A Must See Video

I posted a link to this Video on my Facebook, but wanted to post it here too. About a week ago, I was listening to "Revive Our Hearts" radio program with Nancy Leigh DeMoss (I love this radio program). Nancy's guest that day was Rachel Barkey. Rachel Barkey had terminal cancer and she was dying. Rachel was a young mom in her mid thirties with 2 young children (husband too), and one of the last things she did was give a talk about what she learned through this whole experience.

It was heartbreaking to watch the video, but in the middle of all the pain Rachel shared about her relationship with Jesus, and how he had changed her life. I was challenged and encouraged by her testimony, and I actually made a change in my attitude that day in regards to my children and husband because of what Rachel shared.

I know we are all busy, but you will not regret one bit watching this video. Click on this link here, and you will be directed to the homepage. The video is right on the homepage for anyone to view. Come back and let me know if you watch the video and tell me what you thought about it. (FYI: The website is www.deathisnotdying.com)

God Showed Up at TGIF (Part 4...the final post :)

OK, I have full confidence that I will finish up my story today. However, I have had such a good time remembering some of the experiences that have happened to me. As I age I forget things, so blogging has helped me document those important life events I don't want to forget. Again, if you are reading this post for the first time, scroll down and catch (Parts 1, 2 and 3).

OK, the last post talked a lot about how I had my own hang ups about how things should go when I go to a Christian conference. I still have my issues, but God has showed me that I just need to get over my sinful self and think about others.

Part 2 of this story is kind of where I stopped talking about what happened at TGIF's. My friends and I had just shared the gospel message with our waiter JR. He listened to us, and as I stated I think he was genuinely thankful that we shared the "good news" with him. He promised us that he would go home and think about what we said, and read the literature that we left with him.

At this point I was beyond thrilled about what had just happened at our table. On the other hand, I was getting a little anxious about the time factor. It was around 5:30 and the conference started at 6PM. Plus the fact that we had to meet two other women that I had invited to go with us to the conference made me a little more nervous. As the group coordinator I didn't want to let anyone down. BUT, I truly knew what was happening at TGIF was more important than me making it to the conference so I could see and sing with the Praise Team (Part 3 really goes into detail on this subject).

While I was thinking about all of this, something unexpected happened. JR brings his female cousin that also worked at TGIF to meet us. She was so polite and sweet... But in my mind (I think my friends too), we were wondering why JR wanted us to meet his cousin. Again, I felt like this maybe another opportunity the Lord was placing in front of us. I wondered if JR wanted my friends and I to share the gospel with his cousin too. At the same time I was getting nervous about how much time we had left to get to the conference. As small talk was passed around our table I was in a mental war as of what we should do. Do we dismiss ourselves and go to the conference, or do we share the gospel with JR's cousin? Not knowing what to do, I decide to go to the ladies room (that is always a good option when you don't know what to do, and you have had too many glasses of water :)

So I went to the restroom and tried to refocus myself...Taking that break helped a bit. To my surprise when I return my two friends are engaging JR's cousin in a talk about Jesus. WOW!!! I find out later that my one friend told JR's cousin (let's call her Tessa) that we were just talking with JR about Jesus before he brought her to our table. My friend asked Tessa if she knew about Jesus... Then much like what I did, my best friend began asking Tessa questions about her life and what she believed about God. I will say that although Tessa was as sweet as can be she had a different reaction to the things of God. Without taking too much time to go into everything we talked about, Tessa really didn't know what she believed. She sort of believed in God, but at times maybe not even so sure there is a God. My friend once again, did a wonderful job at answering some tough questions.

Things were winding down again, and we thanked Tessa for listening to us, and asked her to consider the things we said. My friend again left Tessa some information that she could go home and read that would further explain what we had been talking with her about. Although, Tessa did not respond as favorably as JR did, my friends and I were thrilled about what had just happened at our table.

Something neat happened as my friend and I were walking back to the restroom. I saw Tessa talking with two other employees, and she had the booklet opened that my friend had given her. She noticed us, and we kindly said hello. I got so tickled that she was telling the other employees about what had happened...NOW she might have been saying how there were three crazy ladies talking with her and asking her a lot of questions, and that would be OK. Whatever she was sharing with the other employees made me happy because it means she was talking about it...

Later, my best friend said something like, "no conference could be better than what we had just experienced". I so know what she was talking about... We were living out what we believed... All of us left there excited, knowing that we were just planting little "seeds" for Jesus, and in His timing He would do the reaping according to His good will.

The conference was very good, but I truly will remember what happened at TGIF's when I think about that weekend. I have a long way to go when it comes to sharing my faith...Since that night at TGIF I have missed opportunities to share my faith, but I try to use those times to challenge myself the next time an opportunity arises to tell other about Jesus.

Thanks for sticking with me through these posts... I hope they encouraged you in some way...

God Showed Up at TGIF (Part 2)

This post, although titled differently is Part 2 of my last post. A disclaimer before I begin... The title of this post reads "God Showed Up..." In all reality God always shows up...He is always there, but sometimes I don't always sense His presence, but on this particular day I just knew His presence was near.

