A Test of Faith and Early Spiritual Struggles
Only two or three weeks after meeting the Lord, in the course of my duties of visiting farmer members of the Cooperative, I met the attractive daughter at the door of one home, and subsequently my unbridled youthful flesh took the ascendancy. It was a Catholic family and I should have known better, but I was weak in the lesh and drifted into a captivating infatuation, which went on for months. At the same time I was reading my Bible, praying, and desiring to witness on my own. One of my fellow-workers who served in the office was Ziggy Poreda, also from Roman Catholic background. I witnessed to Ziggy, and he listened to my words but also observed my lifestyle. One day he asked me, “Don, how is it that you continually preach to me and at the same time continue to go out with your Catholic girl friend?” I lamely replied, “That is a good question, Ziggy. Maybe it is like in the fall of the year when the green leaves which have been essential to the tree dry up and fall off. Why? Because they are dead and no longer desired by the tree. Perhaps some of my old habits and ways, like this girl friend, will no longer control me when I’ve realized that they are not compatible with my new Life.” (A pretty feeble attempt to justify myself, but it shows how desperate was my helpless condition, and how necessary the Grace of God for my deliverance.) My brothers John, and Howard, his wife Mary Elizabeth and others were praying for this weak-willed child.
Yes, Howard and Mary Elizabeth both had been captured by our great loving Lord in that winter of 1941. They were married on November 2, 1940, and I was honored to be my elder brother Howard’s best man. Howard was so occupied in the bee and honey business that they took only a few days honeymoon, and postponed their more extended honeymoon until February, 1941, when they went to Florida with their little house trailer. They too had witnessed cousin Everett’s visit and John’s changed life. Mary Elizabeth especially was concerned about her relationship with God.
One Sunday afternoon while they were honeymooning in Florida, they went to visit a fellow-beekeeper whom Howard knew. They located his house and Howard went in to see him. While Mary Elizabeth waited, she found in the dash compartment of the car a copy of the little tract, Safety, Certainty and Enjoyment. While she read, the Holy Spirit opened her spiritual eyes. She understood and was saved.
