Chapters: 1. Why Don't Men Obey God?
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22 LEAVING ALL
On May 23, 1943 we officially left the pastorate to embark
on this wonderful adventure of absolute trust in God. Naturally
our parents were quite concerned about us. But I was as happy as
a lark in a meadow, fish in a stream, and children at play. Very
few understood us, yet it seemed as if I had many with me. There
was joy in my heart and great peace in my soul. Who could give
this but Jesus?
If you had a precious wife, three daughters, no salary, no
idea where you were going to live--all you had was faith in God,
the Word, and prayer--what would you do? Would you be downcast?
Would you fret yourself with the questions: "Oh, Lord, what
shall we do? Which way am I to go? What is going to happen to
us?" Oh, no. You rejoice, look to Jesus, and trust Him more.
If it had been our own personal decision to leave everything and
live wholly by faith, we would never have lasted. But since it
was the Holy Spirit who had called us to follow Jesus and trust
Him entirely, we knew He would provide for us.
Our folks, and most of our friends, were asking, "Where will
you go?"
I answered, "I don't know. I am going with Jesus."
"Where is that?" they questioned.
"I don't know."
"You have a wife and three children. How are you going to live?"
"I am going to live by faith."
"What are your plans?"
219 "They are in the hands of God." I answered.
My wife's father came to me and quietly inquired, "I would
like to ask you one question, Son." (Now if you had an only
daughter married to a young man who didn't know where he was
going to live, didn't know where he was going to get a loaf of
bread, had no idea where his children would go to school the next
day, and was thought peculiar by nearly everyone--how would you
feel? Would you be a little concerned?)
I said, "What is it, Dad?"
"I would just like to ask you," he continued, "if you think
you will be able to make a living for your family?"
It took a lot of courage for him to approach me with this
question. He would never have said a word if someone had not
persuaded him to ask me, for he and I were very close friends.
He was one man who believed me. Whenever I told him something,
he knew it was a fact (and I can sense that now within me as I
tell you about it).
I said, "Dad...," and began to share with him how God had
called me when I was a little boy; how He spoke to me in my heart
at the age of five years, saying, "You belong to me. I will use
you in my Kingdom someday." I told him how God had led me, how
He had called me to leave everything to follow Him in simple
trust.
After I had given him the story, he looked at me and
declared, "That is good enough for me. It is nobody else's
business, and I am for you." Those are the only words he ever
said regarding the matter, and he never questioned me again after
that. He was always my friend.
My own parents at that time were crushed and deeply hurt.
(My mother no longer remembers this, but some of my brothers
recall it vividly.) They had worked and sacrificed to provide me
with a fine education. They had prayerfully hoped that I would
become a pastor of a large urban church and be recognized within
the religious world. Now it looked as if their twenty-seven-
year-old son was throw-
220 ing his entire future away. Theirs was not an easy assignment.
Nearly all parents would not have understood, unless it had been
revealed by the witness of the Holy Spirit.
When I left everything to go with God, my father asked,
"Son, how will you live? How will you have any finance? You're
not going to have a job. You don't have any meetings scheduled.
You mean to tell me that you just plan to read the Bible, pray,
and wait?"
I answered, "Well, Dad, I'm going to trust Jesus. I don't
know about the future; I am simply going to believe."
"Son," he replied, "I think that within two years you will
come to ask me for financial assistance."
I told this one that I loved so very, very much: "Well,
Father--I am going to trust Jesus."
That was in February, 1943. To God's glory, and only by His
grace and mercy, I can say that I have never asked my father for
one cent since September, 1937--almost six years before the time
he made the statement that I would come to ask him for
assistance. Through Jesus, I didn't need to ask my parents or my
wife's parents for help, although either one of them would have
gladly assisted us if I had asked. I was penniless many times,
but I did not tell anyone. I simply trusted God to provide.
It is only by God's infinite mercies that this was possible.
He did miracles to look after us. When it looked as if there was
no possible way for us to make it, God provided what we needed
without my asking people or telling anyone. It would require a
small book to share all the precious ways He has provided, and we
know that we are unworthy of the least thing that He has done for
us.
I began the process of locating a home for my family.
Houses were scarce during the war and in village after village I
could not locate a home. After eight days of seeking a home, I
was informed by the treasurer of the church, "The District Elder
has called and said that you must know about a place to live
today."
221 The pastor who followed us, Frank Y., however, let us know
that he was not pressing. "You don't have to worry, Rev. Helm,"
he assured me. "We don't have to leave our present home until a
week from next Tuesday."
"Yes," I told him, "but I don't want to be an imposition.
When we move out of this home I want the floors mopped and
everything cleaned. You won't have to do anything but move in."
(Of course, that's the way a Christian tries to leave a home or
an apartment he is vacating. He tries to leave every place
better than when he first arrived, whether it is a home, a
filling station, a restaurant, a church, or a school.)