If you have not read my previous post, you probably should take a few minutes to do so...that way this post will make a little more sense. After my experience of giving out a gospel tract to the woman at the McDonald's Drive Thru, I knew that things needed to change with me being more bold in sharing my faith with strangers. I was so thankful that my friend challenged me by pushing me out of my comfort zone at McDonalds, but I knew this experience was only a small step on a very big ladder for me.

The day after my experience at McD's, my friend and I were headed to a Beth Moore conference in St. Louis. We were going to the conference with 3 other women from my Church. My friend and I were driving to St. Louis with one of the other women, and the other 2 were planning on meeting us in St. Louis.

My 2 friends and I arrived in St. Louis and checked into our hotel...we were hungry so we decided to go the TGIF that was located inside of the hotel. Our waiter was super outgoing, friendly, and adorable. Ok, I can say adorable because he was in his early 20's and I felt more like a mother figure to him. I noticed that our waiter, let's call him J.R. seemed to linger at our table longer than waiters normally do. I began to have a sense that this maybe one of those times God wanted me (and my friends) to tell JR about Him. Sensing this I began to ask JR questions about his life. JR was very forthcoming and really shared more detail about his life than I expected. Actually, he shared very personal things about his life. Once he really opened up about his life I felt convicted all the more that I (we) needed to tell JR about God.

JR had mentioned that one of his dreams was to be a singer. It was not too long after that, that I asked him to sing us a song. He quickly obliged. To our shock and enjoyment he sat down at our table and sang us a song he used to sing to his younger brother at bedtime. JR had a beautiful voice and we were quite impressed. My mind was racing, and pretty much after this I knew that I had to say something about God...This was an open door if I ever had seen one when it comes to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I forget all the details, but pretty much after JR sang I said something like "So JR, my friends and I are here to go to a Christian women's conference, so I just wanted to ask you, do you go to Church? He then said he did, and then I said something like, "Does your Church teach about Jesus?". He replied that he did know about Jesus, and then we talked a little more. Again, I so wish I remembered everything that I said, but I don't...but it wasn't too long after that JR said something about being a "good person". It was then, that I kicked (a light kick) my best friend (the one that challenged me to give a tract away at McDonalds) in the leg under the table. I wanted her to take over, and she is so smart that she realized what my kicking her meant.

My awesome friend, then went to work leading JR through some tough, but needed questions. She then was able to share with JR about what Jesus did for him on the Cross. I just knew that the Holy Spirit was working through her... The really cool thing is that I could sense that the Spirit was working in JR's heart too. It was almost as if I could see the wheels turning in JR's mind, as my friend shared the good news about Jesus. I think JR realized that it would take more than just being a "Good" person to get him to Jesus. JR responded so well, and he was so polite. I think he appreciated what we were sharing with him. My friend gave him a booklet that shared more information with him about being a Christian. I thanked JR for listening and told him that we were sharing this message with him because we care. I really think he believed us. I ended up even giving him a hug (that's me the hugger).

There is another really cool thing that happened that night at TGIF. If I tell it now, I need to give you a background story too, so I will end here for now, and continue with a Part 3 of this story soon.

I also want to say that I only shared what was going through my mind that night at TGIF. I am sure that each of my friends could write their own story as well.

Christina, if you read this please share what was going through your mind that night too.

Stay tuned for Part 3..

Pushed Out of My Comfort Zone (Part 1)

I have to break this story down into separate posts, or else I think readers will see the post and think too long and say goodbye :) I have to go back a little bit to set this post up so it will make more sense to you.

I was introduced to Jesus at the age of nine and this year I will be 40... This fact tells you that I have had knowledge of Jesus for about 30 years. I accepted Jesus as my Savior at age nine, but feel I really did not understand my decision of what it means to be a true follower of Christ until my 20's. BUT regardless of that fact, I have always known that as a Christian I should be sharing my faith on a regular basis. During the past 30 years I have shared my faith, but here and there, and not on a regular basis...not as Jesus would want me to.

Over the last 5 years I have been convicted of the fact that I don't share my faith with others...that I don't share the good news of the Gospel with others... If I get real honest with myself I would just have to admit that I am down right scared to share my faith boldly, and if I am even a little more honest with myself I have been ashamed to share my faith. The bible has much to say about those who are ashamed of Jesus, and it is not at all good...it is terrifying.

In the past I have put too much stock in the approach of sharing my faith only when asked about it by others, or else when there are those NEON FLASHING moments in life that tell me that this is a good time to tell whomever about Jesus. There have been instances in life where I have brought up God with others, but only once in awhile. Things needed to change in my life, and I really felt like the Lord was showing me my sin in the area of telling others about Him.

One TV program that helped me during this time was "The Way of the Master" hosted by Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron. I could probably write a whole long post about this show, but for time sake I will just say that God used this program to show me my lack of love for those who are dying and going to an eternity without the Lord...which is Hell. Wow, it is weird to use that word anymore...I don't hear people (even in the Christian circles) talking about Hell anymore...Even I don't like to say that word to people, but Hell is real, and a place that none of us want to go when we die.

