It was my senior year at Lee. There was a minister, Larry Reese, back at my home church who took special interest in me. Larry was acquainted with what I do by what I had done in the church over the years. He approached me one day and asked if I would visit one of the upcoming monthly meetings for Raffa. Raffa Front-Line Ministries was the ministry God gave to Larry Reese. The monthly meetings at that time were located at a small house in Lawrenceville. However, the meetings were not small by any means. I remember driving up the street and seeing cars wrapped around the neighborhood. People would travel from long distances to come. There was a full band and about 20 chairs set up in the split level unfinished basement. It looked pretty rough in there. But the people piled in. The sliding basement door was opened and people began to stand outside to hear the word of the Lord.
I was one of the lucky ones to get a seat. Larry delivered a powerful message on an independent spirit using the story of David and Absolom. Considering what just transpired in my life a year ago, this message marked me and brought much clarity, repentance, forgiveness, and closure to my life over those incidents.
I knew something amazing was happening inside me. Over the next several months, Larry invited me into his life and ministry. He began in invest in me like no other leader had done at that time. He saw my heart and by God’s grace began to invest in me so that I would be an effective minister. I knew I not an ordinary worship leader. I could not just sing songs. There was more inside of me and Larry brought that out of me.
As the monthly meetings grew, a home could no longer fit the crowds and cars lined the neighborhood. We began seeking out other venues for the monthly meetings and ended up using hotel meeting rooms. During these meetings, Larry would now call me out from the audience to come up to the piano/keyboard and play for him as he sang the word of the Lord. This became a regular happening every time I came to the meetings. We never planned it and he never discussed it with me beforehand. It was always spontaneous and as the Lord led.
As the Lord began to open my heart to Larry, I felt a bond being created and that the Lord was allowing me to become part of something extraordinary. As I was praying one day, the Lord spoke to me, “Robbie, remember when you asked me for a mentor? Do you remember asking Dr. Rickie Moore and Dr. David Horton? Do you remember Dr. Moore telling you he was not the one but that there was another one for you? Well, I have kept My promise to you. You now have a mentor that I trust to lead you as he follows Me. He will care and watch over your soul. He will give you the opportunities to be with Me in ways that will shape your future. I have given you a shepherd whom will guide you after My own heart and lead you to where I want you to go.”