God’s Providence and the Psychopath

Posted byNancy HomlitasPosted inCrime, Mental Illness, Personality DisordersTags:, , , , , , , , , , ,

The scriptures portray a sovereign God who controls the universe and knows all. If our freewill choices go against His plans, the providence of God steps in. During my youth, I thought I avoided doom spawned from reckless decisions by running like a bat out of hell or hiding. Hindsight tells me God’s boundless providence likely intervened.

A well-known example of the providence of God is the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis (37:12-36). His jealous brothers ripped off his colorful coat, threw him into a cistern, and planned to kill him. His brother, Judah, convinced them to sell him as a slave instead. God’s providence unfurled as Joseph arose from slavery to a position of great power in Egypt. He eventually saved many people, including his family.

Skip forward thousands of years.

It’s 5:15 in the morning and not yet sunrise. I’m 16 years old and whipping along Nevada Avenue, a road that borders what locals called the white trash projects near where I lived. Some residents were good and kind, some were unsavory, and one proved to be a psychopathic killer.

A police car with two officers pulled up in front of me. “Where are you going, Miss?” One of them asked.

“The Sandwich Shop on East Market Street. I just got a job there.”

“That’s a few miles from here,” the other officer said. “We’ll give you a lift.”

“No thanks. I can walk. I don’t have to be there till 6:00.” I refused rides from strangers because I valued having an unmutilated body.

He climbed out and opened the rear door. “Get in. We’ll take you.”

“The human heart plans the way, but the LORD directs the steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

With lights flashing, the patrol car careened through the city’s red lights going 75 mph in a 25 mph zone. Each swerve slid me across seat stains from a buffet of body fluids. Before I could be horrified, I found myself standing in front of the Sandwich Shop smelling yesterday’s salami and swatting mosquitoes as I waited for it to open.

The next day the Sandwich Shop’s other counter girl, jealous over one of my big tips, laughed as she squirted a half bottle of ketchup in my hair while I waited on a customer. I quit and got a job at the movie theater nearby.

I didn’t mind selling candy and popcorn at the theater’s concessions counter, but my assigned hours were in the afternoon until closing. Buses were no longer running after my shift.

So I walked home along the city’s well-lit main four lane road until turning onto the darker, creepier Nevada Avenue. Then I’d take side roads and arrive home at 11:00pm-unless a perv, drunk with hormones, crawled out of a hellhole and stalked me in his car.

They’d open the door, pat their dangly parts, and say something nauseating like, “Come on, honey, I’ll give you a sweet ride home.” I’d stroll behind a nearby house as if I lived there and hide behind a tree or a bush till they drove off. Allowing for perv time got me home at 11:15 pm.

“Rescue me, LORD, from my foes, for I seek refuge in you.” (Psalm 143:9)

Sometimes a gallant usher-known to be a slow learner-worked the same shift, so we’d hook up for the trek home. He’d express glee that “we were in show business together.” But when we reached Nevada, he’d quickly turn into the projects where he lived.

Then I’d sprint down Nevada as if the hands of Satan were about to snatch me. “God,” I’d plead, “help me run faster!” My faith mushroomed as darkness fueled my psychophobia and opened the gates of hell for sleazeballs.

“In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

Nevada didn’t seem scary in the light of day. I had friends in the projects. During my elementary school years, my neighborhood ball playing buddies were on a little league team that practiced there. Their coach, Mr. D, and his wife, who I later played women’s softball with, lived there.

Mr. D had two sons. The older one, who already had a reputation of being a crazy, unpredictable hothead, would sometimes hang out at the ballfield. The younger one played on the team.

Mr. D would warn batters swinging at air, “If you can’t hit the ball, Nancy will play in your place!”

Of course, girls didn’t play on boys’ teams, but during practice, the coach sometimes let me and his psycho son bat. He probably pictured the ball as someone’s skull before smashing it over the outfielders’ heads.

After Mr. D’s feral son bit off someone’s ear in a bowling alley, he became known as Mad Dog. Most kids knew to stay away from him, but not my older brother, Mike.

“He beat the sh*t out of me once,” Mike told me. “I don’t even know why. He was &%# strong. I’m surprised he didn’t kill me!”

Mad Dog had a fireplug build with thick arms, chest, and neck. When I’d spot him strutting down Nevada towards me like a rabid pit bull, I’d duck into one of the three mom and pop stores along the road that were open during the day. At night, with nowhere to lie low, I’d feel evil in my bones.

But Mad Dog never jumped out of the shadows. Not for me.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;” (Ephesians 2:8)

Tragically, on a night not too many years later, Mad Dog picked up two 16 year old girls on Nevada, one of them a nearby neighbor of mine. She ended up dead. Her friend survived.

According to past news accounts, the girls willingly accepted a ride from Mad Dog. They knew him and yet they still trusted the serpent! Based on the survivor’s testimony, he drove them to a remote road where they “just laughed, joked, and listened to the car radio.”

Mad Dog reportedly didn’t try to molest the girls and without apparent motivation, he told them, “I’m going to kill you.” He shot the survivor three times (two in the head) and my neighbor five times (three in the head) with a .22-caliber nine-shot revolver.

