Four Teens at the Mall

This week at the mall I saw 2 of the teenage boys I talked to last week. They waved at me and smiled, so I motioned them to come talk to me. They happily walked over and I asked them if they had any questions about what we talked about last week. I was able to tell them the story of the 4 gifts and 4 major religions that I learned over the weekend. They seemed intrigued by it.

After talking for awhile, they called a friend on their cell phone who was also in the mall. They told me that this friend doesn't believe in God so I should talk to him. He showed up with his girlfriend and I asked him, "If you died tonight would you be 100% sure you're going to Heaven?" That started a spiritual talk.

I was surprised that these young adults were so eager to talk about subjects like Heaven, God, Jesus, etc. It proves that humans are eager to talk about what they believe. It also shows that they are in great need of the Truth!

Stuggles / Handing Tracts / 4 Teens

In case anyone thinks this "fishing thing" is easy for me, well, it's a lot of hard work. God's grace is my provision during witnessing. But, lately there are moments when I feel (I know, feelings are inaccurate) that I'm lost on a dark path. This afternoon was one of those moments and it wasn't until I turned to the Bible - instead of websites, friends, etc. - before the confusion and panic lifted.

On another note, I was struggling with handing out tracts to people as I ran errands yesterday. I was worried that it wouldn't be a good use of the church's resources (my own tracts don't come in until next week) if I wasn't actually having a conversation with someone. Then, on my way into HyVee an elderly woman made a little sing-song noise as she passed me outside and then handed me a gospel tract! I instinctively said, "Thank you," just like most people say to us. Then, when I realized what it was, I wanted to turn around and run over to the lady (I didn't because I was loaded down with children) and thank her for caring about my eternal destination!

So, I started handing out tracts to people. And, one guy at HyVee commented about not killing anyone so he must be a good person. I said, "Well, you really need to read that then!" In a positive voice, he said that he would. Fifteen minutes later I saw him again at the library (he didn't see me, though).

Lastly, at the mall fishing last night my teenage brother's ex-really-close ex-girlfriend ran up to me with her three teenage friends. I talked to them and boy was that hard. I was really praying during that conversation and was worn out - I mean, really worn out - afterwards. That was one of the most tiring conversations I've had so far, but, oh, it was good.

Please pray for me - I have really been needing it lately. Also, please pray for my brother's ex-girlfriend, Heather. I care a lot about her.

-Sarah B.

Does that concern you?

On Saturday, Matt and I handed out tracts at/around an outdoor rock concert. Initially, I had a long conversation with a teen who happened to be nearby. After giving him a tract, I asked him if he had thought about what happens when we die. To my surprise, he opened up and told me all about his fear and his doubts about the future. It seems that he was from a religious family, but was trying to find out what is really true. He readily agreed that we can't be perfect, and told me that he had been thinking about this alot. He seemed really concerned! I explained the gospel and emphasized that it only by grace, not our works, that we are saved. He seemed glad to hear it, and I encouraged him to read the gospel of John.

We handed out 10-15 other tracts and had several shorter discussions with people coming to and going from the concert. Near the end of the evening, we talked to a guy sitting outside one of the local bars. He said that he would 'fail the test', but that fact did not concern him at all. After asking him a few more questions, he began to get defensive, and told us that we all have our own beliefs, and should keep them to ourselves. I don't know what the ultimate impact of this conversation will be, but trust that the results are in God's hand. We aren't responsible to convict hearts, the Holy Spirit is, and we don't know ahead of time who God is working on. We can only make ourselves available to share the good news and learn from the different experiences we have.

They're doing WHAT!?

Earlier this evening I was talking on the phone with Matt (my husband)...

He was calling from an outdoor rock concert sponsored by Planned Parenthood (music, cheap beer and free condoms were the attractions). He and Sam H. had already been there for an hour or two talking with strangers about sin, Christ and repentance. I'll let them blog about their experiences, but..

I got off the phone after an update call from Matt (my husband) and stared at the phone for a bit. I'm staring at the phone and thinking, Sam H. and Matt B. are at a rock concert talking to strangers about Christ... Sam H. and Matt B.... Strangers... Testifying to Christ... Wow. Wow. Who would have thought?... Wow.

This is just such an amazing testimony to the power of God! Matt with his lack of concern for the lost just two months ago and Sam being the most quiet person I've met thus far in my life.

Praise the Lord!

