Heart to Heart: Faith Seasons Podcast

Today's Season of Joy reflection on Acts 9:1-20 is by Terry O'Connell.
Terry has been happily married to his wife Cindy for 44 years. They have 3 children and 3 grand children. He’s a retired senior executive who worked for Time Warner Cable for 30 years. His hobbies include golf (which he enjoys most often), fishing (which he seldom does) and reading.
from Acts 9:1-20
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
Read the full scripture passage: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050622.cfm
As we just heard in the reading from The Acts of the Apostles, it's about a man named Saul whose job it was to locate the followers of Jesus, place them in chains, and imprison them.
Clearly Saul was a very bad man.
One day Jesus came to Saul instructing him to go to Damascus and await instructions. He did as he was told. Jesus told one of his disciples in Damascus, "Do as I ask." saying, "This man Saul is a chosen instrument of mine."
Those are the words that really hit home with me. If God could choose a sinner like Saul, he truly is all about forgiveness and giving second chances.
Here is my story.
Ten years ago my family and I found a small, relatively new, nonprofit charity in Columbus, Ohio, called Star House. Their mission was to care for homeless youth ages 14 to 24. I had no idea our city—or any city—had a homeless youth problem, much less with people that young.
I knew right away Star House needed help, and I had the time since I had recently retired from my job. Jesus was already talking to me, but I didn't realize yet what was taking place in my life. Nevertheless, his message was clear. This was to become my new calling in retirement.
These young homeless people were the forgotten ones on our streets. These kids were alone and completely without love of any kind in their lives.
Just imagine.
Star house needed a larger building which would allow the needed growth to expand its mission and reach many more of these at-risk young people. This is a story of how my eyes were opened, and when I heard God talking to me, guiding me every step of the way, even though I could not see him nor could I hear his spoken words.
I found a larger building which needed a complete renovation. The building was valued at $600,000 with the renovation costing another $1.4 million dollars. I had no money for this project, not one cent; nor did I have any experience raising money for charities.
By the time I signed the purchase agreement, I had $10,000 in the bank from a friend. I needed to find another $590,000 by the closing, in just three short months. I began praying, hard.
At the closing, in 90 days I had raised the money, and was able to write a check for the full amount. I was overcome with emotion. I began to realize there was a higher power at work in this project. This wasn't my project but God's.
Like Saul, God had chosen me—of all people—to be his instrument. I now had to raise another $1.4 million for the renovation of the building. It was a daunting task.
How would I ever find that much money? ...

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420 W County Line Rd, Suite 200
Barrington, IL 60010
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Heart to Heart, a Catholic Media Ministry: htoh.us
420 W County Line Rd, Suite 200
Barrington, IL 60010
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Heart to Heart, a Catholic Media Ministry: htoh.us
420 W County Line Rd, Suite 200
Barrington, IL 60010
Support our ministry with a financial gift: htoh.us/donate

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Subscribe for daily emails and get a free ebook for Seeds of Hope: htoh.us/seeds
Support Heart to Heart with a donation: htoh.us/donate
Support Shalom Media USA - shalomworldtv.org

Learn More
Heart to Heart, a Catholic Media Ministry: htoh.us
420 W County Line Rd, Suite 200
Barrington, IL 60010
Support our ministry with a financial gift: htoh.us/donate