"Can I get a witness?" -Marvin Gaye
As I stood nervously in the small cinder block office just outside the courtroom, I tried to fake ownership of confidence and experience I so glaringly lacked. I was a 26 year old Assistant District Attorney for a rural county in Northeast Tennessee. Today was my first day in court, faced with a docket overflowing with cases and armed with nothing but an overpriced law degree and a cheap suit. A cheap suit that I had sweated through within minutes of hearing "All Rise!" I debated running to my car and driving home, but I was too out of shape to run, and too embarrassed to tell my wife, Amber, why I beat her home from work that day.
An equally nervous lady who was subpoenaed to be a witness that day, looked up at me from her chair in the corner of the cinder block room, and asked "What should I say on the stand?" To which I responded, "how the heck should I know lady?!? I don't have a clue what's going on around here." No, I didn't really say that, but you better believe I was thinking it...really really loudly in my head. I paused in deep thought for a moment, and responded with the first thing that came to mind, "just tell the truth." I honestly don't recall the outcome of the case, and I'm sure I deeply regretted giving that sage advice within minutes of her testimony, but looking back on it, it was the right response.
A "witness" according to Webster, no not the child actor from the 1980's sitcom, the dictionary created in the early 19th century, is "a person who sees or has personal knowledge of something." I've never seen my Father. I mean, I've seen my earthly father, but not my Heavenly Father. Not in person. Not standing before me. Not in the, "Oh, did I tell you I ran into my Father at Panera today while picking up the soup and sandwich combo?"
I've seen Him though. I've seen His handy work all around me. I've been the beneficiary of His miracles. I've felt his loving presence in times of deep sorrow. I've experienced His peace in times of crushing anxiety. I know Him personally and the unending love He has for me, for you, for all of us. It's a love we can't really fathom. A love we can't earn, a love we don't deserve, yet a love we can never lose. I never would have said any of those things a handful of years ago, but the truths that always existed in my heart have finally made their way to my head.
This blog going forward will be my attempt at sharing stories and scripture. "Witty Witness" is a little boastful and hardly accurate, but it sounded catchy and the name was available, so here we are. I sincerely hope you join me on this journey.
Much Love, Adam
Looking forward to more. Love hearing how our Lord works.
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