-Sarah B.

Tomorrow's Concert Outreach Event

Rock Concert Collectible #312. Entertaining one-liners: We are born naked, wet and hungry - then things get worse. 58.9 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot. For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism. Don't steal – the government hates competition. Always go to other people's funerals, or they won't go to yours. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. Eschew obfuscation. Atheism is a non-prophet organization. We're all part of the ultimate statistic – ten out of ten die. Corduroy pillows: They're making headlines! If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? Always remember that you are unique; just like everyone else. Probably the most thought-provoking one-liner is "Eat right. Stay fit. Die anyway." It's sad but true – no matter what you do, you will die. This is because you have sinned against God. Let's see if that's true: Have you ever lied (even once)? Ever stolen (anything)? Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Ever looked with lust? If you have said "Yes" to these three questions, by your own admission, you are a lying thieving, adulterer at heart; and we've only looked at three of the Ten Commandments. How will you do on Judgment Day? Will you be innocent or guilty? You know that you will be guilty, and end up in Hell. That's not God's will. He provided a way for you to be forgiven. He sent His Son to take your punishment; "God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus then rose from the dead and defeated death. God promises everlasting life to all those who repent and trust in Jesus Christ. Please do that today... you may not have tomorrow. See John 14:21 for a wonderful promise. Then read the Bible daily and obey what you read. God will never let you down. Text taken from resources at www.livingwaters.com.

Fear & Being Weird

At the mall tonight I started out kinda high-strung and frustrated because I had my dad with me and I was trying to do this witnessing thing in my own strength - at first. Then, I ran into Tony and I said that I didn't want to start a conversation in a particular way because it would feel/look weird. Tony said something about it all looking weird (?) anyway.

This was humbling for me because then I got really fearful and "weirded out" about the whole thing. I kept saying to myself, "This is really weird. You're really weird. People are going to think you're really weird," over and over again. I wanted the hour to be over with! I wanted out! I finally pulled out a Survey Pad Tract because I knew that Tony had luck with that during fearful moments. I went through the survey with a woman but didn't have the guts to go over the answers with her so I just gave it to her and told her to check her answers on the back.

But, between all these other things happening, I did talk to a young man and that went so very well - probably one of the best conversations I've ever had with someone. And, yet, I was still walking around weirded out! Usually I'm jazzed. Then I talked with two young women and that was also one of the best conversations I've ever had with people.

And then it was time to go eat... And, I was relieved. But, I am thankful for tonight. I know God must have used all this to humble me...

-Sarah

Three Teens at the Mall

Tonight at the mall I witnessed to 3 teenage boys. Sam had already given them an "Are You A Good Person?" tract earlier, but he hadn't talked to them. He said they were positive about receiving the tract so I felt good about verbally talking to them.

I asked them if they'd ever seen a Smart Card, and one of them immediately took it from me to put his thumb on the square. They all 3 said they were good people. As the square remained uncolored for each in turn, they emphatically told me they REALLY are good people. I was amazed at their self-confidence!

Even when I said "good" means "morally perfect", they were adamant that they were good.

One of the boys was somewhat flippant as I shared the law with him. He insisted he'd never lied in his life. It was obvious he thought our conversation was funny. I told him the beginning of the judge analogy, and he responded by saying that a court judge is different than God because God is totally merciful. I praised him on his correct theology about God but told him God is a Totally Righteous Judge who can't just forgive our sins because we ask him.

About that time, the other 2 boys excused themselves and said they'd be right back.

I asked the other boy, "If you die tonight, are you 100% sure you would go to Heaven?" He said, "No."

I asked him if he thought God would send him to Heaven or Hell based on his imperfection. He became much more serious and said, "I think I would go to Hell." Noticing his change of countenance, I asked him if that concerned him, and he sincerely said, "Yes". Then I knew he was ready for the Good News!

I started by telling him the end of the judge analogy. I reminded him of the huge fine he owed and how the judge was going to throw him in jail for not being able to pay it. I then said, "Imagine the judge taking off his robe, coming around the bench and paying the fine for you. That's what Jesus did for you on the cross. He paid the penalty for all those sins you've committed."

I wish you all could have seen his eyes and face when he heard those words. I wonder if young men his age are particularly sensitive to the idea of a judge pronouncing them "guilty" for a wrong they have done. The idea of someone paying that fine for them and them being able to go free seemed especially wonderful to him!

