In 2006 I managed an apartment community – a very large one – whose owners did not want to make some necessary repairs to the fire alarm system. Despite my continuous efforts to receive funds, my owners refused. I plead with the San Antonio Fire Inspector to PLEASE not cite me for this violation, since I, personally, was not responsible for cutting checks. He cited me anyway. This was a misdemeanor that would go on my personal record. I was forced to appear in court. It was very intimidating… The State of Texas vs. Autumn Chaulklin. And my company would not provide me with an attorney to represent me in court. (Thankfully, today, this company no longer manages properties in San Antonio.) I felt as if I were fighting an uphill battle by myself. Code violations are very hard to defend yourself against. They seem to follow the “guilty until proven innocent” standard of law.
My court date was on its way, and I gathered whatever information I could to prove that my company – not I – was refusing to handle this code violation. I didn’t feel that it would be right for me to pay a fine for their negligence… I didn’t feel that it was right for me to have to serve six months probation for a crime I did not commit! I talked with the prosecutor and plead for her to please have mercy. She didn’t. I told her I would like to have the case seen by the judge. I refused to plead guilty or no-contest.
The judge called the docket and I sat in the courtroom waiting and waiting. I got up to go to the restroom. In the stall I bowed my head and began to pray. I remembered a song by Casting Crowns that says, “I will praise you in this storm.” I said, “Lord, this is a storm. And I don’t know why I am going through this, but I’m going to bless you in it. Bless you. Thank you for this trial.” It was very difficult to say those words and mean it, but it was my OBEDIENCE that the Lord saw in that moment. I left the restroom and headed back for the courtroom. I opened the courtroom doors, and it was apparent that the judge had already called my name. “Autumn Chaulklin?” he asked. I approached the judge, “Yes, sir.” The next two words that came out of his mouth were the answer to my prayer, “Case dismissed.”
I stood there, stunned, for a moment. “What?” I asked. “Is that it? I’m free to go?” I couldn’t believe my ears. He told me, “Yes, you are excused. Thank you for coming in today.”
We need to start believing that the Lord is capable of handling our battles for us. Furthermore, we are told to praise the Lord at ALL times… when the pressure is on us, no matter how tremendous it may be, no matter what the storm, we need to praise the Lord.