So here it was, the moment that I had prayed for, the
opportunity to share and converse with someone. And in this moment I could
either choose to be bold and to step out in faith or I could choose to sit back
quietly and let Mark and Haley do all the talking, adding “mmm hmm” and “yeah”
when necessary.
We had run into Aol (pronounced “own”) earlier that day, and
had ended up spending most of the day with her, eating lunch and visiting a
local floating market. It had been an enjoyable day, getting to know each other
better, but we had not yet been able to talk to her about our faith and find
out more about hers. But on the way back to town, Mark, Haley, and I finally
had some time to just sit and chat for a good 45 minutes. We had wanted to get
a good idea of where she stands with her faith, because we had been told by our
contact (one of her teachers) that she has expressed some interest in
Christianity.
So Haley began asking her if she knew why we were there in Thailand
and if she had any questions about it. Aol said that she understood that we
were there because of God. She said she knew this because she had attended an
annual seminar held by the nuns of her Catholic school. So we asked her if she
enjoyed the class to which she responded yes, very much, because it makes her a
better person. But she also added that she is a Buddhist and her family is too,
and that her mother would be very angry if she chose to become a Christian.
Mark and Haley began sharing some personal testimony as to
how they both came to know God and related it back to her and her current
situation. I had been praying during their conversation that God would speak
through Mark and Haley and allow Aol to see and hear God through them. So next
came my turn. There was the choice: boldness or fearfulness. I quickly mapped
out a conversational map in my mind, deciding what I wanted the focus and
sequence of the dialogue to be, and began sharing with Aol.
To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what I said. I know that
whatever came out of my mouth was different than what I had planned. It was
different because my strategy was replaced by God’s. I was so worried about
what to say and how to share, that I tried to take complete control of the
situation. I tend to do that often; I think that the best way for something to
go perfectly is if I map it all out, make sure there are no surprises, and
maintain complete control. Kind of funny when I say it outloud; basically I
think that my plan is the best plan.
No shocker here: I was wrong. Proverbs 3:5 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and
do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he
will make straight your paths. Sharing with Aol went extremely well. She
seemed very interested in what we had to say and absorbed the information and
testimonies that we gave her. Aol didn’t accept Christ that night, but she did
get one step closer. Praise the Lord!
Often times I find it easy to forget to give thanks and
praise to God when He answers prayer, but today I wanted to take some time and
let you all in on this answered prayer. If you read my last blog, English Club,
you know how I’ve struggled recently with the relational aspect of ministry.
It’s been hard for me to connect with the students, specifically in terms of
sharing my faith. But God is an amazing God, and He answers prayers. Like I
said in my last blog, God doesn’t need us to be perfect or complete to use us,
but instead he uses us exactly where we are at. I’m not going to say that the
next time I share my faith will be a breeze, but I will say that I am
consistently learning how to trust in and rely on God in these situations. I
know that if God wants me to share my faith with someone, that he will speak
through me, and there will be no need to worry.
So thank you to all my teammates, family, and friends who
have been praying for me in this area. God is a gracious God, and he does
answer prayer! I look forward to the many other prayer requests that God will
answer and I can forward on to share with you back at home. So keep it up
prayer warriors!
Let me leave you with one last verse. A verse that I hope
will both encourage and challenge you when it comes to sharing your faith.
Romans 10:14: How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they
believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them?
Go, Fight, Win!!