By this time the other boys came back, and I talked to them all a little more. I challenged them to search out the Truth for themselves and gave them Gospels of John. One of the young men told me he had only gone to church ~10 times in his life. They were all so pleased that I talked to them about spiritual things.

Please pray they will read the Gospels and tracts I gave them and that the Holy Spirit will open their hearts and give them faith to believe!

-Lisa

Conversations and seeds

Last week at the mall, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with someone who had never heard it before! I gave her a tract and asked if she knew what happens when a person dies. She basically thought that being good would be enough to get to heaven. I went through the questions, shared the law and why a good judge cannot let sin go unpunished. She seemed to understand the problem, stopped making excuses, and seemed genuinely humbled. She said yes, it does concern her. I shared how Jesus paid the price for our sins, and how she could have forgiveness. I explained it several times, and she seemed glad to hear it. She said that she had gone to church that Sunday with a friend - maybe God has been working in her heart! This was the first time I've had a conversation that didn't get interrupted. In fact, at one point she ignored a phone call and told her friend to wait until we were done talking! Pray that God would continue to reveal Himself to her and bring the right people into her life.

As I was leaving the mall, I stopped and talked to a group of college-aged kids. They said that "everyone has their own beliefs" and that we should find what works for ourselves. I shared that the Bible has specific information about our eternal destination. They asked how I knew the Bible is true - funny, I had read pp. 154-158 of "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" earlier that day, so I had an answer ready! (explain the historical evidence, archaeological evidence, and fulfilled prophecies) They eventually had to leave, but I left them with several tracts and hopefully some persistent questions about eternity.

It's still a bit difficult to start conversations with strangers, but practice and lots of prayer have made a big difference. Once I actually do it, fear seems to fade into the background and the knowledge that I can't fail gives me peace. God does the work, not me!

- Sam H.

Anti-Evangelism

Check out the review of an anti-evangelism book here.

Is it a Gift? / Reasons Why We Don't Share

Recently I have been told numerous times that what I'm doing is a 'gift' that God has given me. As in, "I can't do it because I haven't been given the 'gift.'" I do think that it is a gift (look up 'grace'), but one that is given to every Christian...

I will admit that because of my background in sales and as a receptionist I do have a fairly easy time starting any kind of conversation with someone. But, those that know me know that I have a 'scattered' brain. I have a hard time clearly getting my point across - especially about matters of faith.

This is why I had such a hard time sharing my faith in Jesus Christ before. It was hard enough with friends who were patient with me and I would never attempt talking to a stranger about Jesus (I already believed that walking up to someone and saying, "Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" would sound foolish to a non-Christian).

Reasons why we all might not share our faith on a regular basis...

1. Might Get Beat Up
2. Won't Make Sense
3. Might Be Made Fun Of
4. Won't Know How to Start
5. I'll Be a Bad Witness
6. I'll Say the Wrong Thing
7. I'll Be a Religious Nut
8. I Don't Know Enough

Numbers six, seven and eight really apply to me. But, think about this, are these reasons or are they just excuses? I know they have been excuses for me - and still are. It has been life-changing to take the Way of the Master Basic Training, though. I now know what to say and how to say it. And, so much of the Gospel makes sense now! Here are some questions to search out...

1. Why do we need the Old Testament? What is its purpose? Now that we have Jesus Christ, can't we stop using/studying it?
2. Why did Jesus use the Law when talking to the lost? Didn't He realize that we are saved by faith in Him and not by following the Law?
3. Why were the early followers of Christ (and others around the world) martyred for their faith? Why would someone kill you over the "God has a wonderful plan for your life" message?
4. Why do I have a desire to share my faith in Jesus Christ but it comes across as foolishness to the lost?
5. What is with the Christians being salt thing?

Everything I have just blogged here has been answered for me through taking the Way of the Master training which is why I say it has been life-changing. Are you ready to experience the exhilaration of sharing your faith Biblically!?

-Sarah

Telemarketer

Someone just called me to sell a vacation. I've learned some new techniques from http://www.evtales.com/ and used one to tell the lady about Christ...

I told the sales lady that I wasn't interested wondered if I could ask her an interesting question. Is she 100-percent sure that she would go to Heaven if she died tonight? No. Does she think she is a good person? Yes. Has she ever lied? No. Never? No, never. Has she ever stolen anything? No. At this point I realized that I was going to lose her soon (she'd hang up) so I used a new 'trick' which is to give the '17 second sermon.'

