The Black Hole (the conclusion)

Well I moved in with my best friend, who is now my brother in law. My wife likes to point out that he is technically my step-brother in law. And I would pray for the kids of the black hole who were now certainly up to no good.

I heard the two brothers moved in with the gal with three little boys. Could see that ending badly. My brother was staying with a girlfriend I believe. Tri Hawk moved home and Fingers was probably just bumming sleeps around town.

It was probably about three months later I got a phone call from my brother. There had been a fire and Mohawk boy and Big Brother were trying to get ahold of me. A mattress had ignited at the house they were living with the three children, and all three of the children were in the hospital ICU, one was badly burned but stable, one could go either way, and the other wasn't expected to make it through the night. I got ahold of Mohawk Boy and Big Brother, and the mother of the boys was begging me to come to the hospital. I was the only pastor these guys had ever known. So I show up, twenty years old, with my bible under my arm, and pretend to be a minister.

I was the only person allowed in the room with the children besides mom and dad, (who for now called a truce). I prayed for the little guys as hard as I knew how. I wasn't allowed to touch them but I did my best imitation of laying on of hands, I had seen my pastor do it lots of times. And then I waited with the family, and my family. The kids of the black hole were all there, except fingers, who I think may have been in jail again. I talked seriously with the brothers, and they both asked if I would pray with them to recommit their lives to Jesus. I talked to the mother, who also asked to become a Christian. I talked to the grandparents, I talked to Mohawk Boy and Big Brothers parents. I even talked to my own brother, but he was still kinda weirded out over watching his big brother become some Jesus freak.

I stayed at the hospital for the next day and night. The child they said wouldn't make it through the night did, and the next day they said, "you can take him home tomorrow" The other two pulled through as well. I don't really know what happened to the children and their mom. I know Mohawk Boy is married and is walking with Jesus. Big Brother is now a youth pastor after years of struggling. My brothers are both Christians now. Tri Hawk is still struggling and Fingers seems to be doing pretty well.

Since then I have done three Punk Rock weddings and a few funerals. Thats where I got my nickname. The punks called me the reverend, cause I was one of their own, still one of the family, but I was also a follower of Jesus.

Seems that when we take God at His word and actually do the things that seem too extreme to be taken literally, He meets us there. Now I am not for a minute saying things will work out okay. I could have gone to jail for possesion of drugs, which I am sure must have been in my house. Maybe all of those kids could have died. Success or failure isn't the point. I met God in the Black Hole, and I imagine we all do.

the rev