Miracle Man

He was just a regular guy. He didn’t stand out in the crowd. He wouldn’t have wanted it that way. Nothing about him would cause you to think of him as a “miracle man.” Yet, to me, Gary VanBeveran was exactly that.

Many years ago, as a young man pastoring my first church, I was privileged to meet Gary and his wife Carol. They were faithful members of the Brown Avenue Church of God in Galesburg, Illinois.

While serving there, I was elected by my peers to serve on the state youth board. I was so excited when the time came for me to attend the first meeting in Decatur, Illinois. I rose early to get ready. With my best suit on, (which, by the way, was not much of a suit) I was preparing to leave when my wife, Donna, greeted me and asked, “What are you doing today?”

I proudly responded, “I’m going to Decatur for the state youth board meeting!”

With a bit of a chuckle she asked, “How do you propose to do that seeing that we have no money and the car is running on fumes?”

I boldly declared, “I don’t know how I’m going to get there. I just know that the Lord ordered my steps and placed me on this board, so I feel like I should be there.”

With that, she smiled at me, kissed me, and said, “I’ll see you tonight.”

Once in the car, I prayed and asked the Lord to make a way where there seemed to be no way. I pulled the gear shift into drive and struck out on my journey of faith.

Just as I was about to take the on-ramp to the interstate, I noticed a car quickly approaching me from behind. The lights were flashing off and on. The driver was obviously trying to get my attention. I pulled over to the side of the road, and watched as Gary VanBeveran jumped out of his car and came running up to my open window.

“Gary, what is wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing is wrong pastor. I was praying and the Lord spoke to me and said that you would need this today.” He threw a wad of cash in my car and said, “I have to get back to work before they miss me.” And just like that…he was gone.

With the provision that came from God through Gary’s hand, I was able to buy enough gasoline to make the round trip to Decatur and have enough left over to buy myself a McDonald’s cheeseburger on the way home that evening.

A miracle, you ask? To me it was. It taught me that I can trust God for everything that would ever be needed. From that day, I have always known that God would provide. That He would use the Gary VanBeveran’s of this world to fulfill His promises.

Yesterday, February 6, 2013 Gary was promoted to Heaven after a fight with cancer. Cancer did not win. Gary won! He is now experiencing healing as only a child of God can. He is disease free today.

Just like that…he is gone. But his story lives on! It lives on in the hearts of people who, like me, were touched by this “miracle man.”