I retired as Director Physical Plant, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, in June 1997.  I often dealt with some of the men in the Motor Pool and got to know a few of them a little better than others.

Once of these men was named John Stockman, who worked as a bus driver in our bus fleet. He had served in the Marine Corps in the Korean War and became a Campus Police officer before retiring and taking a job in the Motor Pool. He drove many of the SU teams to their sports events. He took his driving duties very seriously and enjoyed dealing with the students.

One day toward the end of the workday sometime in 1995-96, I happened to observe John out in the Maintenance Building Parking Lot. The several buses that we had were lined up, parked close to and parallel to each other. He was standing quietly and was staring at the front of the buses. His mood seemed pensive and somewhat downcast. He appeared to be deep in thought. He did not see me nor did I interrupt him. After a few minutes I moved on into my office in the Maintenance building.

That night I dreamed about John’s standing there looking at the buses. In my dream a voice said, “Tell John that everything will be all right.” I did not see John that day nor did I take the dream seriously. The voice I had heard in my dream was just a regular man’s voice.

About two nights later I had the exact same dream… Buses, John with his same pensive mood, and the voice that said to me, “Tell John that everything will be all right.” I took this dream more seriously and thought maybe I should tell John what I had seen and heard in my dream. I thought maybe it might be God’s voice. However, I took no action! I thought John would think that I had slipped over the edge!

Within a few days I had the exact same dream. The voice said once again, “Tell John that everything will be all right.” Upon awakening, I determined that no matter what John might think of me, I would tell him what I had observed and about my three dreams.

That afternoon near the end of the workday, I asked John to come to my office. I prefaced my remarks to him that what I had to say might seem crazy; however, these dreams had occurred and I felt compelled to tell him about them. I also asked him to forgive me if what I said might offend him.

As John listened, his face took on an anguished look, his eyes began to tear up and his voice choked up as he said to me, “I am glad you told me this. I have been feeling depressed about everything lately. I have even considered suicide. Thank you for telling me this. I am greatly encouraged.”

I ascertained that he had a church pastor and that he planned to contact him. After that meeting John seemed in a much improved, positive state of mind, similar to what he had always had in the years I had previously known him.

I have not seen John since about 2003. I was able to relocate him and received his permission to share this experience with others. He is 82 years old, dealing with some fairly serious health issues and still going about taking life as it comes.

His reaction encouraged me not to be afraid to share with others what I considered to be spiritual matters.

In Christ!
Jim Brown