He's Alive News March 2022

Homelessness Doesn't Mean Hopelessness

It was in year 1997, around the month of August, Charlene and I went to Georgia having left our family and friends behind without knowing what the future would bring. We were running from our responsibilities because we were not yet serving the Lord at that time. As a matter of fact, we were running with the devil. And all we had in our hearts and minds was to satisfy our worldly lusts.

We moved in with my brother and his wife. Charlene quickly got a job at a local restaurant. Well when Charlene received her first paycheck, instead of helping my brother and his wife pay bills, we decided to buy beer and drink. When my brother's wife returned home from work, she was very angered by this and proceeded to throw us out of her house.

Unbeknownst to us, this is when God started working in our life. We absolutely had no place to live. Everything we owned was in a suitcase. We had to walk everywhere we went because we did not even own a car. Charlene had to go to work that day and she was very upset and crying since we had no place to go, nor did we have a place to lay down our heads that night.

When she arrived at work, her boss knew there was something wrong and wanted to speak to her away from the others. Now Charlene had only worked a week and a half at her new job. She proceeded to explain to her boss what had happened and that I was legally blind and that's when God showed up!!!

The manager told her to go ahead and start work while she went and spoke with the employees. She soon returned and told Charlene they would pay for a week at the motel and my SSDI could pay them back when I received it. We were overwhelmed because Charlene had only worked a week and half. They were strangers to us as we were to them! People just didn't usually do this kind of stuff.

While Charlene was working, we would still visit my brother and continue to drink. Then his wife kicked him out so now there are three of us homeless. He stayed with us at the motel for awhile and then we moved to a bigger motel. Then one day Charlene and I were walking back from the laundry mat. I was carrying a large basket of laundry and God had a woman stop and offer us a ride. She told us about a homeless shelter. We could stay there for 2-3 weeks; however we were there 2 times longer than most people due to God's intervention. This homeless shelter was a small house converted into 2 apartments.

Then one Sunday morning a man knocked on the door at the homeless shelter where we were staying. With blood shot eyes and dragon breath, I answered the door and this very perky delightful man was inviting us to go to church! I declined his offer and closed the door. However this man was persistent and the following Sunday he was there again. And for some reason I told him I would go the next Sunday. Sure enough he took me at my word and Charlene I, with our hangovers, all loaded up in the van and left my brother at the shelter. We were so overwhelmed with the loving reception we received when we walked into the church. It was a small country church with a little country pastor. He was small in stature standing approximately 5 foot, but he preached like no one I've ever heard before.

The Holy Spirit was large in this man, that's why I agreed to come back the following Sunday. That's also when I met the Lord Jesus on that next visit. When the Pastor gave the altar call, Charlene got up to go to the powder room. I told her I would meet her outside, but that's not where I went. I was headed for the front door but the Holy Spirit took me to the altar where I knelt on one knee and began to cry and weep uncontrollably. That little pastor knelt in front of me and put his arms around me and through tears he led me in the sinners prayer. And when I stood up, I stood up a new man. I looked around and there was Charlene lying on the floor! The Holy Spirit had gotten hold of her too. Charlene and I have never been the same since. We attended church regularly and even tried to get my brother to go but he refused.

He began to work things out with his wife and she allowed him to move back in. Then one night Charlene had a dream, the next day she told it to me and the following Sunday she told it to the pastor. The pastor said it was not a dream but a vision and also interpreted it. To make a long story short, we knew we had to go back to Florida to rectify our wrongs. And this is what we did. Through various obstacles and stumbling blocks along the way, we were able to stay on the path that Jesus put us on. That is why we will continue to serve the Lord throughout the remainder of our lives. There are multiple stories we could tell you that happened along the way. We've had drugs, alcohol and even death of loved ones that satan used to try to get us to turn away from God.

He has thrown everything at us including legal matters. But God!!! God always makes a way out and he said in His word, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And He never has or ever will. So if we continue to serve Jesus, anyone can. For we are weak but He is strong in us. God will send the right people into your life, at the right time. Today we still serve and love the Lord with all our hearts, mind and soul. We continue to pray for our loved ones and witness to all. God has given Charlene and I the ability to sing Gospel songs and gifted us to write some. We also have a puppet ministry.

We have many testimonies but the first and most important one is how we came to know the Lord Jesus. Jesus called us to Him. We are finally unshackled from sin and the chains of guilt and shame are broken. But let me tell you, through the years, we've had many battles, trials and tests from the devil, but GOD!!! He has never never left us nor forsaken us. We are not through until the Lord calls us home; we are on a battlefield of war with spiritual warfare each day. We must fight the good fight of faith and keep our armor on. We must know who we are in Christ as well as maintain a continual relationship with Him daily. His mercies are new each morning. Now would be a good time to tell you my name. My name is Clifford R. Townsley, and my wife, Charlene, and I, are now known as 2 for Christ, ministering in song and the Word of God.