I know there are some out there that think "The Way of the Master" approach is bold and it can turn people off, but the reality is that sometimes we have to be bold...and that may put people off... The Bible is clear too that many will reject Jesus...so we shouldn't be surprised when people reject Jesus...reject us.

There are those that say we should evangelize using "relationship evangelism" (build relationships with others first, then witness). I am not ruling out this approach at all, as there are those people that the Lord will put in our lives to build relationships with and hopefully they will come to Christ as we share our faith with them. BUT how many people do we come in contact with that we will never really have a chance to build a relationship with??? More than we could ever count... When I have my eyes open to this fact I see a whole world out there that I come in contact with daily (that is if I leave my house).

OK, all this to say the Lord has awakened me to my lack and sin in the area of sharing my faith, and He is awakening me to the world around me... I am only at the beginning stage, but my eyes have been opened to those around me that do not know Christ. I do know Him, and I have a responsibility to share what I know about Jesus... I don't have an excuse anymore...not like I ever did.

I knew that I couldn't keep this post short :) So I will wrap up here with an experience that happened to me a couple of weeks ago... My best friend came to see me from New York, and I will say that she also has been on a similar journey as myself with God opening her eyes to the fact that she should be sharing her faith as well. The only thing is that she has been on this journey a bit longer and the Lord has been challenging her to share her faith boldly. She has been pushing herself out of her comfort zone for the last couple of months when it comes to witnessing to others. She has really encouraged me in this area more than she knows.

A couple of weeks ago while she was visiting we went through a McDonald's Drive-Thru. As I paid the cashier I said something about witnessing to the cashier, and then my friend told me to give a tract to the employee at the next window (I already passed the cashier)... All of the sudden I just panicked and said that I couldn't...My friend then told me that I was going to do it... I had too (not in a bossy way, but in a down right challenging and convicting way)... As I waited to get to the second window, I realized how crazy I was acting... I knew my friend was right... I had to give that employee a tract...how could I be ashamed to give a simple tract to an employee??? I was afraid, and I knew that I had to do it. I mean, if I can't give a tract (publication with the message of Jesus on it) to a stranger, how would I ever actually have a conversation with someone about Jesus. I was convicted to the core, and although I was still nervous I gave the woman at the second window the tract. This was a turning point for me, and soon I would be challenged once again in the area of sharing my faith, only this time I would be doing more than just giving a tract away.

I will end for now, and pick up with Part 2 of my story titled, "God Shows Up at TGIF".

Wise Words from my Middle Child

I know if I don't write this down, I will forget it and I want this memory to stick with me...

This past week, the boys and I were in the car and my oldest asked why people today do not live as long as people in Biblical times. I told him that after the flood God numbered the days of man and they would not live as long as people did at the beginning of creation. I then said something about Heaven, and if we truly realized how awesome Heaven was that we would not really want to be here on earth anymore. (I was talking with a friend about man's days and I said that after the flood God numbered man's days... well, I don't know exactly that that is right, but I found this verse in Psalms that made me think that is what happened...Psalm 90:10 (New International Version) The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span [a] is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Sometimes I pass information along that I have heard, but I must always make sure that I go to the source (Bible) to confirm its truth. So for the record, I maybe 100% wrong about God numbering man's days directly after the flood. I am not completely sure about the timing...

The boys continued their conversation, and I heard my oldest talk about how he accepted Jesus so he would go to Heaven one day... the conversation continued just a little more, and then I heard my middle boy say to his older brother something like this..."Moose" you also have to follow Jesus to go to heaven. That's not how it works, you can't just accept Jesus, you have to follow Him too to go to Heaven." Again, I don't know that I got all his words right, but the point is there.

I grew up where there was a big emphasis on accepting Jesus into your heart, but not a lot on what it meant to follow Jesus. Following Jesus, is more than accepting Him. I think many people believe in Jesus and would even say they have accepted Him, but yet they do not change their lives and follow Him. I am just now learning that truly following Him is about denying yourself and taking up your cross and following Him.

Do I follow Jesus everyday, every minute of my life? No, not always, but I am aware of when I am choosing my own way, and in that moment I have to pray that my will will succumb to God's will for my life, even when it is hard. I have learned so much the last year about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and it is changing my life. The Lord is doing a work in me that I can't explain, and I am realizing now how much I need the Holy Spirit in my life to empower me to follow hard after God.

With God all things are possible...for me that means God can help me stay on the "narrow way" that leads to Him, no matter how many times I jump off that way to enjoy the broad way for a time. He will always lead me back... I pray that my children will learn this lesson as well.

David Platt Radical Book

I just finished reading this book after it was recommended to me by a friend. This book has challenged me (really shaken me up) about what it means to truly be a Christian. I have been on a journey now for about 10 years trying to discover the truth of the Gospel, and what it really means to be called a Christian... A disciple of Christ. I do have many changes to make in my life, and this book helped me to see some "blind spots" in my own Christian walk. I highly recommend this book, but it is not an easy read at all.