Well, God gave us a standard to show us how sinful we are. It's the 10 Commandments. If you've ever lied than you are a lier. If you've ever stolen anything than you are a thief. Jesus said that lust is the same as adultery and hate is the same as murder. So, if you've ever done these things, than you are a lying, thieving, murderous, adulterer, at heart, and when God judges you on the day of judgement you will be found guilty and go to hell. That's not what God wants so He sent His son Jesus to die on a cross and take your punishment for you. Okay. Does that make sense?"

Sales Lady: "I know that."

Me: "So, have you repented of your sins and put your faith in Jesus?"

Sales Lady: "Um, no, I'm at work right now and can't talk."

Me: "Okay, thanks. Goodbye."

Sales Lady: "Goodbye."

I sounded like a crazy person, I'm sure. But, hey, seeds were planted!

-Sarah

Espresso Shot

It was a simple greeting and a simple question. But a very strange reaction…

read the whole story by clicking here

How to Witness to a Jehovah's Witness

I rushed down the stairs to the sound of a barking dog and our doorbell. When I opened it, two well-dressed young men stood in front of me. I greeted them with a warm, "Hi," to which one of them asked in perfect English, "Do you know of any Spanish speaking families around here?"

"Next door there is a Spanish speaking family. Across the road there is an Indonesian family, then an India, then English, and I am Chinese. Do you want to see a picture of me on a cruise?"

They politely said they did, so I quickly opened my wallet and showed them a picture of Tom Cruise with the word, "ME," on his forehead. They laughed.

"So what are you guys selling?"

"Nothing."

"Are you Mormons?"

"No."

"Jehovah Witnesses?"

"Yes."

"Tell me this. I have a knife in my back. I have three minutes to live. My blood and life are draining from me. I know I'm dying. What are you going to say to me. How can I enter the Kingdom?"

click here to continue

Trench Coat Teen

I asked an older male teen wearing a black trench coat if I could ask him some questions. I specifically went up to him because of the trench coat but I truly was thinking that my preconceived notions would be incorrect and that he would instead be very receptive to talking... That the coat was just a 'front' and that inside he was humble (I'm still searching for a more appropriate word). During recent talks about spiritual things that I have had with 'rough' looking teens, gentleness is what I have found to be more true of their natures. Like gentle 'giants'. Anyway...

Not so with this young man. It looked like he was carrying a bunch of stuff under his coat (even though he had just walked into the mall) and he did not want to tell me his specific spiritual beliefs even though you could tell that he definitely had some. Later on I thought that I should have asked him if he worshiped satan... Yeah, it would not have been an inappropriate question for the situation (and I'm not talking about the coat).

I stood there talking to him and thinking very strongly (but calmly), "He is going to shoot me. Right here in the mall. He is going to shoot me." I have an active imagination, though. I wasn't scared so maybe I really didn't think he was going to shoot me - or, as the actual case must be, it was all Jesus Christ's doing.

I gave him a tract called "School Shootings - The Common Denominator."

Obviously there is a lot that I don't know about the situation as a whole. And, this man may never have even had thoughts of Columbine-style intentions. But, it is an interesting encounter and proof that God provides.

-Sarah

Sweet Greg

I talked with a young teen named Greg about God's Law and evolution this evening at the mall. He was really a sweet kid but he wasn't concerned about eternal punishment although he thought he wasn't a good person.

It was a cute conversation because I asked him questions like (learned from The Way of the Master training:

So, did the two-cell organism evolve into a sea animal or a land animal?

So, if it was a sea animal, did it have gills?

How did it come onto land? Did it flop out of the water onto land?

How did it breath on land? Didn't it have gills? How did it breath before the lungs evolved?

Did two of them flop onto the land and evolve lungs instantly so they could reproduce?

It was really cute. I loved watching his face as he tried to answer these questions (my tone of voice was not picking on him). Then I asked him if his parent's Ford vehicle evolved or if Ford created it? If the metal and plastic just -- slurp -- came together to form a car?

Then told him that a painting is absolute proof that there is a painter. A building is absolute proof that there is a builder. And, that creation is absolute proof that there is a creator. Made sense to him!!!

I gave him a God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life tract and a copy of The Case for Creation by Lee Strobel and then left him with his "seeds" of faith for God to grow! God is a-w-e-s-o-m-e! (But, we all knew that, right?!?)

