No More Excuses

The Power of Saying YES to God

The year was 1999.

Randy Johnson had been growing in his faith for about six years. Now happily married, attending church and doing life with Jesus, things were better than they’d ever been. Randy owned his own business, raced cars with his closest friends, and had found freedom from multiple addictions. He had a beautiful family and had even started to heal from some of his deepest wounds…but still, there was something missing.

Deep in his heart, Randy knew that there had to be more to life with Christ. He had a passion and desire to help others in some way, but every time he was offered an opportunity to serve, he would keep thinking, I want to, but I can’t.

It was as if this record kept repeating in his head:

“Randy, you don’t know enough about the Bible. You’re not smart enough to do that. You’re terrified to get up in front of people and speak, so you can’t do that….I want to, but I can’t. I want to, but I’m not talented enough…I don’t have the gifts that are necessary.”

Yet despite all the “buts” that he felt disqualified him, Randy still had a longing to do something. One night while he was at church, the desire became so overwhelming that he prayed in desperation: “Here I am, God. If You can use me, use me.”

There were no fireworks after he prayed this prayer—no audible voice from heaven, no angelic visitation, no epiphany. But he got up and started watching for God to show him exactly what to do.

Three weeks later, Randy was getting ready for work one morning and flipped on the news, covering massive damage from a tornado in Oklahoma. The devastation was so intense that he tried to change the channel, but just kept finding more footage of the same story. His heart was moved with compassion.

It was then that God whispered, “Randy, you can help those people."

Meanwhile, Randy kept wondering how in the world it would happen and saying to himself, “They’re halfway across the country. Anything I could do would be so minimal it wouldn’t matter. I want to help them, but…”

At the end of the second day, Randy sat behind the sales counter of his equipment sales business in Danville, Virginia, looking out at their inventory—several brand-new trailers—and started praying again.

“Okay, Lord, here’s what we’ll do…We’ll take that 20-foot trailer out there. Somehow, some way, we’ll get it filled up with product [supplies] and me, Terri and the kids will take that to Oklahoma."

Neither Randy nor his wife Terri knew just how much God was going to multiply their yes in the next few hours. After making a few calls to friends, local businesses and churches, they found themselves in a Kmart parking lot with more than enough drivers and donations to not only bring their 20-foot trailer, but two more 48-foot trailers to serve Oklahoma City.

They ended up helping over 500 families on that first trip, and it ignited in Randy and Terri a lifelong passion to help with disaster relief.

Another of their favorite pastimes had been racing cars, along with most of their inner circle of friends. When they decided to form an organization, one of them suggested the name God’s Pit Crew, and it stuck. Their goal is to come alongside families who’ve been driven off track by a devastating event with the immediate supplies they need, cleanup support and rebuilding efforts…and they’re still making an impact today.

“After 22 years of doing this, I’m convinced God’s got a plan and a purpose for every single individual on this planet.”

• Randy Johnson (founder + president of God’s Pit Crew)

Since that first trip in 1999, God’s Pit Crew has responded to 158 major disasters in 28 states and 15 countries with the tangible love of Jesus. In the last few years, they’ve expanded to rebuilding multiple homes at once and even restored a 10,000 sq ft. elementary school in Arizona—in just three weeks!

Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries’ outreach arm, began partnering with God’s Pit Crew after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Since then, through the amazing support of our friends and partners, we’ve worked together to reach thousands of families in need. 

Whether it was sending Blessing Buckets filled with emergency supplies and a Bible to those affected by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana, helping families rebuild after a tornado in Kentucky, or responding immediately after Hurricane Ian hit Florida, together,our partnership is changing lives with the tangible love of Christ.

So many amazing stories like this one have taken place because one person pushed past the “buts” and said yes to God.