Kevin Rohrer
Kevin Rohrer's Story
Talking with Harvey
I was only there for no more than a few minutes when a man named Harvey walked around the corner carrying a Bible. He asked “Is everything all right?” Tears swelled up in my eyes as I simply answered, "No."
I want to tell you a story that played itself out my freshman semester at school. I was in a serious relationship with a girl from back home, which was almost two hours away. I thought that I was happy and in love. However, I couldn’t share with her the most important thing in my life. Early in that first semester I had given my life to Christ. She was not a Christian and didn’t understand the newfound relationship I had started with Jesus.
This caused a lot of problems between the two of us, but for me, it also caused problems between God and I. I wanted her to believe the way I believed but, she was opposed to such a faith and even resented my efforts to talk to her about it. This situation almost always led to me compromising my beliefs for her.
We talked on the phone almost every night, and this conversation had ended badly over a fight about religion. I don't remember the details of the fight, but I know that it had caused me a lot of stress. I needed to get out of my dorm to clear my head, so I went for a walk that evening. As I was walking, I had finally calmed down and decided that I needed to sit down. The first thing I did was look to my left, where I saw a dark set of stairs leading downward. I paused and thought to myself. I could tell that something really wanted me to sit there, but I didn’t know what it was. Still thinking about what to do, I turned to my right and fixed my eyes on a bench lit up from the street lights. Immediately something told me that this is where I am supposed to sit. I knew, without a doubt that this was the right place to go. Instinctively, I followed it.
If I would have not made the choice to sit on that specific bench at the moment, my life may have turned out very different. I may have continued in that relationship and never found the joy and peace I have in the Lord. I could have stayed with her probably only to have my spirit completely crushed from so much compromise.
When I sat down on that bench, I still was to stubborn to give all my problems to God. Instead, I relied on human logic as I counted out pro's and con's about the relationship. However, I was beginning to feel a peace from God. It's hard to explain, but because of the choice I made I knew that He was going to take care of things. I was only there for no more than a few minutes when a man named Harvey walked around the corner carrying a Bible. He immediately turned around to look at me, and asked “Is everything all right?” Tears swelled up in my eyes as I simply answered, "No."
Harvey sat down on the bench and talked me through my problems. And although I was worried before, I couldn't help but smile through the tears because of the happiness I felt form God. Harvey read to me scripture after scripture. Everyone of them comforted my soul and put me at peace. He had gone through a very similar experience and share his story with me. He left a badly broken relationship just as I was about to do, but years later he had been blessed by the Lord to now have a beautiful wife and children. His story gave me hope and direction with what to do with my life.
The highest point was the freedom I had to be a part of the Campus Crusade ministry. To let go of my past and look on to the blessings that God had for my future.
I feel totally free to grow closer to God. I have grown up as a Christian and am exited to take on some small leadership roles next fall.