I called the Earl E. Agency and spoke to Herschel, the
brother of our former Sunday School Superintendent's wife, who
worked there. He told me, "Brother Helm, we have had fourteen
requests for rentals today and there is nothing in sight. One
can hardly find anything to rent anywhere." So I rejoiced
anyway. My wife and I again sought to look for a home in the
surrounding area, but found nothing.
When we returned to the parsonage, Florence was rather
disheartened. You would have been, too, if you were being
pressured to get out of your home and had no place to go, no
tangible assurance of immediate income, and less tangible promise
of future finances. But Jesus gave me courage, peace, love, and
light within my heart, just as if we had a lovely home already.
God continuously gave this wonderful assurance in my heart that
He would take care of us.
Florence wasn't actually discouraged either, by God's grace.
She simply felt the pressure of the situation and would like to
have had a idea of where we were going. It is natural, isn't it
dear ladies, to want ten or twenty dollars or more a week to buy
groceries and things? But my wife didn't know whether she was
going to have two dollars, six dollars, or none. She had no
guarantee of even having a roof over her head and a bed on which
to sleep.
222 Together we prayed. The Holy Spirit showed me when we were
first married that whenever there was a difficulty, whenever
there was a trial--and we all have our little tests and trials --
the first thing we must do to keep the victory was to get our
arms around each other immediately and pray. God someway helped
me to know this, because no one gave us this counsel before we
were married. Through the years I have tried to encourage young
married couples and older couples to get together with their arms
around each other and pray right away when there is a difference,
a trial, or a struggle.
When we had our little tests, I would get Florence in my
arms and suggest, "Honey, let's pray."
She would remark, "Here?" We might have been in the kitchen
while she was doing dishes, in the bathroom, or in the living
room. It was often not convenient, but I would say, "Let's get
on our knees and pray now." So she would put her arms around me
and we would bombard Heaven, crying out to God until the darkness
was passed and it seemed as if we were in our courtship days
again.
Now the flesh and the devil are against couples doing this,
but there is no other way to keep the victory. Every couple has
struggles over money, homes, neighborhoods, children, relatives,
personal life, and work. But if each partner will be willing to
resist Satan immediately, lift the shield of faith, then go to
prayer together at once, the darkness will be driven back and the
joy of Jesus will lift you above the trial. This is one of
the secrets of a victorious marriage, but few have been
willing to put it into practice consistently.
Of course, Florence and I were not in a struggle ourselves
at this time, but we were praying about the grave situation which
faced us. While I was praying, the Holy Spirit revealed to me
that I should go to Taylor University by way of Hartford City.
Hartford City was about eight to ten miles north of Shideler, and
Taylor was located at Upland some ten miles northwest of there.
I rejoiced and told my wife, "Honey, let's
223 get started. God has told me to go to Taylor." When God gives
me an assignment, I want to get going. No matter where it is, I
love to go where God directs me to go. By God's grace, I am
always thrilled.
We got into the car, turned west, and stopped at the stop
sign before turning north. Now we have places to eat, places to
sleep, places to study, places to play. Why not have places to
pray? Since January of 1939, I have made stop highways a place
for me to pray. While I was stopped, looking both directions, I
offered a simple thanksgiving to God: "Thank you, Lord, for
providing, keeping, guarding, guiding."
Driving north into Hartford City we turned left at the
corner of Washington and Walnut. Just as I started to turn west
I received word from Heaven. "Stop right here in this filling
station on your right, Son," the Holy Spirit said.
I had no time to tell my wife what I was doing. I suddenly
stopped the car, pulled the emergency brake, and went inside as
quickly as I could. "Do you know of a home that I can rent?" I
asked. "I have a wife and three children." Of course, I didn't
know a single person in Hartford City.
They were unprepared for such a question, and didn't know
how to answer it. Then one man said, "Say, just a minute. In
three weeks there will be an apartment of three rooms available."
"Thank you very much," I replied. "That won't be
sufficient. I need more than three rooms. Thank you for your
kindness." And I started to leave.
"Wait!" he called out to me. "Have you inquired at the D.
Agency?"
"I am sorry," I answered, "D. Agency? Where is that? I am
a stranger in this town."
"That's the realtor up here," he explained. "They may have
help for you."
I asked, "Where is it?"
"A block east, half a block north," he told me.
224 Locating the D. Agency, I inquired, "Do you have a home in
this town for rent?"
"Oh, no," they advised me. "We only sell homes. It is
difficult to ever find a home to rent."
"Thank you very much. I appreciate it," I said, turning to
leave.
"Wait just a moment!" they called out. "Have you tried the
News Times yet?"
"News Times? What is that?" I asked. "I'm a stranger here."
"That's our little newspaper," they informed me; "our
evening publication."
"Where is that?"
"Half a block north, a block east, back half a block." It
was just like I was going up stairsteps. Praise God!
Into the News Times office I walked and spoke to the woman
behind the desk. "Pardon me. Do you know of a place in this
city for rent?"
And without referring to her files, a list, or anything, she
replied, "Yes, Sir. In an hour-and-a-half our edition comes out,
and in it, 301 East North Street is advertised for rent. Marion
G. passed the Army exam and he decided to rent rather than sell.
This property will be advertised in our paper in one hour and
thirty minutes."