-Sarah

A Billion Dollar Message

Our church is hosting three CEF 5-Day Clubs this week. Yesterday Sarah gave an 11-year old boy a Billion Dollar Bill tract as he was leaving.

Today at the beginning of the club, the leaders said something about Heaven. The boy immediately spoke up and said, "I don't think I'm going to heaven anymore because that billion dollar bill you gave me yesterday said that anyone who sins won't be able to go there."

I turned to him and told him, "You're exactly right!" and asked him if he'd have an appointment with me after the club.

We ended up going through the Share Jesus Without Fear Bible verses together. When I asked him if he wanted to give his life to Jesus, he said he thinks he should know more first. Please pray that he makes a decision or desires to visit church before he moves back to New York in 2 weeks!

-Lisa

I love going to the bank...

Especially when I have to talk to someone new!

Today I stopped to drop off a card that I filled out for my daughter. I got to talk to a "personal banker." So I give her the form and a copy of my driver's license. While I'm waiting for her to return, I find one of the Way of the Master millon dollar bill tracts in my wallet. So I start to pray that it will find its hands into whoever needs to see it.

When the personal banker came back, I thanked her for her time, then I pulled out the million dollar bill and handed it to her. "It's not real money," I said. To which she replied, "O darn!"

Then I told her that it had a message on the back. So she turns it over and starts reading.

"Thanks again for your help," I say. She replies, "Thank you too. Have a nice weekend."

Short and painless. Another seed planted...

-tony

Smart Card - Blind Heart

Check out Elizabeth's witnessing story by clicking here.

Perfection Like a Crystal Vase

During last night's fishing trip, I was watching the children in the play area when my mom's long-time hairdresser called out to me from a few yards away and then walked up to me and started talking. Really, think about this... That is amazing, huh? I even knew her name and she knew mine. Amazing opportunity. So, we're talking about our children, work, school, etc. and I'm standing there knowing that this is not a coincidence and that I needed to talk to her but I was scared. I was thinking things like, "Eye, yeyea... What will my mom say? Will she get upset if her hairdresser gets upset? Well, I was planning on not talking to people tonight so I can let myself off the hook for not talking to her." Stuff like that. Well, I need to fear God, not man (the hairdresser), so I stepped out in faith and just asked her that first question (which is always the hardest part, by the way).

I just kept asking her questions... "If you were to die tonight, are you 100-percent sure you would go to Heaven? Why? What did God do to make it possible for you to go to Heaven? Is there a hell? Who goes there? What role does Jesus play in all of this? Do you desire to have a relationship with God? (Answer was "yes") Etc." The questions I asked were tailored to the answers she was giving me - not a preformed plan. While she was talking, I realized that this really was not a coincidence because she was so ripe for the Gospel message. Because of this, I almost gave her the Gospel without going through the Law first. But, then decided that since I had been trained that the Law makes a way for the Good News, then that is what I needed to do first. Looking back, I'm so very glad that I spoke of the Law first. Why?

We all think we are good people. It's true. Even though we know that 'sin' separates us from a Holy and Righteous God, we still think that we are pretty darn good when it is all weighed out. Wrong. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. James 2:10 If you had a rare Waterford crystal vase and you cracked it only once, it is ruined, right? It's not worth what it was before the crack. It's the same way with the Law of God - we break (or crack) it once and we're done - ruined - destined for hell, folks. Seriously. We don't have to shatter the thing to know that it is no longer perfect. We can do all the walking we want on our "journey" to God, but we're just fooling, and pacifying, ourselves into believing a lie - the lie that we are somehow good enough. Don't believe me? Does He have a wonderful plan for your life? Click here to test yourself on your goodness and find out where you rank in God's eyes.

Oh, yes, once she saw her need for a savior, Jesus Christ really was Good News! With a big smile on her face, my mom's hairdresser told me, "Thank you!" By the way, I think that has been my first, "Thank you," which was really neat.

-Sarah

I finally had a "spiritual" conversation...

I finally got beyond giving a "survey" tonight with a couple of teens!

After going all the way through the intelligence test survey, I asked the last question: "Can a person avoid hell by living a good life?"

The answer that this young man gave (Colton was his name) was a perfect transition to discussing God's standards of right and wrong - so I dove in. It turns out that Colton is a Mormon, and had some thoughts about what I was saying. We talked about what God's standard of a "good person" is and that Jesus Christ is the only way to take care of man's sin problem.

