On a Mission From God.

In January of 2008 I was a homeless crack addict living in Greensboro, NC. I had no direction and lived day to day stealing to eat and to support my habit. I was aware that God wanted me to do something different with my life, but God was being too vague, (so I thought). He only said, "Get a guitar and you'll eat." Months later I found myself at the end of my rope after waking up to the sound of screeching brakes and to the smell of burning rubber. I had laid down on the street and fallen asleep at the foot of a hill. I looked up in time to see two tractor-trailer trucks baring down on me as they topped the hill. They could not stop in time. I was saved by immediately rolling out of their path. I was not trying to commit suicide. It was 3:00 in the morning and I was so exhausted that I simply did not have the strength to make it up the hill and to my sister's house to rest. After picking myself up out of the street I was so disorientated that I walked half a mile before realizing that I was walking in the opposite direction that I had intended to go. It was at this point that I looked up towards heaven and cried out to God; "Lord I am so confused and lost. Please help me. Save me from this addiction. Clean me up and put a guitar in my hands. I will play it for you."

I moved to Winston-Salem, NC. It was there that God first told me that I was going to California. Suddenly I knew that I needed to go to High Point, NC to get my guitar. I had no idea where in High Point I needed to go. However, the bible passage where Jesus told Peter to go to the sea and look into the mouth of the first fish he caught and he will find money to pay their taxes came to my mind. As crazy as this may sound...my gut said go...so I went to High Point. After a couple of days at the homeless shelter, I approached a preacher there and told him about my story and that I needed a guitar to do the work God called me to do. This man said his father was a guitar player and left a guitar that was gathering dust in his attic. He offered the guitar to me if I promised to use it for the Lord. Two days later God placed a guitar in my hands.

When I got back to Winston-Salem I began to play gospel music on the streets for tips. I no longer had to steal to live. I was doing what I loved but I was still a little bashful until this lady came to the bench I was sitting on one day and told me that God told her to pray for me, She asked if I mind. I let her pray for me and that is the day I was anointed by God for this street ministry. God gave me boldness and a joy that I cannot describe. A joy that I experience only when I am playing on the street. As if He is flowing through me to touch others. It was at that point that I began to tell everyone I knew that I was going to California.

This was a wonderful time in my life; however, I was being a poor steward. I was still getting high and I struggled with this every day. God sent that same lady (Sherry) to see me again. This time she gave me a bible. She also wrote down some scriptures for me to read prior to giving the bible to me. The scriptures that stood out were on stewardship. There was no doubt in my mind that God was telling me to stop using what He was blessing me with to get high. A few days later my guitar and my bible was stolen from me. I felt like a fool. God was so good to me and I had taken Him for granted. Crying out to God, I begged Him not to take this ministry from me. I had found meaning and purpose in doing what I was created to do. So I vowed to get off crack for good. To live for Him as well as play for Him. I knew I was sincere and I knew that He would put another guitar in my hands. I told everyone I talked to that God was going to give me another guitar. Three days after my old guitar was stolen I drew the shape of a guitar on a piece of poster board, cut it out and began to sing while pretending to play that paper guitar. When people asked what I was doing I told them what had happened. Three hours later I bought another guitar and renewed my vow to be a good steward. Then I returned to the place where I raised the money so the people could see that God had indeed answered my prayers. However, this meant that I would have to sleep outside that night.

That was June 10, 2008. That night a thunderstorm rocked Winston-Salem. I was faced with the choice of sleeping under a bridge or going to a nearby crack-house where I knew I would be welcomed. I had a pocketful of money and I am afraid of lightening; however, I chose to spend a long night under the bridge.

The next day I sat outside the Whole Food Market playing for tips when I met Pete Gall, who introduced himself and said he was traveling with a group of men on a Samson Society road cruise. After giving me a brief description of the Samson Society, he asked if I had ever struggled with addiction. I said yes. Then he said this road cruise will take them to California. My gut said, " This is it ! Get ready to go! " I must have started grinning because he said he felt that this was a divine appointment and that he felt that he was suppose to invite me along for the ride. However he also explained that he first had to talk it over with his traveling companions before he can officially invite me to join them. He asked me if I would wait there until he went back to his hotel to get his companions so we can meet each other and see what they thought.

When Pete returned he introduced me to Nate Larkin, Kortland Fuqua and Larry. After playing a few songs and brief conversation we all loaded up and was on our way. ( GO TO PETE GALL'S BLOG---"TRAVELING COMPANION --DANIEL RASSUM" )

I am now living in Franklin, Tn. I have a job and live two doors down from Nate. I made a second trip to California this past November to play and share my testimony at a Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by First Baptist Church of San Luis Obispo and Vintage Community.

Truely, we serve an awesome God. A God who is able to work in the life of a crack addict in such a way that all will glorify HIS name. For my story is not about me at all.....it is about THE GOODNESS OF GOD. I delight in sharing this story every chance I get.

I resently asked God to give me a word on what to do next. Then my mountain bike was stolen. When I realized I would not get my bike back I remembered how I use to steal and how I cried out to God for help. So I prayed for the person who got my bike. The following week God blessed me with a 1992 Volvo. Since then He has put New Orleans, La in my spirit. Why, I don't know. But I am telling everyone I know that I am going to New Orleans.

I plan to visit North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Burmingham & Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Jackson. Mississippi; then New Orleans, La. I am prayerfully planning to began this road cruise March 1, 2009. Please join me in praying for God's guidance in this matter. For I desire to be as King David, who often sought God's guidance before making a move. I also desire to be as Gideon, who twice asked God to confirm his call.