GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Attendees of Feb. 28's National Prayer Luncheon learned a little about how the Air Force's deputy chief of chaplains earned his first star... as a Texaco attendant in Springfield, Mo. 

Working at the gas station, which the chaplain described as an "entry level position with a large oil company," opened his eyes to the world and prepared him to be a pastor. 

"I met and personally interacted with every type of human being that God created," Chaplain (Brig. Gen.) Cecil Richardson told the crowd of more than 160 people at the National Prayer Luncheon. "All of God's little special creatures come out at night." 

By working with and learning from so many personalities, Chaplain Richardson realized that ministry is much more than making church bulletins, writing sermons and manning the chapel. 

"I learned that ministry means being there; being there when people come to intersection in their life, and they honestly don't know what to do or which way to turn," he said. 

From there, the chaplain described what it's like to be at that intersection, to look to God, and ask him to guard and guide us. He gave insight into his troubled past, including periods of living in his car, living in a bathroom in a dilapidated house, his family's history of alcoholism and abuse, and the criminal record he'd racked up as a youth. Yet throughout his speech, Chaplain Richardson interjected many messages of hope. 

While shopping for eyeglasses several years ago with his wife, the chaplain met a nice young woman at the optometrist's office. Upon revealing that he was an Air Force chaplain, the young woman began sobbing. When Chaplain Richardson asked her what was wrong, her response made a lasting impression. 

"She said, 'My husband is in the military, and I have cancer. And just before you came in this morning, my friends and I prayed that God would send me a military chaplain that I could talk to.'" 

"Right there at that optical shop, a little bit after nine on a Saturday morning, my wife and I held hands with a young lady whose life was threatened by cancer. We told her about the God who loves her and the God who answers prayers."
For Chaplain Richardson, the story explains that we need to surrender to God before we'll find victory. 

"God is never the cause of a bad situation, but God is the master at taking the bad situation and making something good come from it," the chaplain said. "We want to be guided, and God wants to guide us to himself." 

His speech, although very powerful and moving, also included several light stories that kept the crowd engaged. 

One such anecdote dated back to his time as a lieutenant colonel. He'd just arrived at a new base and went to the Officer's Club for an officer's call. He was so new to town that no one knew him, but he socialized on the patio and made small talk. The weather was a tad chilly, so he kept his jacket on, disguising the fact that he was a chaplain because the cross on his shirt was covered. 

After striking up a conversation with a lewd, foul-mouth general officer, Chaplain Richardson removed his jacket. The general, now seeing the cross on the chaplain's shirt said, "Well... religion is okay as long as you don't take it too seriously and as long as it doesn't start affecting your life." 

The self-described "mild-mannered" chaplain suddenly became livid at the general. He pointed his finger at the general and said, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard anyone say. Religion is completely useless unless you take it seriously. If you keep saying things like this, you'll never find God in your life." 

After a brief moment of silence, he added, "Sir." 

That story reinforced the message that no matter how high ranking or powerful one becomes, one must be humble before God. 

"A servant's heart is the hallmark of a true warrior," he told the crowd. 

For the base chapel staff, having Chaplain Richardson at the National Prayer Luncheon was a great opportunity for the entire base to learn from such a gifted communicator. 

"Chaplain Richardson has a unique ability to translate scriptures thousands of years old into the language of today's Airman, and to bring with it peace for today and hope for tomorrow," said Chaplain (Capt.) Kevin Lockett, senior Protestant chaplain here. "He reminded people that God speaks to us in times and ways and through people we may least expect, that we need to humble ourselves before God, and then trust God to guard us and guide us -- but only if we are really willing to listen and follow." 

When concluding his remarks, Chaplain Richardson reminded everyone that we all feel helpless or hopeless at some point, but that God will lead us through anything. 

"Some of you might be under stress that no one else in the world knows about. Some of you might be tempted to give up. Some of you might be at an intersection and don't know what to do, but God does. 

"Listen for his voice, for he will speak to you. Surrender to his will. He will guide you, he will guard you, he will walk with you, and someday he'll walk you all the way home."