I want to share with you a testimony I read on Facebook. But before I do, let me tell you a little back story. A while back I had a dead tree in my backyard that needed to be cut down. A coworker of mine said he could do it for me; I think he was not expecting it to be as big as it was because his footwear was not up for the job. As he climbed higher in the tree, I feared for his safety. I feared so much that I started to beg God to keep him safe. Then I heard a voice yell, “That is dangerous. I’ve seen too many people get hurt doing that.” Here was this man standing in my back yard. Both my coworker and I looked at each other in astonishment wondering who this man was. After a short conversation, I agreed to pay this man a fee to do the job for me safely. That was the day I met Malachy Horning.
Mal came over that following Saturday and did a professional job of taking down the tree. We had a visit during a break in the work. Mal told me he was recently saved and was a growing Christian. It was then I realized that God had sent a real-life angel that day to answer my prayer for safety. I became friends on Facebook and have read many of his posts, and then I read this one and was filled with joy. I am so glad for this opportunity to share it with you all:
“Time for a little transparency.
Malachy Horning
In 2016 (while I was an exuberant Christian) I got a DUI. I was very comfortable in my sin. I wasn’t hurting anyone. Nobody knew what I was doing. You see, I really like microbrews. Unfortunately, 1 is too much and 10 ain’t enough. Well in my criminal, sinful, lazy, procrastinating mind I blew off everything the court dictated I do. I had all the support I could hope for. My pastors and church family stood next to me, even though I did almost nothing to remedy the situation. Fast forward to 2 months ago. I’d been getting my finances in order, and finally got to a place where I felt I could walk into the courtroom and offer the judge a lump of cash to not throw me in jail. I had to email the city attorney and ask permission to begin paying my fines again. Also, due to the quarantine, I couldn’t see the judge. So lazy, procrastinating Mal threw up his hands and thought, why even try? The next day I got a letter from the city attorney saying I could see the judge. God was pushing me forward. The day after that I went in to see the judge. He gave me that over the glasses confused parent look. You know, like when you did something stupid and your dad wasn’t mad, but he couldn’t understand why you did it. The judge said, “You could have had your license back 3 years ago.”
He said, “Just resume paying your fines and by the way, there’s the matter of 5 days house arrest you owe.”
You see this is the part that I laugh at myself. You should laugh too. I could have had my license with a CDL back in 2017. But it expired this past January. So now I have to take the written test and the driving test. But wait it gets even better. If I would have remembered my house arrest, I could have done it during the quarantine. So guess what I did the past 5 days? Well, God provided an RV, I have more work than I ever have, and tomorrow I go down to clear all warrants and obstacles to my driver’s license. I say all this to bring glory to God. When things are difficult. When things look hopeless. When stuff is just too embarrassing to deal with, don’t shut down. Don’t withdraw. Don’t lose hope. Have faith, trust God, He has plans that are better than anything we can think, dream, or hope for. Lean on your brothers and sisters in Christ, they love you. I wasted years, paranoid, and shamed. That was the enemy having his way in my life. I’m sorry I kept this from those closest to me. I’m sorry for the burden I’ve been to those closest to me. God has delivered me once again. I don’t post this looking for sympathy. Don’t feel bad for me. I’m ecstatic. A new season of LOVE and FREEDOM has begun for me. And I won’t be able to contain it. Y’all are gonna be sick of the love I’ve got for you.”
People often come to God looking for a magic spell to make everything right. It doesn’t work that way. God does not want you to believe in Him He wants you to trust in Him. Mal trusted God! It is hard to trust in a God you don’t really know. That is why learning about God is so important. Understanding Genesis is the beginning of this process.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
John 8:36