It’s been a long time since I’ve written you. It’s been on my heart though to share a story that I wrote a few years ago. This story is from before I ever dated Mrs. Dakota Daubenspeck, before I ever even had a chance. It’s essentially two stories in one, because God blessed me immensely in another way in this story through one particular man. The story below is named after him, “Dillon.”
[February 28, 2012
Yesterday, I was desperate. All that I wanted and needed was a break. I wanted a break from work, my mind, everything. I hadn’t taken a sabbath in months. I needed a break from life.
I quickly fought to get a shift covered at the front desk of my dormitory. 12-3pm was not the ideal time to work. I needed that time to study.
As soon as my first 9am-12pm shift was over, I made straight for lunch. I needed a “wicked burrito” to give me some strength.
I planned the day before to go on a hike. There is a park on the ridge near UH, and I wanted to sit at those tables and read. Now it was time. I was free, and the journey to gain my sanity after eons of school and work began.
I rushed up the mountain, pausing only briefly to pray and take in the view. “Lord, I pray that it would be just you and me up there, and whatever else you might have for me.” That last part, about Him having anything else for me, I didn’t really expect to be anything, but I threw it in because I felt like I was supposed to.
I just kept on hiking, two things on my mind. Acts Chapter 8….. and girls. One girl in particular; Dakota Robinson. Friday night, we had gone to Da Spot for dinner. She had told me “no” at first, but I somehow convinced her to come. Dakota was beautiful, and she really loved the Lord Jesus Christ. However, she didn’t really seem interested in me, and I wasn’t sure I was either. The personalities didn’t really connect. I’d actually played out a conversation in my mind in which I asked if she was interested, she said no, and then we agreed to be friends.
That in my head, I hiked on. Continuing on, I walked past a man with dirty straight tan pants, no shirt, no shoes, and a worn leather bag across his shoulders. I felt like God was saying something concerning him to my heart, but I wasn’t sure what. I continued on.
Dakota and that fantastical conversation still ran through my mind as I prayed. I needed to focus on Acts 8. The story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch spoke straight to my core. God said “go.” Phillip went. God said “run.” Phillip ran. God said “stay.” Phillip stayed. And then Phillip spoke, and the Eunuch was saved. Never did God give Phillip the destination or end result. He merely gave direction. And Phillip listened. I needed to focus on this, not girls.
I knew that Dakota hiked this ridge often, I’d even thought to ask her, but I decided against it. I laughed at the thought of maybe seeing her up there.
Thoughts were still racing when I got to the park, but I was beginning to settle down. I chuckled at the thought of a woman on the bench ahead being Dakota. I glanced. She looked nothing like her, and I walked past.
“Hey!”
It was her! How had I not recognized her?
“What are you doing up here?” she asked.
“I just came up here to study.” We exchanged some small talk. I wished her a good week with her sister and began to leave. Walking away, I stopped. Why not chance that conversation?
“Hey,” I began,” I’m not even sure if I should ask this, but are you interested?”
“In dating?”
“Ya.” I had no idea what I would say if she were to say “yes” or even “maybe.” I’d only prepared for a “no.”
“Not really, no. But not anybody,” she answered.
I was somewhat relieved. “Okay, ‘cause that is totally fine. I would much rather just be your friend than be trying to date you.”
“Well I appreciate you asking.” Man! This conversation played out almost exactly how I’d imagined! My next statement was even as awkward sounding as I’d played out in my mind!
“I’m curious,” I said, “to meet your guy friends.” That sounds so weird! But I continued, “You sound like you have some really Godly guy friends. When I ask to hang out with you, it’s really mostly because I’m looking for friends.” We talked a little bit more, and then I left and she ran back down the mountain. I was so happy after that, a burden lifted. Now I just had a friend, and that made me glad. Before was like chasing the wind to an awkward ending.
After walking a little bit, I went back and sat on a picnic bench under some shelter, and I pulled out my Bible, New International Version. I planned to read Acts 1-7 before starting my study. The beginning is so important, and I needed context.
Not far into my reading, a man came and sat down on the bench behind me to rest. Straight dirty tan pants, no shirt, no shoes, and a worn leather bag. I’d hiked past him on my way up. God was still putting him on my heart.
Dillon.
I introduced myself. He returned the gesture.
“What are you doing up here?” he asked.
I told him I was up there to study. He asked me what. “Haha, right now I’m studying my Bible.”
“Really?” he asked, more of a statement than a question.
Dillon only looked to be about mid twenties and in good shape.
“It’s kind of funny. Reading this, I feel like I’m supposed to tell you that Jesus Loves you.” I’m never sure what people will say when I tell them that.
