Lisa Gallant Seal

 Raye Trott took me by surprise the day he sauntered into that pub in Naples, Maine. His words drawled out in monotone, “ I heard you’re a joy seeker … I want to hear your story and I want to hear your man’s story.” This guy was a kickback from the sixties; Raye was a tall drink of water with long straggly hair, faded jeans and round tinted glasses that reminded me of the ones Joplin used to wear. It was hard to see his eyes.

Raye, a “local”, was often seen riding his old hopped up Pan Head or driving around in a cherry red short-bed Chevy. I had remembered meeting him a few days earlier when a friend brought him to the bar to introduce us but I did not recognize him right away having only met him once before.

Now, as a Christian, having someone ask for my testimony right on the spot is like handing me a million bucks! But, I was at work, a bit humbled and feeling caught a little off guard. I wanted to make sure that I say the “right thing” so not to turn him off to Christ.

Raye came in as I was just opening up. Looking back now I can clearly see how the Holy Spirit set the stage for all of this to happen as I had to make several trips to the beer cooler to stock for the the night's business. This gave me a perfect place to pray to the Lord for guidance in the mist of the obvious Devine appointment. 

I got to tell Raye my story to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I also happened to have one of my CD’s with original songs on it; it was old and the songs were kind of "hokey" but I took a chance. I said “Raye, I have taken time and told you my story, now I want you to take this CD and listen to it all the way through even if you hate it!” Not knowing this guy, I thought that he probably would throw my CD in the trash just outside the door of the bar, but for some reason I believed him when he replied, “ok honey”, chuckling to himself “but if I get saved I’m going to come back here and kick your butt!”

Raye listened to my CD and he came back ... and for the next month or longer Ray Trott relentlessly heckled me every time chance he got. Raye would come into the bar and call me rude names having to do with being a Christian and blaspheme Christ with every other word. He told me that he liked my music, and that he wanted to “jam” with me sometime but as far as Christianity was concerned I was an idiot and Jesus was a swear word. Typically that would have bothered me big time and I was surprised it did not. I had an inner sense that God was up to something in this situation.

One evening when the bar was wall to wall customers and I was crazy busy, Raye’s face pokes through the crowd of people waiting for drinks and food.  He said “why are you here? We are all sinners here, what are you doing here?” By this time, after all of his insults and heckling I wanted to strangle him. I retorted, “Raye, I am a sinner too, get back into that Bible and read for yourself ... you will find the answer!” I was mad, my voice was hot with frustration; I had remembered in our past conversations Raye had told me his mother was a Jesus fanatic and he was forced to read the Bible when he was a kid. 

The next morning the song "Raye" was written. I could feel it coming on. It only took an hour or so to write and I got to share it the with the kids at Long Creek Youth Center the very next day! I started playing it at all of my concerts and sharing the story of Ray as well. I told Raye what I was up to (feeling that I should) thinking he was going to lambaste me again and tell me what a jerk I was. But on the contrary, he loved the song, go figure :)

Only with God could this kind of thing happen. For the next two or three years Raye and I became friends. He still joked about me being a Christian but I knew that he respected me. One day he even told me he thought he might “turn the page”. His feelings would change towards me; sometimes he would act mean and cynical and at other times he would be sweet and nice. There was even a short period of time when Ray joined my support team and financially supported this ministry.

Then the unthinkable happened. On August 11th, 2007 Terry Raye Trott died in a freak boating accident on Long Lake in Naples, Maine. It was all over the news, a real media blitz. The man who smashed into Raye’s boat, killing Raye and his new lady friend was convicted and spent time in jail for their deaths.

The community was hit hard with the loss of this man, he was a real character and everybody knew him.

Three days before Raye died, he came to see me at the bar;

I braced myself, not knowing if he was going to be naughty or nice.

He looked me in the eye that day and said “I listened to your CD again honey … and it gave me chills.” I said, “that's good Raye”, a bit surprised he was being nice ...  that was the last time I would see Raye.

I stand a witness to the fact that the Lord was chasing after Raye. Only God knows when we will die and He wants us in Heaven with Him. Raye had many opportunities to accept, understand and know Jesus’ love for him. I never saw evidence that Raye was born again but only God truly knows a man's heart. Maybe Raye accepted Jesus into his heart just before he was taken from the earth. I will find out when I get Home.

What about you? Do you have a “Raye” in your life, are you a “Raye”?

If you do not know Jesus as your Savior, find a Bible and before you open it to the book of John, ask the Lord to reveal Himself to you. Know that you are a sinner (we all are) and understand that Jesus died so that you could be presented "sinless" to our Father in Heaven. Tell Jesus that you want to turn from your sin (repent) and accept Him into your heart. Jesus loves you so much that He died for YOU, so you could be with Him and not spend eternity in Hell after you leave the earth. 

RAYE   by lgs
 
Just a sinner in a sinner’s body, in a sinner’s world,

in a sinner’s mind
I don’t expect you to understand

you got the television tuned on all the time.
Take a chance, read a page,

the book of John might start your cravin’
I don’t know what to say, you wouldn’t believe me anyway
 
Raye you could be a ray of light
If were to ch ch ch ch change your appetite
Raye you  could be a ray of light
If you were only willin’ to stand up right
 
Hey joy seeker could you get any weaker,

laying your coat down for your enemy?
You can’t change my mind, it’s closed tight this time,

nobody, nobody gonna get me.
Won’t you tell me, tell me your story, tell me your life?
Won’t you tell me so I can keep it wrapped in my anger

and add to my strife.
 
Raye you could be a ray of light
If were to ch ch ch ch change your appetite
Raye you  could be a ray of light
If you were only willin’ to stand up right
Raye, you could be a ray of light just let go,

don’t try to fight it
Raye you could be a ray of light just let go

and let God ignite it
 

Don’t look back, don’t worry about the next day
What’s that crack, Raye what did you say, what did you say?
What did you say? What did you say?
 

Raye you could be a ray of light
If were to ch ch ch ch change your appetite
Raye you  could be a ray of light
If you were only willin’ to stand up right
Raye, you could be a ray of light just let go,

don’t try to fight it
Raye you could be a ray of light just let go

and let God ignite it
 
 
Just a sinner in a sinner’s body,

in a sinner’s world, in a sinner’s mind