Testimonial - Linda Fielding
We were led to San Angelo in 1991. That is when my husband said good-bye to the United States Army after 22 years. My husband, D.R. Fielding, is one of those old soldiers. He is a war horse, First Sargeant, all or nothing, black or white, MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT! kind of guy. You know the type!
The Lord was not a big thing in his world. He had been raised in a Christian home but left that behind when he left home. He joined the army at a very tender age. His gun was almost bigger than he was. What part of the Lord that was with him then, was lost in Vietnam. That long journey through that season in his life led him to be very angry and bitter with God.
Looking back in the rear view mirror is a real awesome sight, on how the Lord works. This is where my old war horse started grazing, here at TLC. He found a green pasture here and is always hungry for all the sweet new grasses he can find. Now getting here, without Jesus, is pretty bitter. In the first several years here, the Lord was slowly sowing his fields with sweet grass for my hardcore man. God was an on and off kind of thing with him. Mostly off - still in his life.
One day after some grazing I guess, he said, "Hey, let's go back to TLC." We had been before, a few times, but that old offense thing showed up and that was always that. The devil really has a good time tapping on one's shoulders.
Having a strong retired First Sargeant, working for the Lord, I am sure is a very scary thing to Satan. With the help of a lot of prayers from the Mothers and the Prayer Warriors here at TLC, we went back. Well, not till the Sarge had his say-so first! Pastor Walt was called front and center. Ya sure!
Tommy Olive and Pastor got out the grooming brushes and started. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall, wouldn't you? Tommy and Debbie have been mighty warriors in our lives. They have prayed for his very life. I'm sure Tommy was excited to see this Sargeant groomed out for the Lord and they did just that. He came home okay.
"TLC will be fine, but none of that Jesus stuff all over the walls or sitting around," declared D.R. Does my man know me or what! (You should come see the collection I have got now.) Anyway, I was dancing on the inside, can't show too much here, horses are skittish.
Sunday after Sunday we went to church. Seeds, sweet seeds were growing. After grazing for awhile again (I am so glad that Jesus loves to sit on the fence and watch and lead), here he comes again. "Let's go to that new member's class." "Okay!" (There I go dancing on the inside again.)
Off we go to new member's class. That is where we found our first TLC family. Roy & Shirley were our shepherds and that Wednesday night family became a very strong tree in the TLC orchard. He learned to laugh, cry and trust in God once again.
He was baptized there at his new family's home. Talk about being washed in
His Blood, the Holy Spirit was holding us all that night. We might have set a record at TLC, I'm not sure, but Roy baptized D.R. until his glowing white feet were wrinkled and pruned for God. The man I had known had been softened and sharpened in the Lord's love. He has even had the honor of walking the Emmaus road with Christ.
Of course the enemy has shown up with all the trouble he can. We do have 5 children and 10 grandkids. This is still the world we are in - we are just not of this world.
This last jaunt was against his own personal oneness with the Lord, his peace and his source of being spiritually fed. His loyalty, his integrity - everything was being challenged.
After almost 18 years, his plant where he worked was being moved to the Dallas area. Wow! Greener pastures were the first flesh thought. We're good to go, been praying for a more relaxed job. D.R. wants to start his own business. He prayed. We prayed. The church prayed. D.R. called all the troops. He got them of course. Then, you know when you are about to step into something...Jesus shows up and says, "Did I call you to somewhere?"
"Well, no Lord."
"If I want you somewhere, I will lead you there."
'Hey babe, we are not moving,' was served with my morning coffee one day.
"Okay."
"This is my church home, my Emmaus home and I was told I had not been called to go anywhere."
Needless to say, the company did not like this. They have been known to be - let's just say they will test your Christianity. And they did!
Uncertainty and limbo are scary places to be - a man of his nature leaving everything in someone else's hands besides his own. This was a big learning curve! Me - watching this, and living this, was extremely hard also. The ups and downs of our flesh was a trying and learning time in our walks. He was mad. No, he was angry - morning, noon and night.
His world was HELL, so therefore, so was mine. I love him. His pain is mine. He had been wronged by these people. It is hard for someone of his integrity to understand how a company can be well...like they are. They even had the guts to question his loyalty.
You pray, take a breath, step and fall. You pray, take a step, fall. Going to work became harder. This man likes to go to work. Not many of us can say that. But then, you have a man here, that once you have him, you have him.
Growing up is scary at times and it can be hard. He never wavered in his love for the Lord. He knew that all would be well, but learning the lessons that we need sure can be rough. His faith is ever stronger. The enemy tried and lost.
My war horse is even more in love with the Lord. We are closer than we were. Remember, he told me that he had not been called to go anywhere. Well, he is not going anywhere. His has a new job, in the same building, even keeps the same office - that is the one he wants. It is an easier and better job than he had.
The people that hired him 18 years ago, have hired him again (hope they don't sell out this time). He has come full circle. All is well. He knows Jesus is in control. His green pastures have become any, and I mean any body of water that might have a fish or not. He has found peace, love and grace while fishing with and for his LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.
I am honored to be Mrs. D.R. Fielding.
Satan does tremble when my man's feet hit the floor!!
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