God Is Still in Control – A Testimony from Whigham, Georgia – by Pete and Sandy Singer

Words can hardly describe the kind of day God gave us in Whigham, Georgia, during the recent Rattlesnake Roundup. Sandy and I came to the event praying for opportunities to share the Gospel, but what we experienced went far beyond anything we expected. God blessed in a powerful way, and we witnessed firsthand how hungry people still are to hear the truth.

You might think that being in the Bible Belt, most people would already be “churched out” or certain about their faith, but that was not the case at all. Many people who came to talk with us were unsure about where they would spend eternity. Some said they hoped they would go to heaven because they were good people or had done good deeds. One man even said that if his “number came up,” he thought he would get in, but he could not really explain what he meant, only that it was up to the “Spirit in the sky.” Moments like these reminded us how important it is to clearly share the message of salvation.

Throughout the day, we handed out approximately 800 walking sticks, each one opening the door for a conversation about faith. We had the privilege of praying with around 300 people, many of whom sincerely wanted to know how they could be sure of their salvation. At times, we had groups of 10 to 12 people at once praying together to receive Christ. It was an incredible sight, and even being there in person, it was hard to believe what God was doing.

The response was so overwhelming that other believers who were attending the event stepped in to help us prepare more walking sticks with the straps that hold the beads and tags as we went along. They could see what was happening and wanted to be part of the ministry. Because of the steady flow of people, Sandy and I had to take turns presenting the Gospel, speaking loudly so groups could hear over the noise of the crowd. When people prayed together, their voices were strong enough that others nearby would notice and come over to see what was happening, which led to even more opportunities to share the message.

In several cases, believers watching the conversations recognized the people who were coming forward to pray and admitted they had never taken the time to tell them about Jesus before. That opened the door to remind them of what Jesus said about reaching our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth—starting with the people closest to us.

We truly could not have done this alone. God sent helpers at just the right time, both to assist in preparing the walking sticks and to help keep track of who had already heard the message. We even had to give the helpers instructions ahead of time so we could stay organized and make sure everyone had the chance to hear the Gospel.

That morning, the verses in my devotions were 2 Thessalonians 3:1–3, asking that the message of the Lord would spread rapidly and be honored. By the end of the day, we felt like we had seen those words come to life right in front of us.

Days like this remind us that no matter what is happening in the world, God is still in control, still working in hearts, and still drawing people to Himself.

Pete and Sandy Singer