I would not say that I am entirely happy with how I shared (I think I could have handled some things better...), but I am overjoyed that I was actually able to share Christ with someone in an actual conversation!

After I left, we saw Colton showing the survey to one of his friends. As we were leaving, I stopped and handed him a tract called "Three Truths Every Mormon Should Know."

Please pray for Colton - that he may understand the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Tony

Can It Get Easier Than This?

First I'd like to say in reply to one of Sarah B.'s posts that I don't think it's possible to fail in our witnessing. someone has said,"You only fail in witnessing when you fail to witness!" By that I think it means that we must always keep in mind that God is truly sovereign over all human history and His plans cannot fail. So when we do our best, the Holy Spirit will use whatever we do to scatter seed or water what's already been planted. Otherwise, I think we are in danger of being so scared that we will make a mistake in witnessing and then we just don't witness. Surely the loving Lord does not want that!

Secondly, I just wanted to add another, super easy way to break into witnessing if you are REALLY shy and scared to talk to others about spiritual things. One thing I have asked the Lord to remind me to do is to always have tracts in my purse when I leave the house (I stock up on Sundays!). Then I ask Him to help me remember to put at least one in every bathroom I visit that day. When I walk the mall I bring enough to put in each stall of the bathroom closest to the food court and in the nearby family restroom ( I leave one in the bathroom there as well as on the little table and on the rocking chair behind the screen). I also bring enough now for the one downstairs bathroom--and I've begun to put ones like the Billion Dollar question one in some of the fliers for the army, navy, air force and marines. I figure that anyone these days who is planning to sign up for the service knows that they are likely to be deployed to Iraq, so of all the people who need to hear the gospel, I'd say they are a priority.

Now since I am female, if only one man got the bug to do this one little thing, think of how many more people could be reached! As you may have guessed, I "use" the restroom at every building I enter--so that means WalMart, the Marion library, the mall, and even at a nonmall Hallmark store!

You may say, "Isn't that just a waste of paper? People will just throw them away!" Ha, ha. The last time I put some in the biggest mall restroom I saw a gal holding one and talking to a friend and putting it into her purse! She was too far ahead of me for me to get a chance to talk to her. Just for fun I check the bathrooms at the mall with each time I go around, so I can replace ones that have been taken. Often there are several that are gone, the ones that are left are always in good condition, but they've often been turned over and moved so that I know they've been read. I always pray as I leave them that the Lord would get them into the right hands, and I vary the tracts so they always look new. Dale even saw one of the Billion Dollar question ones placed near the checkout at Cranky Hank's, in the lower level of the mall! Awesome.

So don't say you haven't been given SMALL, DOABLE steps that you can take to reach others for Christ. Before I started placing the tracts I thought of how I came to Christ, and being a private person at that time, I know that I would have read a tract placed inside a bathroom stall. It's private, not pushy, and no one has to notice that you slip it into your purse as you go. And of course, it has a great web site address on the back for more information!

S.R.C.

Jericho Jog

Have you ever gone on a "Jericho Jog"? Or a "Mall Marathon"? No? Well, perhaps you've never thought of the ministry you can have in your own neighborhood, mall, or city by jogging or walking while you pray for every person you meet, or all who live in the houses you pass. Don't think this is just silly. Recently I had a great answer to a prayer which I had been lifting up for a neighbor of mine for 3 years. I had said something VERY unkind to her in anger. As soon as she walked away, like a knife in my heart ,I thought of how wicked it was of me to have enjoyed speaking such unkind words while at the same time destroying probably ANY chance for me to witness to her about the love of Jesus.

Well, we had had some storms which had broken many branches off of her trees and littered her yard. She works painstakingly to keep her yard looking good, so God gave me the idea of picking up all the branches, leaves and twigs off her lawn and taking them to the dump for her.

While I was working two girls opened the door to the neighbor's deck and asked me if I needed any help. I had hoped that no one would see me working, but I just told them that I was doing fine and that I just wanted to help out their mom by taking the branches to the dump.

Long story short--my neighbor saw me loading up the branches for the dump and she actually spoke kindly to me. I could tell that my actions took her by surprise in a good way.

