Jared

I received a call earlier this week from my friends at the Community Blood Center. This time of year donations are usually down and they were really in need of blood donors. My eight weeks were up, so they told me, and they asked if I could come in, to which I replied, "Sure. No problem." All too easy. It was as if my blood donation appointment was "meant to be."

God seems to always conceal his master plan, at least in MY life. Probably in YOUR life as well. Often we can look back on things and say, "Of course!" But usually, we have no clue what's going on in real-time, when things are in the midst of "going down." What happened at my blood donation appointment last night was no exception. I had absolutely no idea what I was walking into. But I am glad God did. :)

Everything was situation normal. Flash the picture I.D. card at the front desk, circle all the correct answers and items on the deferral list, get tested for my iron level, temperature and blood pressure. I passed everything and was escorted out to the main room where all the donating goes on.

After the girl who had done all of my testing positioned me in one of the chairs she said, "I'll be right back" and took off for the back room. That was the last I saw of her. Long pause. I should have known God was as work behind the scenes right then and there . . . but nope. Clueless.

A few minutes later a young man happened by and asked,"Are you still waiting to be hooked up?"

"Yup."

"Well," he said, looking around for the person who had left me there,"Well, I guess I can do that for ya."

So he started prepping my arm, getting all the little hose clamp things lined up, he put on the blood pressure cup and inserted the needle into my arm. Things went along quite very smoothly. Nothing to make me think that something was about to happen. Then, after I was finished, Jared, my new little buddy, cleaned off the iodine stain from my arm and said to me, "So,what's the band for?" Referring to the I Am Second band I wear around my wrist. That . . . is when I knew that God had something up His sleeve.


"I Am Second is a Christian organization that promotes the concept that Jesus, and others, come first in our lives and I . . . am second.

My I Am Second bracelet, and God, had opened up a wonderful faith-based conversation. And I now had a new friend, and brother, in young Jared. We talked for a full ten minutes AFTER my appointment was over, each of us excited to give our testimony to the other. I told Jared how that after I placed my trust in Jesus I had an insatiable appetite for His Word. I couldn't stop reading!

"Really?? Me too!!" Then Jared told me how he had seen an I Am Second video at Lifest and what an impact it had on his life.

"It was about some guy who used to play with a really hard rock band . . "

"Brian Head Welch?"

"YES!!!"

I then told Jared about Josh Hamilton's video, how it was the first I Am Second video I had seen and how it had impacted me. We were having a awesome time and did some MAJOR bonding - all orchestrated by God. :)

Jared looked like he needed that talk. It was almost like he needed to speak with a brother, a fellow believer, and God provided that opportunity. We ALL can use a little encouragement from time to time. And aren't we glad that we have a great God who provides? I sure am! And I am grateful when He uses me, even without my knowledge, which is most of the time I'm afraid. What a blessing it was talking with my new friend. And what a blessing it is to serve such and incredible, loving God.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:36-40

Brian Head Welch
Josh Hamilton