3-4 minute read – A short story my salvation Experience **Warning unconventional salvation**

1992 – I was walking into the courthouse to settle a simple infraction. You can’t just cuss people and walk away. The crime, “fighting words.”
(How many people would this affect today).
You do the crime; you do time! Well, the results were just community service and a fine.
As we, my dad and I were settling the misdemeanor, the clerk asked if I knew another Steven Hedgecoth in the area.
“Nope, I’m the only one,” I said with pride.
“Well, I have a warrant for his arrest,” she flatly replied.
My dad looked at me with a crazy and confused face.
My response came quickly, “it must be another Steven!”

As you probably guessed, there wasn’t another Steven. The arrest warrant was for me for something I had done a few days prior. I was being charged with aggravated assault and reckless conduct.
I was involved, but not alone. The incident happened, just not as the police reported it.

I never once prayed or considered anything spiritual. Hard heart, I guess. But Jesus has a way of softening things.

A few weeks later, my grandfather and I arrived at the courthouse and met the lawyer my mom made me hire. He repeatedly told me not to speak during the session; he would do all the talking. We would be in and out. The first court date was just a pre-trial session. “Not much to do, the case will go to a superior court,” said my fine lawyer.
As we walked into the courtroom, the scene was just like what you see in the movies. I saw the bailiff, prosecutor, and the arresting detective. I could hear the jail cell doors open and close in the background.
However, the judge was a substitute that day; not good. The replacement judge wouldn’t know the details of the case. As you can imagine, this was not a confidence booster.
And as I remember, the substitute judge was the biggest African American man I had ever seen. He was probably a regular guy, but to my 16-year-old eyes, he was huge.

This day wasn’t going as planned. My lawyer was nervous; I could see him physically shaking. The judge is out, and the substitute judge looks like a giant.
Let the case begin!

I set and listened to the charges and what they said I did. Some I agreed with, some I wanted to yell “objection!” Back and forth, they went for what seemed like hours. I thought this was going to be quick.

As I was listening to people argue my fate, I could hear something else. I don’t know if it was real or just in my head, but I could hear my grandfather praying. Which then provoked me to want to pray. So, I asked God to get me out of this mess. I even tried to make a deal with God. It went something like this, “God, if you get me out of this, I will serve you the rest of my life!”

In hindsight, that was a very arrogant prayer to pray. I acted as if I had something to offer God, and he needed to strike a deal with me. God, you need me; instead of God, I need you.

About that time, the judge asked me to stand, and he started asking me questions. Remember, I was told not to speak. But when the guy in charge of your future asks questions, you answer.
Is everything in the case covered financially? He asked.
“Yes,” was the response from my lawyer.
Steven, I hope you have learned your lesson.
“Yes,” was my reply.
Case dismissed! Bang with the gavel.

Wait, what? That’s it? Is it over?
I asked one of the officers on the way out, “can I leave?” Yes, he said.
My lawyer was so shocked and still physically shaking; he asked if I could buy him a coke. Something was wrong with this guy.

At that moment, I knew something supernatural had happened. I didn’t understand the grace that I was shown that day. But I walked out of that courtroom free and determined to keep my end of the deal.

I didn’t go to the altar, I found the grace of Jesus in a courtroom.

About a year later, Nikki and I were attending a small church service when someone prophesied over us that we would soon serve the Lord in ministry with our lives, full time. Neither of us had thought about ministry at this point. We just knew there was a radical change that had taken place in our lives, and we were just along for the ride. We had experienced God’s faithfulness, so we were down for whatever He wanted. We trusted Him. So we said yes. And we continued to say yes.

Zechariah 3:2 And the LORD said to Satan, “I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. Yes, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you. This man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire.”

I was a stick burning, and God snatched me from the fire!