Growth from Division

Copyright © 2012 T. Martin Young

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Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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ISBN: 978-1-4497-6152-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-6503-3 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012913694

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/14/2012

Contents

About the Author

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1 The First Vision: The Waterfall and the Volcano

Chapter 2 Second Vision: The Vision of a Box in Front of the Church

Chapter 3 Visions’ Purposes is Revealed Through Scripture

Chapter 4 The Active and Passive Faith Experiences

Chapter 5 Creating a Balanced Faith Experience

Chapter 6 Four-Fold Knowledge of God

Chapter 7 Introducing the Trinity Truths and the Trinity Concepts

Chapter 8 The Trinity Truth of Hearing God

Chapter 9 The Trinity Concept of Hearing God

Chapter 10 Visitation and Habitation

Chapter 11 A Balanced Faith Brings the Habitation of God

Conclusion

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What are people saying about this book?

In this book T. Martin Young combines years of studying and meditating on Scripture and tradition to fulfill an aspiration expressed by St. Augustine, Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in Thee. In T. Martin’s unique daily life, revelations shown him by the Lord allow him to see how God is working in himself and others to bring forth not only a knowledge of the Lord but a personal relationship with Him. What a gift to the faithful to point out that if they follow their Holy Longing they can delve into their own deeper relationship with the Lord. - Sister Ann Paula, BS., MA, MA Ministry. Sister of Providence of St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana.

T. Martin Young has written an eye opening book, which every Christian should read. If there ever was a need for the church in America to WAKE UP, now is the time. T. Martin Young’s honest assessment of biblical principles, which have never changed, from the time our Lord inspired those who wrote the Word until now, is a refreshing reminder of our need to draw closer to God. – Dan Hilts, Dan Hilts Evangelistic Association & Life for Children International, Sarasota, Florida

Inspiring... Revealing… This book will be used by many as a reference guide to life for helping others as well as one’s self. – Tammara A. Pexa, Women’s Ministry for Trinity Interactive Ministries, Minnesota.

This book has inspired, educated and encouraged me in my relationship with the Lord. It is clearly written by a person with a wealth of knowledge and understanding on seeking a deeper relationship with God. This book is much, Food for thought that needs to be slowly chewed to digest it but well worth it. It is written as if in a conversation with the author and the beautiful poems and prayers touched my heart. I am looking forward to the following books, Trinity Truths and Trinity Concepts. – M.K. Lindvall, Independent School District #196, Minnesota.

As an avid book reader I can tell within the first few pages if the subject matter will hold my interest. This book held my interest right away. It was very inspiring. I had a hard time putting it down. It made me look at life in a better light. I can’t wait for more of T. Martin’s books to come out. He is an excellent writer and I would recommend this book to anyone. – Carol Cushing, Independent School District #196, Minnesota.

I have found this book to be very insightful and relevant to our world today. It also helps one realize the importance of having a balanced spiritual life. I especially enjoyed reading about his encounter with the Lord. I can only imagine what a blessing that must have been and the impact that encounter had on his life. I am so glad he is using the gifts the Lord has given him and blessing others through those gifts. – Bobbi Huerta, Poet, Sarasota, Florida.

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to a man who greatly affected my life more than I ever realized. He was an example to me of what it is to be a Christian.

Walter Ross Foley was the pastor of my youth; he was also an author. He was a man who, though thirty years my senior, called me his friend. He would often, like a mentor, take me by the hand (figuratively) and bring me into his office. He allowed me to borrow any books from a personal library of hundreds, even thousands, of books. We had so many wonderful conversations, and I felt privileged that he would take the time to talk with me. He was my confirmation teacher, and, upon graduation, gave me his pulpit when I was fourteen without knowing what I was going to say. He said that he trusted me. He smiled, so often; when he looked my way, with that certain twinkle in his eye, he gave me a great assurance that I could do anything with God.

Since his death I have thought of him many times in writing this book. I wish he was here so he could read it. I can see him taking hold of it and smiling that great smile of his and telling me that he knew I would do it. As I write this dedication, I have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat with feelings of loss, great admiration and love for this great man of God.

I owe a lot to you, Ross….. Thanks…

About the Author

T. Martin Young is a simple man with a spiritual life that is different than that of most people. He was born in 1971 into a big family, one sister and a total of ninety foster siblings, which allowed him to observe a lot as a child. Seeing these kids, mostly teens, come and go through his house while he was growing up allowed him to see the many troubles that life can bring.