So if you walk at the mall for exercise, or around the block, or whatever, take time to pray for those around you. That is an easy way to make a difference. I know of several short-term mission groups that build this exercise into their first day of ministry. So, now you know that anybody can minister, even if you are too shy to speak and even too shy to witness with other believers. It only takes one step to start the journey to lifestyle evangelism.

S. R. C.

Getting started is the hard part. Then you have to talk...

Every group has one. I'm it in our group of "fishermen." I still have a hard time doing this.

I understand the need. I understand the methods. I'm just a bit of a chicken. Take last night, for example. I have learned that I can spend a lot of time walking in circles... But once I talk to someone, it all gets (a little) easier after that. The sum total of my contribution on this outing was handing out 4 tracts (two personally, and two left in various locations at the mall) and giving a group of three teens an 'intelligence test." The teens were polite enough, but didn't seem to want to talk very much, so I left the test with them to "grade" on their own, without talking to them further.

So - to summarize - there are two things I find difficult on these outings:
1. Taling to the first person
2. Continuing to talk...

The good news is, I can't get any worse at this than I already am. So I will keep trying to do the right thing for the right reasons. After all, God can use anyone, right???

-tony

Learning to Fish

Our son, Sam, invited a friend to go the mall with us last night. They passed out tracts to people as they walked. Last week Sam took another friend of his on our fishing trip to RAGBRAI. What a unique opportunity for these teenage boys to see how God works through us to reach others. Perhaps they won't be as frightened by "cold" witnessing as we are and will share their faith naturally all the time.

Because Sam's been with us on these fishing trip, we've had lots of great discussions about why Jesus desires us to share the Gospel. He's witnessed us loving people who seem the most unlovable. I thank God for giving us these God-ordained opportunities with our son!

Fountain Man

Jan W. and I were together when we started walking around the mall tonight. She was pushing the B.'s kids in the stroller, and they wanted to see the fountain. There was a man sitting on the edge right next to where I stood. I prayed about whether I should speak to him about the Lord, but I was hesitant. I thought, "You're standing right next to him and he's not leaving... why don't you just talk to him??" So I asked him, "Have you seen one of these?" and showed him a Smartcard.

He said, "No" so I told him about putting his finger on the square to see if it turns green and asked him if he thought he was a good person. He said, "No" which surprised me. I said, "You don't think you're a good person?" and he said "No" again. Then he said, "Oh, I know where this is going."

I said, "Do you think I'm going to talk to you about spiritual things?" And he said, "Yes," so I asked him, "Do you have any spiritual beliefs?" He answered, "Yes".

Of course I couldn't leave it at that, so I asked, "Do you mind if I ask what they are?" and he said, "Just my own private ones." It was obvious, even though he was being very polite and pleasant, that he wasn't about to open up to me, so I gave him the Smartcard and thanked him for his time.

After I walked to the other side of the fountain, I saw him reading the card intently. Then a few minutes later, Tony walked up and commented on the fact that he saw the man sitting on the fountain reading a Smartcard. The writing on the card is only a paragraph long, so he must have been reading it a second time.

Even though that contact didn't seem very profitable in our eyes, God could have been speaking to that man's heart in mighty ways. We don't know how many of the seeds we sow will sprout into believing faith! So go out and sow those seeds!

An Evening at the Mall

We had five adults, two teens and three children at the mall this evening. It was an awesome night to be there. Lisa made a comment about there being so many potential people to talk to this evening.

I talked with three teen girls in the woman's restroom while my oldest played with a stall door beside us. That was really awesome because one had a 'problem' with, as she said, "God destroying cities full of homosexuals and then turning a woman into stone because she turned around." I have just been reading Genesis so I was able to explain it to her truthfully and it then seemed to make sense to her. We talked about creation (painting is proof that there is a painter - creation is proof that there is a creator) and one girl said that even if she did believe in God, her sins were too great. I was able to tell her that that wasn't the truth. It was AWESOME!

I talked with another lady (just asked questions about her beliefs and then gave her a tract) while our children played in the play area. Then gave out a couple tracts to other parents. Then, while I was standing with our group 'debriefing' my sister-in-law's high school friend who I've only met a few times walked by. We recognized each other and (this is totally of the Lord) I remembered her name and said, "You're such-and-such!" I talked with her and her boyfriend for about thirty minutes but never gave them the gospel. Their mouths were never stopped by the Law (see Romans) and they had a lot of lies they were believing about the Bible. I kept telling them to get a copy of The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. It was good and it couldn't have been a coincidence that we talked! It was AWESOME! Have I said that already?

