The Lord wasn’t done with me after ministering to me that day through Tozer’s prayer. Our next speaker was Ken Gullickson, and for the next three days, we listened to him share his life story. I found myself in tears throughout every moment he spoke. For the first time in my life, I could say of anyone, “This man reminds me so much of Jesus.” I wondered why that was. It wasn’t his power, knowledge, or beauty.

 

It was, in fact, his humility in the face of suffering. He had a diving accident as a young lad that left him with a broken neck. He lives with such pain every day. No one has been able to bring him healing or some kind of relief from his pain. Naturally, when you live so close to an awesome God, you can’t help but hope for healing one day. However, that healing never came. So, God gave him a message for his church: to have an eternal perspective. Life is not just about the here and now, but it is about after the here and now, after our physical life here is over, we will continue living into eternity with our Father.

 

Ken's message continued Tozer's prayer: "Be Thou exalted over my comforts, though it means the loss of bodily comforts and the carrying of heavy crosses." He reminded us of Job. Job’s healing came when he prayed for his friends. This is something I have recently experienced myself. Sometimes, I endure excruciating stabs of pain in my leg due to nerve issues. The pain was so unbearable at first that I would cry out. But then I felt God guiding me to turn my cries of pain into prayers for my family and friends, and the pain would ease. I still struggle with this because I often forget, but I need to make that my first response.

 

Ken urged us that our goal is Christ likeness. "Life is not about me. My ministry's success is in how much I can help others fulfil their ministries." We must embody Christlike qualities in both our nature and purpose.

 

Before I left for the Ranch, I had turned forty-two. And now, thirty years later, as I write this down, I can confidently say I have lacked nothing.

 

Ken spoke to us about “Notebook Christianity.” We absorb so much information, rushing from one teaching to the next, making endless notes. Some people stop right there, satisfied with accumulating information. We fail to take the time to yield. After gaining information comes revelation, and then comes conviction. Many stop before reaching a conviction, which is unfortunate.

 

We often insist on asking, “Why Lord?” Instead of saying, “Why Lord?” we should ask, “What now Lord? What do You want me to do or say?” I understand how difficult it is to make sense of losing someone who was still young. We often question: “Why did You take him or her Lord?”

 

How long did God allow His Son to walk the earth? Jesus fulfilled what God had planned for His three years of ministry, and then “It was done!” Let’s be honest. We love each other, especially family. We need each other, and we want our loved ones to be there for us through both tears and joy. We often think a loved one’s departure was premature, but was it? This was a hard message to hear, yet it was necessary and crucial to prepare me for the road ahead. God has a plan for each of us. If we are living in God’s will, He will keep us on this earth until His plan for our lives is fulfilled. I trust Him with all I have and all I am.

 

We were sinners saved by grace, but now we are saints who live by grace.

Thank You Lord, for Ken Gullickson, for ministering to me through him. Thank You for the profound beauty of humility.