His ambition in high school was to become a Hollywood actor. Instead, he went to Hollywood as a preacher.
Lloyd John Ogilvie (1930-2019) told a story about waking early one Sunday morning, feeling the urge to review his sermon one last time. He stopped by a local convenience store for coffee on his way to Hollywood Presbyterian Church while it was still dark. Several men emerged from the shadows and ordered him to buy them coffee. He recognized the danger, gave them the money in his wallet, and prepared to leave, when one of them said, “Thanks, Dr. Ogilvie.” It meant one of them knew Lloyd somehow, which unnerved him. Later that morning, the same man came forward after worship for prayer. He needed healing in his life, so Lloyd and the elders gathered around him for counsel and prayer. Years later, Lloyd was speaking at a prayer breakfast in Alaska. A man spoke to him in the elevator, “Dr. Ogilvie, you don’t remember me. But years ago, some men and I frisked you for money at a 7-11 store. Your kindness got me to church that day, when God began to turn my life around. I’m now Vice-President of a radio station here and God is doing wonderful things in my life.” Lloyd remembered leaving the convenience store annoyed that he left without coffee yet God had better things in mind for him that day. Lloyd went to serve as chaplain of the Senate and authored fifty-three books, but his real gift was his personal care of people. His television show, “Let God Love You” epitomized his life. He opened his life for God to love others through him.
One prayer from a book Lloyd wrote on prayer follows here. He said of prayer, “All prayers are answered. We need to distinguish between a prayer unanswered and one not answered how or when we would like it to be.”