(BARD: In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities. ...in the modern period, acquired generic meanings of an epic author/singer/narrator, comparable with the terms in other cultures or any poets.)
Let me start with a very quick background of myself. I am in my mid-forties, I married my high school sweetheart, we now have 6 children, and we just celebrated our 25th anniversary this year. I spent 13 years in the Marine Corps (began as a private and left as a Lieutenant). I was also a drill instructor at MCRD San Diego. I have worked in the Technology/Networking field for almost 20 years (part of that time was as a Communications Officer).
On July 20, 2003, the LORD met me where I was, CALLED me by NAME, and PUT me on my face for the entire night on a concrete floor. [Imagine the story of Jacob wrestling the night with God in Genesis 32.] I was not living as HE wanted me to, and I continually pined for "something better" for my life. I was selfish, looking only through my own wants, and was making everyone around me miserable. While laying face down, the LORD told me I could have anything I wanted. Anything. Whatever I asked for would be given to me. The cost, however, would be my ENTIRE family.
Of course, I chose my family, and at the end of the night, I also chose the LORD's way. I let go with having my own way.
After my heart was changed, the LORD revealed to me three prophecies that would take place in my life. All three indeed did come true, but not in the manner or in the time frame in which I thought they would. While I waited for them to come to pass, I was continually set back and had my faith tested. Each time I thought, "here it is, this is the fulfillment of a prophecy," it would turn away and fade as the mist of the morning. Then, 42 months later--to the very day, the last prophecy was fulfilled. At that moment, my eyes were opened, and I suddenly saw EVERYTHING and how HE had put it all together. Each one had been fulfilled, though I had been blinded/frustrated to the results. (I will be happy to share details of each one at a more appropriate time.) But the moment the last one came to pass, I was very excited about what had come about. I ran around saying, "HE did it!! HE did it!!" When I came down from the excitement, the LORD then stated, "Now, watch what I do in the next 42 months."
July 20, 2010 was the end of the second 42 month period. Since the time of the last prophecy fulfillment, I have grown, fallen, and grown more. With each cycle, I became more HIS and less mine. The LORD also gave me 10 different "wandering souls" to mentor, teach, and assist. Each one of them ended up at my house with few to no options left in their lives. I affectionately call them, 'My Strays.' I have also had many professional and personal successes that I credit to the LORD and the favor HE has shown me. With each, the LORD has stretched me, guided me, rebuked me, and told me HE is proud of me. I have also been appointed as the Deacon of Communion in my church.
Our church has a terrific worship band! During worship, I don't normally sing, instead, I am normally praying. Occasionally, I will bow in the aisle. [Every knee will bow and every tongue confess... I simply choose to do it now.] While at church on Sunday, December 6, 2009, I went to the front to pray. I was kneeling in a manner my wife called a "warrior kneel," and I was calling hard on HIS name. I had nothing overpowering me or worrying me, I just felt drawn to HIM. I was there for around 15 minutes when I heard the LORD call on me. I have not heard an audible VOICE many times in my life, but this time I did. The LORD said the word "Yes" to me couple of times when my mind would drift to a topic. I believed he was confirming something. Then the LORD broke into my thoughts in a clear tone that I had never heard before nor have I heard since.
HE said, "You were trained in the military for a reason. You are now a Knight."
My first reaction was to speak out loud, "A Knight?" HE said, "Yes." I said, "Do you mean like, Sir Danny?" HE said, “Yes." I said, “You mean like Suit-of-Armor?" And HE yelled, "YES!"
I was so shocked and stunned, I didn't know what to say or do. I just knelled there for another 10 minutes, then HE broke into my thoughts again and said, "Go tell Rich." (He is our pastor.) I did so, but Rich was just as stunned as I was. He said he didn't know what to say, but said he would pray over it.
When I got home on that Sunday, after our normal family Sunday events, I began to do a couple Google searches on knights, knights of Christ, and knighted by God to see if anyone else had a similar experience. I found an organization named 'Knights for Christ.' [This organization has a 27 week course that when completed, you are knighted in a ceremony.] I read every page of the site that night and the next day. Numerous things looked as though I was being lead to this group, but at the time I was not sure. I looked over the curriculum, and I was currently reading one of the required books. [There is no such thing as irony when it comes to the LORD. The book I was reading was given to me by Pastor Rich just before I became a Deacon.]
I prayed earnestly for days over the word Knight. I searched and read, but could not find anything to follow up HIS words.
Before I was told about being a knight on that Sunday, our church's youth leader was ordained by the elders, and Pastor Rich spoke about being called. Rich stated the LORD is the ONE who CALLS, and it is up to us to respond and acknowledge. In our youth leader's ceremony, Rich stated the Lord called Chris, and we (the church) are responding and acknowledging. Pastor Rich's words kept coming back to me when I searched and prayed about being a Knight.
During my entire life, the LORD has led me in such a way that NO MAN could ever follow. I have been lead to doors that opened "the very second" I arrived at it and closed the moment I crossed the threshold. I have walked away from things in my life where others lives have been ruined for far less. I could have been killed so many time, but haven't. I should have gone to jail, but didn't. I have been blessed in ways that I have not seen in others. And I was sure this is another one.
I prayed and thought over the organization of Knights for Christ for many days. However, the 27 week course needed to be completed before I would be 'knighted.' My wife and I talked about me joining them, but she said, "But the Lord already said you were a Knight..." This was a point I could not get past. It was a thought I had been toiling over myself.
I contacted the organization and sent a couple emails back and forth. I prayed some more, and talked to my wife again. Finally, I was able to talk to Pastor Rich again. During that conversation he offered me the following words: "The Lord is not burden by space or time. When HE says something IS, it IS. That does not mean that it has already come to pass in our realm of time and space. It will though. HE sees what has already come to pass."
I knew this, but for some reason, it was not coming to my mind. Rich then told me it would be like the LORD telling you that someone was a Marine before going to bootcamp. In our realm, you are not a Marine until you earn the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and are called a Marine. But to the LORD, that person has already been through it. HE sees what WILL happen. The LORD told me that I am a Knight, seeing what I will be. And I was a Knight then because HE saw I was.
With this information, I enrolled into Knights for Christ. I completed the course, and on December 5, 2010, I was Knighted in a ceremony at my church.