When I was in Bible college, I heard so many people say God told them to do things that I began asking to hear His voice. I had heard Him before (see God Knows What's Coming), but was seeking a closer relationship. After months of begging Him, he finally spoke to me. I asked Him to let me hear His voice and he said, "Will you do what I say?" After a shocked pause, I said, "Yes!"
About 2 weeks later, I was praying for God to help Lydia, a student from China and her mother who were having trouble at the time. He told me to invite them to come live with us for a while, until they could get things settled. He reassured me several times that it was Him, and I even received a prophecy from someone who had no idea what I was considering and praying about. Still, I knew my sinful nature well, and wanted no doubts, because Lydia was about 30 years old, single and attractive. I decided to set out a fleece before God, knowing He is capable of doing anything.
My wife is a very quiet and private person who often says no to even having social visits. She likes our quiet home life. She's also uncomfortable around hyper-spiritual people like the mother who would be living with us. So, I told God I would ask my wife, but do nothing to pressure her into a favorable decision. I knew if Marsha said "yes" it would be a miracle. I called her at work and asked her if it would be alright if they came to live in our spare room for a couple months. Marsha said, "I don't understand why I'm saying this, because it's not my normal position, but, yes, that would be fine."
Lydia was having behavior problems that caused the college staff and her Mom to believe she had a demon, but I felt God wanted to get her help rather than subject her to more rituals performed by fearful and superstitious people frustrated at the fact the demon wasn't coming out. When we went to pick her up, she screamed and ran down the street and I had to literally grab her and carry her to the car. For the next few days, she alternated from someone who thought the Holy Spirit did her bidding and she could pray people in and out of heaven, to someone laying on the floor in a puddle of tears over the hopelessness of her life.
When she threatened me with a boning knife, I was finally able to convince her mother to submit her for psychiatric observation. The doctor confirmed that she had a lithium deficiency which caused bi-polar affective disorder (manic-depression). Once they got her blood lithium level stabilized, she was back to normal. What was strange, though, was the fact that neither Marsha nor I were the least bit concerned for our safety even when we were being attacked and threatened. I think it was the "peace that is beyond all understanding."
After 2 months, Lydia and her mother had more normal problems and it was God's time for them to find other accommodations...our job was done. My grades remained high, though I did receive my only "B" during the quarter they stayed with us. I think this was a miracle, because I had to devote much of my study time to doctor visits and other distractions. Lydia and I graduated the same year, and both spoke at the graduation ceremony. She returned to China, weaned herself off of the lithium without a return of the disease (another miracle). Last I heard (About the year 2000), she was married and had a new baby.