God is Able
 

Recently, my wife, Claire, and I traveled to visit a long-time friend; a friend from the racing family we’d met when he’d had an accident.

Claire often reads or naps as we travel.  This gave me time to reflect—not on those things that are life altering—but on one of those things that just pop into the mind as one travels.  I thought about the columns and writing I do and wondered how my high school English teachers might react. 

I took sophomore English three times before I passed.  When I ended up in summer school with my eleventh grade English teacher she asked, “What are you doing here, Dan…I passed you?”  I responded that I had, again, failed sophomore English.  It’s nice to have a friend who just happens to be a teacher; I passed the class that summer doing little more than washing blackboards and cleaning erasers.

Once I began allowing the Lord to have His way in my life, I felt that He would have me preaching and teaching His Word.  I was concerned because I’d been out of school almost a decade and spelling had never been one of my finer points.  In the midst of that battle I traveled about one hundred miles to meet with someone who didn’t know me; a pastor of a large, successful church.

It was wonderful that this pastor took time to visit with a stranger.  Most important, though, was that he introduced me to an individual visiting the church: Dr. Harold L. Wilmington, Dean of Thomas Road Bible Institute.  In our discussion, Dr. Wilmington assured me that, as long as they could make out what I was saying, spelling would not count against me.  He wrote my name and address on a piece of torn envelope, placed it in his coat pocket, and I thought that was the last time he would see it.

Two months later an application arrived in the mail.  Three months after that I moved my family to the school.  Only two years later I graduated on the Dean’s List.

Thirty-two later I still struggle with spelling and putting clear thoughts together (thank you Lord for computers)!  God has enabled me to write for our newsletter, the NHRA Northeast paper when it was printed, the East Coast Drag News, and for the TeamRFC.org website devotionals.  It is remarkable (and affirming) as people tell me how much something I’ve written meant to them, or that God used something to change their life, or it helped them to get through a rough place.

“Now unto him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)  I would have never asked or thought about having a writing ministry, but I am very glad that the Lord is using me in this way. Once again, what would my high school English teachers think about me now?  I would hope that at least one would be proud that she had a part in my life.

Dan Laterza