I keep seeing that number everywhere. Or those two numbers: four and thirteen.
I was born on four thirteen. And close to my birthday one year I saw those numbers every day. At first, I just thought, "Oh, my birthday!" But after a while it became a little more serious. I could not figure out why I saw that so often. I would see the digital clock at exactly 4:13 every day for a couple of weeks. I would see it on billboards, addresses, just numbers everywhere. Once it was the badge number of a detective on TV. Another time the vehicle number of the city bus in front of me.
After a while I started feeling that God was trying to tell me something, so I started praying about it. I felt that it really was God telling me something, but I had no idea. Then, one day I walked into the bedroom and my wife's black bag that she kept her Bible study books in was on the window ledge. On the side of the bag in big white letters was 4:13. Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." I thought that was really cool. God was telling me something in some special way.
I still kept seeing it. For years now I see it on the clock, or somewhere else. I started to pray, "Yes, God, I get it." But it still kept happening. Then I started praying, "God, you're starting to scare me." Slowly, but surely, the desire grew to start writing. I had lots of ideas already from my active imagination. To be honest the ideas came from daydreaming. Eventually I knew it was what I had to do. It was now a calling. It is also how I worship, how I praise God, and how I try to tell others how great our Lord is.
Now that I have written several books and have a couple available for others to read, I still see the number. Once it was even in lights up in the sky. Sadly, it was the price of gas. But the message has changed a little. It still means God will help with any job He gives me. But it also means He loves me. Can you see how much I return that love in my writing?