I've got the river of living water By Michael Davidson

October 18, 1986 was the day I decided to grace the world with my presence. I was going to have a great life. You start out in that little crib with those little mobile's spinning above you playing you a nice little "twinkle-twinkle" tune. Dad comes downstairs in his suit and tie, pours a cup of coffee, checks his watch, grabs a piece of bacon and heads to work. Mom cleans house, puts on her polka-dot apron and watches him out the kitchen window as he closes the little white picket fence behind him and hops in his SUV. She immediately starts preparing a pot roast for supper and cleans the whole house. Oh, and she has curls. They're pulled back in a perfect little ponytail with a ribbon. A red one, you know to match her apron. And this is just the start of whats to come. You go to school, get straight A's, graduate 1st in your high school class, get accepted to medical school, and you're set. You have everything you ever wanted in life. Couldn't ask for more. That's how I used to wish my life had went.

My dad wasn't a business man and my mom was no June Cleaver. My parents were murdered on November 6, 1988. It was the end to that perfect fantasy life (that I was too young to have developed, but I'm sure I would have eventually.) I used to wonder a lot why me. I can close my eyes and no matter how hard I try I can't picture my parent's faces. Now, I don't know if that makes it harder or easier to deal with but let me tell you, regardless of how much easier it may make it, it still was pretty hard.. and still is at times. Me and my sister were there that day. We were in that house. Why we were spared, I don't know, but we were. We were left there until someone came to visit and found out what happened. Those people (and I say those people, because we still don't know who is responsible) didn't know or care what would happen to us, but they left us. God had a purpose for us.

Now I'm new at this whole church business, I just started going 4 months ago but it didn't take me long after to find Jesus and find that I wanted to know him. I didn't end up going to medical school but I did go to Church of God Worship Center on Laurel Creek down in little ol' Clay County and I've learned more there than I could anywhere... and I'm still learning. Now I know there are tons of different religions and beliefs in this world and mine may not be the one for you. If its not, that's fine. I'm not gonna pressure you into my beliefs and if you don't like it when I pray for you, that's fine too. It doesn't change the fact I'm still gonna do it (I just won't tell you about it) I was talking to my co-worker not long ago about my church and he had made the comment "Oh, you go to a Pentacostal church. You guys flop around and the floor and holler around like you feel something or something like that?" .. When I first started to going to church my pastor had made a comment that people will talk about you but I didn't expect someone to be so blatantly disrespectful right to my face. I ran through about 473 smart comments in my head in a matter of seconds but instead I just kinda smiled and said "Yeah, its something like that. You should come sometime." Its people like that I just want to grab by the shoulders and shake. I've heard "Your church is full of hypocrites. That girl you hang out with wears pants" I get you have your own beliefs, and that's fine, but you don't have to be so close minded toward everyone else's. If you think I'm wrong, that's fine, let me be "wrong" in your eyes. No one said you had to agree with me. I was telling a girl at work about the word of God and another co-worker walked by and said "Michael is on the kick where he thinks he's holier than thou" How is speaking the word of God me being holier than thou? It dumbfounds me and honestly its so frustrating. The next service my pastor was talking about he used to have this neighbor who hated him and would jump on him for no reason. Our associate pastor joked about a pastor shooting a dear and it going through one ear and out the other (I know, I don't do his joke justice with my poor explanation, but its not the important part. Just laugh anyway.) You're gonna have people to doubt you. You're gonna have people who try to bring you down. Why? I have no idea. That one I can't answer for you but when you're in need of a friend and someone to talk to you, go to Jesus. I can assure you he's not going to insult if you want to jump and shout and roll around in the floor with the spirit. He's not going to think you're holier than thou for quoting him. He doesn't care what you wear, what kind of car you drive, what you look like, etc. He'll be your best friend and he's the only friend you'll ever need.

23 years ago me and my sister should have died but I thank God every day that we didn't. I thank God for sparing us and being there to protect us and watch over us that day. Its so hard living your life knowing that you could be passing the person responsible for all those hard times and heart breaks every single day on a crowded street and not even know who they are. The person responsible for you throwing those little flower pot milk carton things you made on Mother's Day in 4th grade in the trash because you had no one to take it home too. The person responsible for that awkward moment on the first day of 7th grade when the teacher says "Davidson? Whose your dad?" and a room full of 20 students are staring at you.. and the list goes on.. and on. And on. But then came Jesus.

But then came Jesus, and instead of looking at life as this hard and unfair thing you're forced to put up with I look at life as this amazing, wonderful little time of worship you go through until one day you can walk streets of gold, sit down beside Jesus and tell him all about it. Thank him for that day back in '88 when he spared my life, and that day back in August of 2011 when he came into my life and washed away all my sins. Let me tell you a little bit about me and Jesus, me and him, we get a long just fine. I like him, he's an alright guy. I tell him everything and I know he hears me. I recently got an extension of hours at work, praise God, and not only that, my boss is even accommodated my church schedule on Wednesday. My grandma, who after numerous strokes couldn't walk and was bed fast for almost 2 years, walks. She gets up and she walks her little old self to the kitchen. I called her the other day and I said "what are you doing mamaw" and she said "making a peanut butter sandwich" Not only does she have feeling in her legs and strength to walk, she can make a sandwich. I know that doesn't sound like much, but for those of you have had a stroke, or know someone who has, its paralyzing, so that little peanut butter sandwich is HUGE. I was talking to her the other day and she told me she had a dream she went to church and heard the "prettiest little testimony" (her exact words) and was "so mad" (again, her words) when she woke up and couldn't go back to sleep to finish it. My sister came to church tonight, November 6th. Not only did she come to church tonight but she got saved tonight, praise God! She's gonna be there with me in heaven! No matter what we have to go through here on Earth, now matter how many hard times we face, one of these days we're gonna be carefree and happy all the time. Hallelujah!

Yes, I pray. I pray hard. I pray all day every day but don't you dare think for a second I don't find time to give him praise. I praise him just as often and just as hard. Now there are prayers that I throw out there I haven't heard anything back on yet, but I will. He's answered some pretty good ones and I know he'll get around to the rest. Like the old song says "Since I've prayed this long I believe I'll pray a little longer" and that's exactly what I'm going to do! I'm gonna continue to praise him for everything he's given me and pray for him to intervene for all the things beyond my control. God is good. You should get to know him, you'll be glad you did.