deceiving God, when I know I already don’t eat after a certain time. So I chose to pray more and read the bible (the bible part – well not as much as I would have hoped).

So on Saturday I told myself wouldn’t it be funny if I woke up late and missed my train on the day to break the fast and I WAS LEADING Worship. I told myself what nonsense. I rebuked that thought immediately. I woke up on time, but for some reason was dillydallying, and looked at my time 22 minutes before my train leaves. I almost fell on the floor. You see it’s a half an hrs walk to the train, and I haven’t been feeling too well so wasn’t sure how I would get to the train on time. I screamed so loud, carried my back pack and made a dash for the door (the buses are hourly, already missed it). I started to run. My heart, lungs whatever gave way. I could no longer breathe (after 1 meter - I am so unfit – don’t let my mountain climbing deceive you). I decided to hitch a ride, no one would stop (why would they, black girls here stop cars for you know what). I started to run again, telling myself I won’t make it, but had to rebuke the thought, and started to tell myself I will. As I made a run for the roads, from nowhere a lady stopped. She spoke no English, but said “stazione” I nodded and she took me there. I was so grateful. I got to the station train was delayed by 10mins. Was upset for stressing myself, but this was the beginning.

I finally got on the train, arrived in Verona the same time I usually arrive, but my pickup had been and gone (he was very early – wanted to get to the church on time cause it’s a very significant day). I called him, he was on some different network that charged like a Euro per min, ended up telling him I’ll get the bus and to inform the choir that I wont be able to lead worship – will be late (also called Pastor to tell him), but forgot to get the bus number. Tried to call back to find out, credit finished. I was like, OK then I’m going home. Don’t know where I was going, and can’t be getting a taxi, where will I tell the driver to take me. As I contemplated going home, I saw some of my church members, their bus had been delayed. As in I thanked God for seeing them.

We waited, bus was still nowhere in sight, so I offered to pay for taxi, so we could at least make it to church. When we got there, I still managed to lead the Worship, Most amazing service, and GOD confirmed the words He spoke to me during my last week in Blacksburg at the family conference meeting. I was now more than sure that God had purposely brought me to this country. It was simply an amazing service. Finally when the pastors dropped me off at the train station to get my train, there were no trains.

I waited and waited nothing. I wasn’t sure what to do, there were too many people at the train station, and I thought something big was going down in Verona. After an hr and a half wait, I decided to get myself on the cue and try my non-existent Italian at the ticket people to find out what was happening.

On joining the cue I spoke to this German lady who spoke English who informed me that there was a National Strike. The train drivers were ON STRIKE – and only my Line was affected. Yes can you imagine a national strike but only MY line was affected. The train Italia was on strike from 9pm Saturday to 9pm Sunday, but only trains coming and going to my end were cancelled.

I was also informed that there should never have been any train (as in under normal circumstance I should not have been in Verona that day). It was plastered every where that no trains will be running (which obviously I couldn’t read), and it was just random that there was that train from nowhere that morning. It was the only random train that ran that day to Verona.

The only train that should have left during that Strike period was 9.21pm train on Sunday evening from Trento.

So you see I had to have gotten on that train, because God had made a way for me to get to Verona to hear what he had for me. And for some reason I wasn’t supposed to attend that service (under normal circumstance). Sometimes I wonder, who am I that He is so mindful of me.

People at work are shocked that I made it to Verona on Sunday morning, like no way, there shouldn’t be any train, and even if there was, they would stop during the strike period on the tracks, never getting to the destination. But Here I was, on a strike day, on a random train that got me to my destination. And I was on it to hear the message GOD had for me.

Yes I ended up staying for 5 hrs at the train station to catch the 9pm train back, but I didn’t mind the wait, because the Lord pulled out all the stops for me to get there, and Hear what He wanted me to know.

So my message to you is, don’t worry you can never loose out with God. When He has something for you, He'll pull out all the stops to make sure you get. So keep giving God crazy praise because He is more than ABLE and can move mountains just for you only.