He had an experience at the age of eight that few have had in their lives. The Lord, Jesus Christ, appeared to him. Here’s the story in his words:

"I was excited to be going to Bible camp in the summer of 1979. My older sister Heather and my best friend Kevin had gone to camp before, but this was my first trip. I was both nervous and excited to be going. This was my first time away from my parents for longer than just an overnight at a friend’s house. I was only eight and was not used to being kind of on my own, even though I wasn’t. I remember specifically looking out the window of the bus while we were pulling away, waving at my parents, having the feeling that I was leaving something behind and was starting out on an adventure. I was not just going on a trip, but felt like things were going to be different when I returned. I remember feeling like a clock was ticking within me and that I was saying goodbye to what I knew to be a normal life. It was a strange feeling that is hard to describe.

When we arrived at camp everybody was moving so fast and there seemed to be a thousand other kids there. I made my way to my cabin and bunked in the bed above my friend Kevin. We needed to eat dinner and go to the chapel that night. I quickly unpacked and went to have dinner. When I was walking to the chapel, I realize now, that this was where my extraordinary experience began. I was raised in the Christian church so I knew what to expect in chapel and I knew how the routine went. The difference was that I felt physically like a tingly sensation going through my body as I approached the chapel. The path to the chapel was a long winding dirt road that went up a hill to a small old-style chapel in the woods by a lake. I was concerned that maybe I was getting sick because of the tingly, goose-bump sensation I was experiencing. I was concerned because I was often sick as a very young child. I had battled with croup and pneumonia most of my early childhood. I spent a lot of time in hospitals and I was treated pretty tenderly because of that. I didn’t feel the tight and wet feeling in my lungs that usually accompanied this tingly feeling when I was getting sick before, so this was different.

The service was good. It had fun music and good message, but the tingles were getting more intense. It felt like my hair was standing on end, like static cling. I was becoming a little self-conscious. All of a sudden all the sensations stopped. I heard the speaker’s voice as if he was speaking just to me. He said, You have to make a choice to know God! Your parents can’t get you to heaven and going to church won’t either. You need to make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Only you can decide. Then there was music from the piano and he continued, If you want to give your life to Christ, then stand up and come forward. I looked around and nobody was moving, but I felt the need to go forward. I didn’t think long; I stood up and walked to the front. To this day I don’t know if anyone else came forward with me. I closed my eyes and stood in the front for a little bit, and then the preacher led the whole group through the sinner’s prayer. I repeated the prayer and meant every word I said. I remember having a feeling of sorrow, as if saying goodbye to a dear friend, and a rush of excitement of heading on an adventure at the same time. When I say a dear friend, what I mean is that control of my own life was coming to an end; the friend was that of being able to control my own destiny. I remember the speaker laying his hands on my shoulder and praying for me. Music began playing again and I was told to return to my seat. I don’t remember a single face that I walked by when returning to my seat. The service ended and all the kids rushed out, but I sat for a while.

I remember leaving the chapel alone and walking slowly along that dirt path back to the main part of camp. I remember seeing a tree stump of great size off to the right surrounded by other trees near the edge of the lake. I felt a nudging within me to go sit there and talk to this new Savior I had just given my life to. I sat and stared at the lake. I cleared my throat and simply said, Lord? All of a sudden I felt a bolt of electricity go through me and I fell over to the ground! I was still conscious but my body just went numb and I couldn’t move. I was scared, terrified! I heard a voice that, in writing this, still gives me chills. The voice said, Fear not, Trevor. I gained control of my body but I could only raise my head enough to see His feet and hem of His garment. He spoke again: I have a plan for your life, and I will speak to you. I will show you many things. Simply listen and watch, then I will tell you what to do. I responded with a simple, Yes, Lord. He touched my head and once again my body went crazy with all kinds of physical sensations that I can’t describe. Then all of a sudden everything then went dead quiet, and I remember hearing the waves on the lake and feeling the cool breeze of the evening. I opened my eyes and saw the trees moving in the breeze against a dark blue sky. I sat up, then stood up, and started to walk back towards my cabin. It was sundown and I needed to get back. My mind was replaying what had just happened and what He had said to me. My body felt different. I felt strong, energized; so I decided to run. I wasn’t worried about the breathing problems that had plagued me before; I felt great! I ran as fast as I could back to the cabin. I ran inside and tried to tell my friend Kevin what had happened. He was on his bunk bed and was reading. I