As I was leaving the mall, I handed my last tract on me to a very tough looking teen who was with his female friends in a shoe store. Then I turned around and knocked over a stack of shoe boxes. Very embarrassing but I'd like to think I handled it okay! :c)

I can't wait for Matt to post because God has been working a miracle in his heart since the 4th of July when we were at the Freedom Festival.

-Sarah

Running Errands

Here is what I'm curious about... How do I go about my day as a stay-at-home mom with three children, ages three and younger, and still be a witness for Christ Jesus? So, today I was extra aware of opportunities around me when I went to an orthodontist (I used to have buck teeth and they are moving back again - yicks!) appointment, Walmart for diapers/photos and the Post Office for stamps. Here is what happened...

Dr. Orthodontist

Yicks, I was scared to talk with my orthodontist! I was sure praying hard! I thought about what I was going to say ahead of time but when I was sitting in the chair (my three children where at my feet reading books) I really didn't think I was going to do it. It is a miracle to me that I said anything at all so God must have really wanted him to hear what I was planning on saying!!! I said, "You've been doing this for so long in the same location that each day must just run into the next. You probably don't even remember specific days because of that." [talking] Then I said, "Well, I'm going to ask you a question now that you've probably never been asked before so you'll probably remember this day." [talking about being asked a lot of strange questions]

So, I asked, "When we die, what do you think is on the other side?" I couldn't believe I was asking him this... It was all very surreal. I was really scared. I went on to ask him, "How do you get to this place called Heaven [that you hope is there]?" He said something about living a good life and asked me if I have [lived a good life]. I said, "No." Then, and this is really interesting to me, he said something (kind of mumbling) to the effect of me knowing how to get there (remember, I've only asked questions) and when I questioned what he meant he said something like, "You know (like I really did know),... Jesus." Then it was time to go so I handed him the good person cartoon tract and he firmly and up-beat"ly" said that he would read it. I left more of the same tracts with the girls in the office as I was leaving and they thanked me.

Wally World

So, off to the "world of wally" for diapers and to pick up my photo order. As we were getting out of the van, two people were getting into their van next to us so I handed the lady a good person cartoon tract by asking, "Did you get one of these yet?" She said, "No [I didn't]. Thank you." Painless.

I handed the photo guy (who also checked me out) a billion dollar bill and said, "Here's a tip. There is a billion dollar question on the back." Pretty painless and a seed was planted even with three children in tow.

As we were leaving, I handed the door lady a good person cartoon tract and said, "I always walk by you and wanted to give this to you. It probably gets boring standing here all day so this will give you something to read." She was very positive and thanked me.

Post Office (I can't think of a cute heading - haha)

First, I put a "Pope Collectible" tract on the car next to mine. Once inside I left a God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life tract on the counter for customers to get their stuff together. I bought my stamps (and my oldest bought a little mail truck) and left a Smart Card with the mail man by saying, "Here is something fun for you to do when you have a break." As I turned around I saw a man looking down at the Wonderful Plan tract I had left on the counter but even though he looked like he wanted to pick it up, we were all watching him so he didn't. I felt bad about that and regretted not handing him one.

As I walked out the door I handed another man a Wonderful Plan tract (I was running out of tracts - I usually save these for specific types of people but I trust that God works these things out) by saying, "Sir, did you get one of these?" Easy. Then I got the children in the car and decided to leave a Smart Card on the vehicle next to mine (an old beat up Bug). As I was backing away, I saw that the Bug belonged to the man who was looking at the Wonderful Plan tract I had left on the counter. The one who I regretted not giving a tract to! Isn't that awesome!?

What I Learned Today

First, I realized that it isn't a coincidence when we hand someone a tract or talk to them. If God knows (and He does) that we will hand someone a tract when we are at "such-and-such a place" then I believe that He would make sure that the right people are at that location to receive the tract or to be talked with.

Second, besides talking with my orthodontist, it was easy and it didn't take any more time than if I hadn't done anything. But, here is what is amazing (and this is why we all need to be out there doing this stuff all the time - me included!)... At least eleven seeds of faith were planted today that would not have been if I had chosen to not try this out! And, I was able to do it with three children in tow.

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith,

so that you will have a full understanding

of every good thing we have in Christ.

Philemon 1:6