He operates behind the scenes to guide people to “know the way.” And you probably have never seen him before. He prefers it that way. His name is Ray Broome.
Several years ago early on a Friday morning, I was putting out the signs to guide people to Forest Pointe Church on Sunday. Since we have met in a portable location since we began as a church, one of the necessary tasks is to put directional signs so guests and the community at large know where we are and how to get there.
I love signs and I love them to be placed in exactly the right way. Over the years, we have had numerous dedicated volunteers to get them out. But quite often, we have had seasons where I just had to do them myself or they would not get done.
Enter Ray Broome. Just a few weeks before this event was about to happen, I told Mike Howard, our Executive Pastor, that I was going to pray for someone to do the signs. No pleas from the stage, no desperate appeals from email, no guilt inducing asks to people personally. I told Mike, “I am going to pray about it and watch what God does in response to the request.”
Early one Friday morning, I was putting out the signs on Highway 273 at the northbound exit ramp. I saw someone waving from his truck and recognized Ray Broome’s face as someone who attended services. As I was pushing the prongs of the sign in the ground, he stopped alongside to chat. He said, “Why are YOU doing that?” I explained that we had many great volunteers in the past, but for that season the job belonged to me.
He said, “I’ll do it! Show me how and I’ll take care of it.”
I said, “Really! I’ have just been praying that someone would do this and I asked God specifically about it. You, Ray Broome, are an answer to prayer!”
He said, “Really! I’ll be happy to serve the church in this way.”
We made an appointment to meet the next Friday to show him the proper placements and protocols for putting out the signs. He jumped right in and did an excellent job. Ray (or “Broomer” as I refer to him) is a perfectionist and he made it his task to make this his ministry. And he has stayed faithful to this task for several years serving God and our church with excellence EVERY week except for weeks he has been on vacation. Winter, spring, summer, and fall. Week in and week out. Month in and month out. Year in and year out.
I have to confess that I thought he would tire of doing it, but Ray has said to me several times, “I feel close to God when I do it and my life would be missing something if I were not doing it.”
So early in the morning each week, Ray, an experienced businessman and inventor by trade, gets up early, loads his big white truck and serves our church as “Director of Outdoor Advertising.”
When you see him, thank him and introduce yourself. He’s a great guy.
Every time I see the signs on Sunday in a pristine location placed in a perfect manner, I say, “Thank you God for Ray and others like him who want to help people find their way to take their next step on their journey with Christ.”
Then, I turn my eyes heavenward and say, “Thank you God for caring so much about me that you sent your Son for me, you provide for all my needs, and that You answer my prayers so specifically.”
Here’s something to think about…Do you know that YOU are the answer to someone’s prayer?
Ray was an answer to mine. And YOU are an answer to someone else’s!