Belgrade, Montana

This is from Matt Ogletree’s Facebook page (11 November); Matt gave me a ride from Gallatin Gateway to Belgrade, Montana two days ago:

TIME- Just as we return from the 20 mile delivery and are about to turn on our road, I see a guy walking down the highway. He has the biggest camping pack on I’ve ever seen, looked to well over 100lbs., near approaching a couple hundred pounds! Too bad for him, I had a list of reasons why I couldn’t give him a ride, 1. going wrong direction. 2. in truck so no room in tiny cab with lots of stuff. 3. I’m starving and dinner is going in the oven as we pull in. 4. I just went out of my way to bless someone in need, and was tired now. 5. Someone will see him and pick him up with the gigantic bag nearly crushing him. 6. I’m still getting over this flu, wouldn’t want to get him sick. (I think I had a few more, but they slip my mind.)

It was around the tenth excuse that I realized what I was doing. I was literally in a tooth and nail battle with the Holy Spirit! I just asked publicly and privately for a re invigoration of my Spirit of generosity, and I’d already reached my daily limit? I felt like a turd momentarily, then I set in motion the wheels of obedience.

“B.J., could you please start dinner while I get the car and see if that guy needs a ride?”

“Absolutely Daddy, Love you,” was B.J.’s answer.

So I proceeded to pick up and give a ride to Belgrade, one awesome guy- Tim Shey. He is one of us, a devout follower of Christ and seeker of His will. He has been hitchhiking 17 solid years, covering 38 states. While on the road, he authored two books. He highly recommended that I and my friends read, “HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER”. It’s his book, available at Belgrade Community Library and West Yellowstone Library. He told me of his favorite movies: Gladiator, Man on Fire, and more, but all movies where the protagonist gave his life for a cause greater than themselves. He said that we are to remember Christ’s sacrifice and daily offer up our lives to Him in sacrifice. Tim spoke on Kid’s Ministry, and how as adults we should just read Scripture to them. Let the Holy Spirit work and just give them the Word of God. He was concerned that some adults get caught up when they can’t explain things in a way kids understand or kids just won’t get it. Don’t worry about that whatsoever, said Tim, just offer it to them. I dropped him at McDonalds with Prayer, Blessings, Dinner Money, A business card so that he won’t have to thumb it next time he passes our way, and genuine kinship with another traveling brother of mine.

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22 August 2013

Yesterday I hitchhiked from Idaho Falls, Idaho through West Yellowstone and Big Sky to Belgrade, Montana.  I got a ride from Four Corners to Belgrade with a guy named Nate.  He was going to a Bible study.  We had a good talk about the things of God, he bought me a Quarter Pounder Meal at McDonald’s and he dropped me off at the library.

After the library, I walked to Mike’s place.  I hadn’t seen Mike since around 2009.  I guess I caught him at the right time because he was going to North Dakota and Kansas in a couple of days to see some relatives.  Mike has a lot of books in his house and I noticed a few books by Watchman Nee that I wanted to take a look at, but I was too tired.  I slept on the couch last night and got a good night’s sleep.

This morning I went back to the library in Belgrade, got on the Internet and checked my two blogs and email.  Just before I left the library, I looked up my book High Plains Drifter on the card catalog.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Belgrade library had purchased a copy of my book.  Two or three years ago, I had mentioned my book to somebody at the Belgrade library, but I didn’t know that they had bought a copy.

After I left the library, I walked to the supermarket and bought a loaf of bread.  I walked to I-90 and began walking west down the interstate.

I had walked around three miles when someone pulled over to give me a ride.  His name was Daniel and he gave me a ride to Butte.

Daniel was a Christian and he told me that he had heard about me and my book High Plains Drifter.  He said that about a week ago, he was at someone’s house at Hebgen Lake and they were talking about this guy who hitchhiked and had written a book called High Plains Drifter.  I was a bit surprised to hear that because High Plains Drifter has not sold many copies, but the book has been at the West Yellowstone library for at least a few years now.  Hebgen Lake is between West Yellowstone and Big Sky.

Daniel and I had a good talk about the things of God and he also gave me some of his lunch.  I told Daniel that my book High Plains Drifter was now in four libraries in Montana (Forsyth, Columbus, West Yellowstone and Belgrade).  If the Lord has seen fit to find a home for my book in four libraries in Montana, maybe the Lord will give me a home in Montana someday.

Daniel dropped me off in Butte, gave me some money for the road and I headed west on I-90.  I was very grateful for what had transpired that day in Belgrade, Montana.

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