November 18. Whaid Guscott Rose. For an abandoned baby who later had to sneak out of the house to hear a sermon, Whaid has done all right.
He has published a number of books about worship, books that church leaders rely on, and he served 18 years as Church of God (Seventh-Day) president and served the US Conference in some capacity for 30 years. He now speaks and consults. His special area of passion is helping the church worship Jesus Christ.
Sometimes life hurts, but God is still writing your story.
When Whaid was 5 months old, his mother took him to her mother’s one-room house in a Jamaican seaside village. His mother was 19, alone, and desperate.
Grandmother Guscott kept Whaid while his mother moved to the city. And the next time Whaid saw her, he was 7. She came to say goodbye before she emigrated to Canada.
In that eight-by-ten-foot house, Grandmother Guscott loved Whaid, took him to church, met his needs. But the week before his eighth birthday, Grandmother sat on a rock pile and fell backwards. She had had a massive stroke.
Seven days later, Whaid sat beneath a mango tree. He had just bitten into a yellow yam when the hospital porter arrived and told him, “Miss Bertha is gone.”
Whaid couldn’t swallow the bite. He couldn’t eat at all.
Whaid’s aunt was 19 when she took him in. She didn’t tolerate Grandmother’s religion. And as his aunt struggled to provide for them, she yelled a lot.
But Whaid tried to be good. He cleaned house, prepared food, and when his aunt had children, he became her live-in childcare. But she only got angrier.
When Whaid was 12, his aunt sent him to the store. On the way, Whaid saw a huge tent and heard a choir and a preacher, so he ducked under the tent.
That night, Whaid became an apprentice of Jesus. He felt free, brave, and confident. He told the church people he wanted to get baptized. And then he rushed to finish his errand.
Even though Whaid kept his plan a secret, his aunt found out. And she said if he got baptized, she would throw his things onto the grass.
“I have one life to live,” Whaid said. “If that is what it takes, I’m going to follow Jesus.”
Early the day of the baptism, Whaid crept across the dark village. From the church, the Christians walked to the river. They sang, “I will follow Thee, my Savior …” Others walked with family, but Whaid walked alone.
When he got home, Whaid gathered his few belongings into a small bag. That night he slept in an abandoned house.
After a few days, Whaid’s aunt told him to come home. But she opposed his faith. On church days, she left the children—and a grocery list—with him. Whaid got up early. He shopped, dressed the children, and took them to church.
As a teenager, Whaid lived two lives. At church, he taught—and even preached. At school, he was the top boy in his class. Because he won speech and drama awards, his picture was often in the newspaper.
But at home, he was the domestic help—alone, abused, and rejected. At night, he cried into his pillow. To calm himself, he sang hymns inside his head. Whenever he could, Whaid slipped away to read by the ocean. As he read the Bible, poetry, and biographies, a window opened to a world Whaid dreamed of joining.
Whaid’s life became shaped by but God. Rejection could’ve brought shame, but God called him “son.” Circumstances could’ve made him feel unworthy, but God gave him worth. Disappointments happened, but God had a good future planned.
“I could go after what I wanted,” Whaid said. “In Christ I belong here, and I can do this.”
After Whaid graduated secondary school, his mother sponsored him as an immigrant to the US. Over the years, Whaid shared Jesus with his aunt, her children, and his biological father. Faith changed them.
Today, Whaid helps others find a vision for their lives. He shows them the power of two words: “but God.”
“But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!” (Psalm 31:14–15 ESV).
Here’s an idea: write the words BUT GOD. Snap a picture with your cell phone. Next time life seems too hard, make it your screen saver. Sometimes life hurts, but God is still writing your story.
Based on an interview with Whaid Guscott Rose, September 11, 2019.
Story read by: Blake Mattocks