My four essential pillars-Jesus, Job, Joshua, and James
As I ponder on, “Where I am at? How did I get here? And what’s next?” I realize that I have been guided by Jesus, Job, Joshua, and James, whom I refer to as my four essential pillars. “How so?!” one may ask. Well, Jesus saved me from the path of imminent destruction; Job strengthened me with his experiences; Joshua solidified the promises over my life; and James supplied me with the wisdom to endure.
As the Prodigal Son, I journeyed into the far country and made a mess of my life. From my last entrance into the hallways of any religious gathering, I did what I always said I would do. I ran away! I headed down the path of wine, women, and song. I wanted uncontrollable freedom to ‘Just do it’! And God allowed me to do it. What a mess I made while still being under the forever watchful eyes of God. God does allow free will. He gave me power as a young law enforcement officer, He allowed me to fulfill my sexual desires without restraint; He fed my pride and ego; He allowed me to seek peace of mind in mood-altering substances; He allowed me to be a very poor steward of His money and other possessions-and I sank deeper into self, being my own God as if I was in quicksand. Then one day! That’s all it took. One day! One faithful day in 2008, I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, and my life has never been the same. I am now living my best life. This personal private encounter occurred during the Lenten season.
In 1988, while out there in the world, dodging many curve balls and bullets (no pun intended), God stripped me of everything. During one of my closest encounters with death experiences as a detective, He used a close acquaintance who casually mentioned Job which somehow peaked my interest. Job was no stranger to my vocabulary. I had always heard the saying, “I have patience as Job.” but I had never taken the time to investigate this Job as I would investigate criminal minds. My acquaintance went on to summarize Job which immediately caught my attention. I anxiously hobbled home on my crutches and requested my mother to use her bible. When I read just the first chapter of Job, I realized that God was talking to me. The second chapter kept me fascinated. As things got better I took back my will and experimented with Islam. There was no fulfillment there. I still felt a void.
Fast forward, here I am on an airplane sitting next to my best friend in exile to Brooklyn, New York. I was fasting at the time observing Ramadhan. Things did not work out as initially planned and my friend and I separated. Here I was, stranded at JFK in winter, fasting and pondering my next move. I called my brother who lived in Brooklyn and he made haste to get to the airport to pick me up. With JFK under construction and no cell phones at that time he could not find me. I then called a very close friend and explained to her my dilemma. I was advised to take a cab to her house. The cab driver was a Trinidadian whose brother I had worked with in Besson Street police precinct. I was riddled with anxiety about what’s the next step. However, I had the sword of the spirit with me. The same bible that my mother had given to me one year ago. I opened it up and landed directly on His promises to me in Joshua 1::3 “Every place that the soul of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses”. And the words were forever lodged in my heart. It was sealed with Joshua 1:7 and repeated in verse 9, “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper wheresoever thou goest.’ I felt the peace that surpasses all understanding.
In Brooklyn, I was given the nickname ‘Pastor’ because I always had my bible with me. While driving gypsy cab I did a monthly trek to North Carolina. It was a lucrative trip in my estimation because all expenses were paid. I had my own room, I performed extra chores, was taken out to dinner, and went shopping where I could get whatever I wanted. What a blessing! During the trips, I befriended the brother of the person that I chauffeured. One eventful day while I had my bible in my hands he came to me and said, “You seem to be searching for wisdom. Read the Book of James and you will find it.” I immediately turned to the Book of James and wham! As if I had been struck by a bolt of lightning, James 1 struck to the core of my heart. I was now equipped to live out the promise.
If you want more in-depth information on what you just read, check it out in my second book publication due to be released in October 2024. My first book publication will be released in June 2024. I intentionally omitted the names of the books because of the vipers and vultures in the industry.
Have a great day in the Lord!
Remember nothing changes if nothing changes.
From the desk of Dr. Andy Ansola-The Andy From Miami Show