He just said, “thank you.”
I asked him what he was doing up there today, just for conversation. His answer surprised me. I don’t remember his exact words, but he told me that he was on a sort of spiritual inquiry. He’d gone up there searching.
“I’m gonna stay up here, I guess until it’s done,” he said.
Dillon was from New Mexico. His father was from the East Coast, his mother the West, and he was sort of in the middle. He had Christian backgrounds on both sides, he said, and he mentioned something about Anabaptists.
Our brief conversation ended when he said, “I’m just catching my breath right now.” He didn’t seem interested in talking overly much.
I turned and continued to read my Bible, praying in my heart for this man, so precious in God’s sight. When I got to verse 22 of chapter 4, Dillon surprised me.
“I don’t know if you mind, but do you think you could read out loud?”
I was flabbergasted. He moved a little closer, still sitting behind me and a little to the left. From Acts 4:23 I started reading aloud. It was somewhere after 2 o’clock when I started.
I read, and I wondered if I would stop after chapter eight where I’d intended. That was not God’s plan.
Read until he tells you to stop. God didn’t speak it, but I could feel Him pressing that on my heart.
So I read.
I smiled, and my eyes teared. God was using me. I felt so blessed.
My flesh kicked in a little later. “This guy isn’t asking me to stop,” I thought. My voice was dying, my speech fumbled, and I felt like my contacts were falling out as my vision blurred the pages before me.
For over two hours, I read. The first Christians came about, Saul Killed Stephen, Phillip baptized the Eunuch, Saul was converted, the apostles preached in city to city, healing many. All the way to chapter 28 when Paul goes to Rome, I read. It was hard, but so worth it.
Dillon thanked me for reading. I asked him if he’d ever asked God, Jesus into his heart. He told me yes, but that he wasn’t as close anymore, and he was just up there searching.
When I was back in my room earlier that day, I was going to leave my favorite little Bible at home, but I’d felt I was supposed to take it. Now it was in my backpack.
“Do you want a Bible? I’ve got an extra one in my bag.”
“Oh that would be great.”
“Just read it man, it’s got all you need in there.”
Dillon had a sweater on now, but he said he was cold and wanted to walk.
“Mind if I walk with you?” I asked. “It’s freezing.”
There wasn’t much sunlight, in fact it started raining soon, so we just walked.
Finally he told me, “I prayed today that I would meet someone who could give me a Bible, because I don’t have one.” I almost cried. That scarlet worn Bible that I gave him, I almost didn’t even bring it.
We kept on walking, Dillon unable to know how much what he’d just said meant to me, and I unable to comprehend how God was using me.
It rained a little harder.
When we moved to go separate ways, I asked if he needed shoes or a shirt. I’ve got enough of both in my room.
“I don’t know if I should accept help right now.” He said he was okay.
The only thing I found left to do was pray. I laid my hand on his shoulder.
“Lord, please give Dillon a hunger for Your Word.”
I convinced Dillon to take my hat. I wanted to leave him something, and when I told him it was just a hat my dad had found, he consented.
The last thing I said to him was, “as a brother in Christ, I love you man.”
“I love you too,” he replied.
I ended, “Jesus loves you.”
I cannot comprehend the truth of those words, but I pray Ephesians 3:17-21
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever! Amen.”]
Dreamer, what I did not write in my story was why I was going on the ridge-line to study Acts chapter 8. The next night, my high school youth pastor and mentor wanted me to speak to the elementary age children at our congregation’s youth group. The story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch was the next story in the line up, and it was my turn to share it.
See, Dreamer, God knew what He was doing. He knew His plan for my life and His plan for me and Dakota to be together one day, so He wasn’t worried about that. He set that aside, and helped me to set it aside for the time, so that I would focus on His plan. He had a man that He wanted to reach. And He had a story that He wanted to tell. He lined up my life with the story of Phillip so that Dillon, just like the Ethiopian Eunuch, would be blessed. And He lined up my life with Phillip’s, so that the next night I would not have a message that I came up with, rather a story to tell of how the Word of God is alive and how Jesus made it come alive in my life to be a blessing to others.
God knows what He’s doing, Dreamer, even if you don’t. In less than a month, I will have been married to Dakota for one year; you’d never have guessed that from the beginning of the story. But as I said earlier, God knew His plan, so He set aside mine so that His glory and His plan could be revealed. I pray that I will continue to let Him set aside my plans for His, that His perfect and pleasing will would be revealed for my life and for the lives of those around me. Will you let Him do the same in yours?
God bless you Dreamer,
Carter Daubenspeck