“Do not say, ‘I will repay evil!’ Wait for the Lord who will help you.” (Proverbs 20:22)

Mad Dog tried to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, but failed. He got life in prison on the charge of first-degree murder and another 1-15 year sentence on a charge of shooting with the intent to kill. He died in prison at 58 years old.

At night, when I raced down Nevada toward home, I thought Mad Dog- and other demonic monsters-were slithering through the shadows searching for prey. My reckless teenage soul had been bait for evil, but I believe God’s providence and grace decided otherwise.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.

Philippians 4:6 NAB

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Published by Nancy Homlitas

The stories and photographs I share are meant to brighten moods and spawn smiles. There's nothing more hilarious than a true experience, especially in hindsight! And there's nothing more uplifting than a pleasing picture, particularly if it enhances a story. As a feel good bonus, blog posts will include relevant bible verses.

47 thoughts on “God’s Providence and the Psychopath”

    1. Life has it’s scary moments-as you well know-and walking home from my job at night was one of my “groundhog day” ones. But the experience did discipline me to pray and trust in the Lord! Thanks for reading my blog, Linda, and taking the time to comment. I hope all is well with you. 🙂

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  2. Those experiences sound horrendous Nancy. I’ve had a few really scary ones in my lifetime too but the Lord”s “hedge of thorns” was around me until I trusted Him to save me, aged 25. After that He instilled within me a certain degree of wisdom and a very strong instinct about people. If I hadn’t trusted Him back then, I dread to think where I’d be today.

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    1. Apparently, faith helped us both navigate through sticky situations and blessed us with better judgement when we face life’s hurdles. Which is good, because I can’t jump as high now! Thank you for for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment. 🙂

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  3. As I reflect on the past, I think of how often God has surrounded me by His angels, and it sounds like that’s exactly what He did for you too. Scary stuff but a good reminder that we need to keep sharing the Gospel in the hopes it will bring light to the darkness.

    Great post, Nancy!

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    1. Yes, I agree. God uses angels to carry out to His providence and what a blessing they are! I feel that they have often shielded me for my missteps and for the missteps of others. I also hope that others will be prompted to read His Word by learning about the experiences of believers. Thank you for your comment, Erika! 🙂

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  4. Good recount. You are lucky to be alive. There is evil at every turn. Don’t believe that you are safe in today’s world, although we tend to kid ourselves. Here in Texas, we have our share of psychos. If anyone needs a few, let me know. I have a neighbor that will fit the bill.

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    1. Ha, ha! Every neighborhood seems to have that one special neighbor who isn’t wrapped too tight or is using their home for a business that’s not a lemonade stand! I share your pain, Phil. Thanks for giving me a laugh. 🙂

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    1. I worried more about my brother who threw caution to the wind! I’m in the habit of praying for God’s angels to protect me and my family from harm and evil and I feel they’ve intervened many times. Thanks, Nancy, for sharing your doppelganger thoughts with me!

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  8. Wow! I would have never guessed this is your story! It goes to show that people you know may have endured some terrible things in their past that you know nothing about. I am thankful that God protected you all that time in your life.
    I know that God protected me many times even though I wasn’t asking Him to. Mostly from situations I naively walked into myself. Your post today reminds me to think about how God watched over me even though I didn’t deserve it. Thank you for sharing your story. Blessings, Nancy!

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    1. God put me where I needed to be for His purpose. When I see the crosses that others have had to bear, I feel very blessed. Thank you for letting me know that my story prompted you to reflect on your heavenly rescues. It’s mind boggling to even try to imagine how many times we’ve been removed from harm’s way. I appreciate your comment, Cindy. 🙂

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  13. The teenage years may not be the hardest part of life for everyone, but everyone seems to find them difficult. There is always challenge that is difficult to avoid, life dealing with people we don’t want any part of.

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    1. Your comments about the adolescent years are spot on. Teenagers aren’t that good at evaluating risks, so bad things happen. Thanks for your “always interesting” opinion, Citizen Tom! 🙂

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    1. I agree. We likely experience heavenly miracles, blessings, and angelic intercessions every day. If we were aware of all the times we’ve been delayed or distracted at just the right time, we’d never leave the house! Thank you for visiting my blog and sharing your thoughts. 🙂

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    1. Some people suffer from a personality disorder or a mental illness that doesn’t respond well to treatment. It’s not necessarily a person who can be reasoned with if you’re cornered. They’re unpredictable. Scary stuff. Thanks again for commenting on my post, Jim! 🙂

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  21. Wow, what a Terrible situation for you and those living on that community. God sees us and knows our fears. He be also walks alongside us as we face danger. Every evil of this world was seen by His Son Jesus as he walked this planet. We can be confident that He will send his angels to watch over us. He did that for me when my place of employment was the victim of an armed robbery. I thought I’d die that day for sure. Though only 30 years old God held me in his wings and cause the robbers to flee. Having a faith of a child is what God wants from us. It’s unquestionable, complete trust, no doubt. Accepting the truth of God’s unconditional love is free of charge. Glad you made through that difficult time.

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    1. What a horrific experience to be present at an armed robbery! Praise God for sending His army of angels to protest you and your coworkers. I agree-faith is a great comfort and will help you through those challenging times throughout your life. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. 🙂

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