When the Father directed my wife and I to Illinois the summer of 1999, we met 3 older women who were real spit-fires; they frequented half the churches in town where they were always praying for revival. They led Bible studies and prayer groups, and discipled new believers all in service to the Father.

They were intrigued by our introduction to the congregation, specifically a couple so crazy as to move 2400 miles cross country, sight unseen, at the Father’s direction. Since I wasn’t yet working, the old gals invited me to one of their weekly morning prayer meetings. Just 43 years old at the time, I wasn’t particularly inclined to hang out with women in their 70s, but the host said there would be carrot cake for dessert. So I went. We had a nice time getting to know each other, sharing our testimonies and praying as the Spirit led us. As lunchtime approached and I began gathering my things to leave, one of the ladies said they were going to the home of a young woman who was bed-ridden with cancer. In that instant, the Spirit gave me the brief vision of 4 men who removed a section of Peter’s roof and lowered a paralytic by the 4 corners of a bed sheet to the front of Jesus for healing. Looking once again at the 3 ladies, I blurted out “YOU NEED A FOURTH!” Inwardly, I groaned but it was too late, they’d heard me.

Betsy was the niece of one of the women and the 3 of them had been hammering away at her for years to receive Jesus. Still muttering to myself about all the work I would not get done that afternoon, the Lord said to me “and TAKE YOUR GUITAR, too”. Again I groaned, but I knew better than to argue with Him.

The weathered house was several miles out of town, down a long country lane and surrounded by corn and soy fields. The 4 of us went in, Betsy’s aunt introduced me and the women immediately began reading to her from the King James Bible while I stood against the wall and tried to disappear behind the draperies. The ladies asked me to play and sing a few worship songs; “Amazing Grace” was requested.

Betsy was not the least bit impressed; in fact, she looked to me like someone who was offended by it all.

Someone else suggested I play and sing one of those “modern worship songs that they do at the contemporary service”. So I sang “Open the eyes of my Heart”.

Betsy was a stone wall.

After an awkward moment of silence, Betsy locked eyes with me and asked “Know any Arlo Guthrie?”

In an instant, my memory was transported back to a time 30 years prior when the son of the pastor who led me to Jesus taught me to play an Arlo Guthrie tune during a youth retreat.

“Yes” I replied and began playing.

(cover of chorus to Alice’s Restaurant)

Arlo’s song “Alice’s Restaurant” brought a look of surprise and the hint of a smile to Betsy’s face.

“Know any others” she asked?

I wasn’t sure about the other one and asked Betsy if it was Arlo who recorded the City of New Orleans.

“Yes, it was” she said and I sang and played as much of it as as I could remember, while Betsy nodded along and smiled.

I apologized for muffing a chord change and forgetting some of the lyrics. We shared a chuckle about Arlo’s 15 minute monologue that’s a part of Alice’s Restaurant. “Only Arlo can remember that” I said.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, the 3 women stood there gape-mouthed.

From time to time I’ve wondered about the walls of Jericho falling; was there an ear-splitting roar when the walls crumbled? Did the earth shake violently?

There was nothing like that when Betsy’s walls came down, only the soft sound of her voice saying:

“Thank you … I’d like to receive Jesus now”.

We gathered closely around Betsy who remained in her sick bed. Her aunt took one hand, I took the other, and together we prayed while Betsy received Jesus as her Savior.

After we’d said “Amen”, the Holy Spirit instructed me to be bold and ask Betsy if she’d like to be baptized.

“Yes” she said.

One of the women objected with “you’re not a pastor”.

Again the Holy Spirit rose up in me and replied “neither was Peter. Would someone please bring water?”

Her aunt fetched a pan of water straight away and I was blessed to baptize Betsy into the name of Jesus Christ and to make her into His disciple. We then set about praying for her life in Christ and for her healing.

I never saw Betsy again after that day. Though a few weeks later, I ran into her aunt who said Betsy’s cancer had gone into remission. I passed my email address to Betsy through her aunt and we wrote several times, with words of encouragement and recommendations for reading scripture. Shortly we lost touch when Betsy felt up to traveling and visiting friends and family whom she hadn’t seen in a long while. Still as often as I saw Betsy’s aunt, I asked about her until she too moved out of the area.

When at last I saw her again, she said the cancer had returned and Betsy had gone home to be with Jesus. She spent her her final days in California with her sister. Betsy had been blessed to live for about 18 months after receiving Jesus and before meeting Him face to face.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve reflected back on that afternoon and how showing a little humanity through singing a few half-remembered folk tunes was enough to convince Betsy she could know Jesus and continue to enjoy the folk music she loved. I had been so worried about my house that day, all the work that had to be done when the Father called me to come aside and work with Him on His house instead. It was such a blessing to be part of my Father’s work – to add a brand new room to His mansion – a temple of the Holy Spirit that He shared with Betsy.

And to think God arranged for me to learn those songs when I was a teenager, neither of which I ever played during a church gig, but only while noodling on the guitar at home. God had planned and prepared for Betsy’s salvation 30 years before the day. And if we could ever wrap our minds around it, even before God created Adam.

About that, I remember the words of Paul to the Ephesians: “We are God’s workmanship, created for good works in Christ, which He prepared IN ADVANCE for us to walk in”.

How I hope the Lord has more days like that planned for me walk in. That day is one of my fondest memories and greatest joys.

I’ll see you again in the Lord’s time, Betsy!