I recall the time, it was a week before Halloween, when me and several friends were looking through a photo album of theirs. In it were church outing pictures and stuff relating to church or church friends. At the time, I was in a non denominational church that was unorthodox in its teachings, and therefore considered a cult, but I was fed at this church my first bits of spiritual meat. Before that, I was on milk or soft foods, spiritually speaking. I found myself learning about the Holy Spirit, and speaking in tongues. I was hungry for God’s word, and to grow closer to Him. I grew up a bit here, I learned a lot, but it was just God getting me acclimated to where He was moving me to. So yes, I joined this congregation as it were, and I enjoyed it, while it lasted; before God moved me again.

But while I was there, it was a week before Halloween, and my friends and I were looking through this photo album, and in it were pictures of a mutual friend on a theater stage, wearing a tutu, high top converse sneakers, and bouncing a basketball. I asked, “What in the world is she doing in this picture?” And I was told that this friend had lost a bet and in losing, she had to go on stage and dance ballet while playing basketball in front of everyone there.

And I decided then and there that I wanted to be this friend from that moment in time, for Halloween. We were going to a Mansion that was owned by one of the members and they were hosting a Halloween party one week from the day I said I wanted to go as this friend from that moment in the picture. The party was a week away, I had no leotard, no tutu, no converse sneakers, no basketball and not even the stockings. Oh brother, I needed to get all that together in one week or less, and I had no money. But I did and still do have a God. So I asked Him to help make a way for me to do this. At the time, I was living with my best friend V’s mother and V and her sisters.

The next day, I was sitting in the living room when the youngest sister entered and said, “hey, guess what? The lady up the street called me over and asked me  if I wanted these… said they used to be her daughters… I took them, you can have this one, but I am keeping this one.” She said as she held out 2 leotards with attached tutu’s, and the one she handed me, fit perfectly. I said, Thank you God, one down, a few more items to go.

Two days later I got the unction to call my cousin. She was an older cousin, at least ten to fifteen years older than myself. I was in my late teens. I asked her what she was doing and said she was cleaning out her closets. Then she asked me to come over and keep her company. She didn’t live far, so I agreed and headed over to her house. When I got there, she was sitting on the floor in front of an open closet with a box to one side near her. She was tossing things from inside the closet in the box she planned to throw away. So basically she was tossing out all the things her now teenaged sons no longer wore or had outgrown. And I saw her toss something in the box that caught my eyes… Yep, sure enough! They were a pair of converse sneakers. “Wait! Are you throwing those out?!” I asked her, and she said she was. I pulled them out of the box, tried them on, and sure enough, they fit perfectly! She then gave me a couple of dollars and I went to the department store across the street and bought myself some stocking tights.

The party was that Saturday. It was now Friday. I had everything but the basketball. The next evening, I was ready to go, and thanked God for the leotard with Tutu, and the converse sneakers, and the tights, and I told Him it was ok that He wasn’t able to get me the basketball.   So I was waiting for my ride, as my church friends were going to pick me up. They said they would beep when they got there. I waited anxiously when I heard the beep… I ran out, only to see the upstairs neighbor kid bouncing a basketball that he got for his birthday that very day. I love God. And I love His humor and timeliness. They say He may not come when you want Him to, but He is always on time.

So quickly I asked the young man if I could borrow the ball and he whined at first saying he had just gotten it. But then he said ok since it was night time anyway and he had to go inside soon. So I got in the car with my tutu and stockings and converse sneakers, and basketball, and said, “Thank you Lord.”

I arrived at the mansion and waited for the friend to arrive and see me. And it was worth it. Just as expected, when she saw me, she let out a howl of laughter and glee and surprise, and yelled… You’re me!!!” And then all that were in on the joke laughed along with us. It was one of the most fun and memorable parties I had ever been that served no alcohol or spirits other than the Holy Spirit… Yes, even on Halloween, God had my back.