The Next Sunset Worship Service — No Two Are Alike
Welcome to the next daily installment of this true story, which you can find posted here each afternoon until it comes to an end.
Chapter 84: Worship 7 - Sunset, November 27, 2023
I went around the train inviting people to come for prayer.
Tonight, the cork finally came out. I have stopped bottling up my shyness about anything. I sang boldly. I prayed boldly. I read the Bible boldly. If someone said he or she would not come to prayer, I stopped and prayed right there.
It was like a night in San Francisco, in that I prayed for many people. Over and over, all night long, only the atmosphere was a little more relaxed since we were not out on the streets.
It is now 9:46pm. Since sunrise, I have hardly had a minute to myself. It was an entire day of me following God and interacting with people around the prayer services in some way.
About ten people came, maybe more, to tonight’s service. They were mostly observers who were there to watch. Some sang with me. At the end of the service, we broke up into two groups: men praying for men and women praying for women.
A man, Robert, probably in his eighties shared a near death experience that happened in June. He flatlined and was in a coma for 21 days: the third time in his life.
Rose said she has ridden the train many times and has never seen anything like this prayer service happen on the train. The whole day was fantastic — even the uncomfortable parts — and the prayer service was great. Two people stood out most from tonight’s prayer service and ministered to me, perhaps without even trying to. Being with Robert and Rose tonight helped me understand something, but first, let me tell you about my attention getting pulled elsewhere shortly after the worship service ended.
Chapter 85: It Was Almost Eagle Eye Katie’s Stop
It was almost Eagle Eye Katie’s stop. A number of us had said our goodbyes and hugged Eagle Eye Katie goodbye some time ago, before the worship service started. Dave was talking to her. She was 4 or 5 seats away from me. About 20 feet away. I had a sudden urge to go speak to Katie about Jesus. The folks and I were in an after worship discussion and it was not a bad time to pull away. I asked the people around me to excuse me for a moment. They did.
I was not quite sure what was going on, but I really needed to ask Katie a very specific question. The urge was so powerful. Looking back, it is all much clearer, but sometimes at such moments, it can be hard to have that clarity.
I went up to Katie, looked her in the eyes, and asked her “Do you believe in Jesus?”
She pulled back slightly, shocked. And then almost answered totally automatically. But then that moment quickly passed, that almost automatic moment quickly passed. She exercised restraint over what had been about to come out of her mouth. Then I could see her mind turn whatever I said into something real intellectual. And from that intellectual place, Eagle Eye Katie answered:
“Believe in Jesus? What does that even mean? We do not have time for this.”
To which I said, “Okay, I’ll just pray for you then.”
I grabbed her hand and said something like this “Lord, thank you for this time together with Katie. May her journey be blessed Lord. May her work be blessed Lord. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”
I let go of her hand and went back to where I was sitting and rejoined the folks from the sunset worship service. Moments later, Eagle Eye Katie would be on her way off the train.
-Allan Stevo
This is a selection from my forthcoming book, “The Amtrak Vignettes.” A neat story began with the writing of “The Amtrak Vignettes” in October 2023. Every day until that story comes to an end, I intend to share a part of it here. It is a part of my faith journey as a Christian, a faith journey that has been deepened since the Ides of March 2020. Some of it gets pretty wild and nothing that a “reasonable” person would find himself in the midst of. Few will be scared off by it. Instead, many will grow deeper in their faith. I know that, because I know my readers well, and I know that few come here expecting me to give a milquetoast version of anything. Come here to be challenged. Stay here to have your life changed. That, I believe, is what will come of this work. You can support that work by signing up below.