As I ministered at My Father’s House a few years back, I asked the congregation if there was anyone present who had a birthday on May 2. Prior to the service I felt strongly impressed while in prayer that there was someone that morning in the service with a birthday on the second day of May. As I stood before them, I glanced over at Pastor Bill Chilcote to allow him to scan the sanctuary to spot any raised hands.
“Well,” he slowly churned out. “I don’t see any hands.”
For a second, I was uncertain as to what to do. Did I miss the Lord? Prior to the service, I had written out a few things the Lord spoke to my heart for this person.
“But,” Bill’s raspy voice continued. “May 2 is actually my birthday!”
Since that moment, I have not forgotten the date of Bill’s birthday. That morning I shared with Bill, also affectionately known as Wild Bill, the verse the Lord had shown me, Micah 5:2:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.
Then I went on to share how God was going to raise up out of My Father’s House, nestled in the small town of McConnellsburg in Pennsylvania, a voice to reach the emerging generation.
Today is May 2, Wild Bill’s birthday. This man has enriched our lives since Aneta and I first met him and his lovely bride in 2017 while ministering at the Prophets, Pastors & Intercessors conference. That was a divine connection.
The passion of Bill’s heart for God is unparalleled in its “sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). The Father’s heart is revealed through Bill’s genuine care for people. This is evident by a deep commitment to those whom the Father has entrusted under his care. which is life-changing for the recipient. And lastly, his humor is … uh, unforgettable! Those that know me, know that I like to tease Bill about his sense of humor since he’s the only one laughing at his own bad jokes. These are the things that make Bill, Bill—and that’s precisely why we love him.
If there’s one thing that stands out to me about Wild Bill that I’ve observed about him over the past few years, it is this: Bill sincerely seeks to only do that which he sees the Father doing, much like Jesus as revealed in John 5:19:
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Happy birthday, Bill. Your life has made a difference in our lives. We love you
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