"Praise the Lord!" I shouted in my heart. I was so thankful
to hear this news. The praise was really sounding wonderfully
within my soul!
She told me how to get there, and when we arrived we
discovered a lovely home only eighteen months old. We were to
find that it had hardwood floors, a shower downstairs, a bath
upstairs. In the kitchen were beautiful cabinets and a double
sink. We never had enjoyed such modern cabinets or sink, nor had
our parents.
When I had asked my wife in the Fall of 1942, "Honey, will
you be willing to leave everything and trust God for all
things?", she asked, "Do you know anyone who ever really did
this?"
225 "No," I answered, "but I know there are those who have done
it, because the Bible says so."
"Where will we go?"
"I don't know," I answered her, "but God will give us a hut
or a cottage somewhere." I pled with her to let our bodies be
mattresses for our children, if need be, and go with God
entirely.
In two days she declared, "I am ready to go." By God's
grace that settled it. She never worried any more about it. "God
will look after us," she affirmed, and believed right along with me.
Wasn't that wonderful to have a companion willing to go with
me and trust for all our needs? Praise the Lord! My companion,
which Jesus had called to help me (and the Holy Spirit moves in
my heart when I tell you this) has been such a precious help and
encouragement all through the years. In the trials and battles
which have faced us in this wonderful walk of trust, she has
never wavered or turned aside. She has been like a rock by my
side, by God's grace and help.
I have tried always to encourage wives to be more thoughtful
of their husbands, because there is more to a woman's assignment
in marriage than washing dishes, preparing meals, mopping floors,
and raising children. Too many wives have forgotten their
husbands. Any man who is going with God today is having a more
difficult time with evil than any woman could ever know. It
would eliminate many troubles and temptations if wives were
striving lovingly and enthusiastically to take care of their
husbands.
Likewise, husbands need to be kind, gracious, thoughtful,
and tender with their wives. Husbands should be loving and
stimulating, working gently and easily with their companions
toward a mutual fulfillment of the love relationship, not simply
the satisfaction of his mortal desires.
The demon powers influence wives to make them cold and
unloving to the husbands, and at the same time affect husbands to
make them attracted to other women. Our men
226 need to be so cautious in all their behavior with women who are
not their companions, and wives need to pour more love into their
husbands so that they will not be so severely tempted away from
the home.
Walking to the door of 301 East North Street, I knocked.
Marion G. opened the door. "I am Rev. Helm," I said. "I have
just heard that your home is for rent and I came to inquire."
"Oh, certainly, " he replied. "Come right in."
When I walked in, his wife remarked, "Why, I remember when
you married my cousin and your brother."
"July the sixth, 1941," I added.
"Yes," she said. "I remember you." (Think of that! God had
taken us right to someone who knew us!)
After they had shown us through their lovely home, I told
them, "Let us pray about this and we will be back."
We left the house and got back into the car. While we drove
around, my wife said to me, "I can live here and not be
frightened. When you must be gone, I will be thankful to stay
home. I know God will take care of us while you are away."
I had no idea where the money was coming from to pay for the
rent. In fact, I didn't know where any money was coming from,
except for five dollars a week which one man promised us. Five
dollars didn't go far, but it went a little, and we were very
thankful for it. But I needed thirty-five dollars a month for
the rent alone. Thirty-five dollars then would be over $125 a
month now.
Returning to 301 East North Street, I stopped the car in
front, got out, and stood by the car door praying. What were we
to do? I prayed, "Jesus--see those electric wires up there? I
don't have anything in this world, Lord. I am trusting you
absolutely. I am alone with you. Please send two doves up on
those high tension wires in so many seconds, and I know it will
be a sign that you will provide for us in this home."
227 (Now I wouldn't advise anyone else to do this. Some
people hear me share how God has led me, and they pattern
their own lives along the same lines. I was never led to pray
this way before, nor have I been led to pray this way since.)
As I waited with my eyes closed in prayer, I was standing by
our car on the driver's side rejoicing and praising the Lord. In
thirty to sixty seconds I heard the flutter of wings. I opened
my eyes, and there they were!--two doves sat right where I had
asked God to place them! "Look, Honey," I cried. "I just asked
Jesus to put two doves on those high tension wires if He was
going to help us here, and there they are!"
I hurried to the door and knocked. When Mr. G. opened it I
announced, "We will take it!" and gave him the rent for two
months with money that was back salary which had been owed us.
In just a few minutes people came from over the city and
around that area asking the owner, "Why didn't you call and tell
us you were going to rent your home? Why, we are your friends.
We wanted this place."
"We didn't know," he told them. "We just advertised it in
the paper."
Our parents and many others asked us how we ever found such
a lovely home. The answer was very precious: before the
newspaper even was off the press, the Lord Jesus had led me there
wonderfully by the guidance of the sacred Holy Spirit. And
instead of a hut or a cottage, He gave us a very nice home.
Praise the Lord.
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