I came on my Walk to quit on God. In April 2018, I attended the Dan River Emmaus Community Walk #82, where I sat at the “I Am” table. Dave Schuller was my sponsor.
The event impacted my life in indescribable ways. Initially, I had planned to journal about my weekend experience, so I took a composition notebook with me. But I wrote in it only on the first night, and my last sentence revealed that I had gone to the Emmaus Walk to quit on God.
It had been less than two years since my wife and I had established a ministry. As my Emmaus weekend approached, I really wanted to walk away from this aspect of my life. I wrote about quitting on God after I had climbed into my bunk that Thursday night. After writing the final sentence, I placed the pen in the notebook and laid it down. I then turned over and pulled the blanket up over my shoulders so I could sleep. As I settled in for the night, I heard in my spirit, “Be obedient and fast for three days.” A lot of thoughts went through my mind after I heard this message. However, I decided to be obedient and fasted for the entire weekend.
Nine days after my Emmaus Walk concluded, I was in an airport in Kansas City, Missouri, when I received a call out of the blue from a book publishing company. The man on the other end of the line told me that the publisher had come across my story on the internet and wanted to know more about it. The story he referred to had nothing to do with Emmaus. It was the story of how my wife and I were led to begin our ministry, My Brothers’ Crossing. As I talked with him, he asked if I had ever done any writing about our experiences in ministry. I told him I had scribbled a little. He requested a sample of my writing, and I emailed it to him. The next day, I had a publishing contract, and our book, In the Blink of an Eye: Forgiveness in Black and White, was launched on November 20, 2018. In 2019, a movie based on the book was filmed in Virginia; the movie, My Brothers’ Crossing, was scheduled to release in April 2020*. Truly, not only did I not quit on God, but our ministry and related opportunities have exploded since then.
As it pertains to my ongoing growth, I am part of an Emmaus Reunion Group. This group is in its infancy stage [as of 2018], but I believe it will have a great impact. Daily reading of scriptures and devotions is also a part of my spiritual development, not to mention Sunday school, Bible study, and corporate worship several times each week.
Our ministry of My Brothers’ Crossing is a part of two other ministries—T.R.A.S.H. Ministry (Totally Redeemed Anointed Servants of the Most High) and House of Purpose Ministry—each of which were key to establishing our ministry. Since my Walk to Emmaus, my faith in God has continued to grow. My wife and I have continued our prison/jail ministry outreach through which we minister to about 36 men in six different jail/prison facilities. We also serve as chaplains for our local public safety department. We visit the infirm in hospitals, residents of nursing homes, and those who are homebound. We travel and share our testimony and preach at churches all over the US. We try to walk in obedience to God’s Word. Truly, because of The Walk to Emmaus, I was not able to quit on God, and I can easily say that I am now full-time in ministry.
Since participating in my Walk to Emmaus, I have been invited to be on an event team, and through our ministry, my wife and I have been privileged to sponsor several pilgrims.
In addition to our ministry, I also write. Apart from the book I mentioned earlier, I write a faith-based column for our local newspaper. My column is published a couple of times each month. In our book, my favorite chapter is the one I wrote about my Emmaus experience. It is chapter 18, “My Walk to Emmaus.”
As far as my future is concerned, here is where I stand: I barely graduated from high school. I don’t like to read. I suffered with depression and thoughts of suicide for 30 years. In February 2009 God freed me from my depression and suicidal thoughts. I have ALL HOPE for the future as the Source of hope and love abides in me. I used to beg God to remove me from this earth. Now I live asking God to give me just one more day to impact just one life for his kingdom.
Truly, because of The Walk to Emmaus, I was not able to quit on God.
I am forever thankful.
JT Clark is from the Dan River Emmaus Ministries Community
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*The release of the movie My Brothers’ Crossing was delayed due to COVID-19.
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