Greetings and BLESSINGS!
It has been a minute with a lot going on that I have been able to write one of these, but I am so excited to reconnect and share what the Lord is doing.
Faith and I have been going through a study learning more about how the Lord can, will, and does speak to us. It has been incredible to learn and grow this desire that was already planted to hear more of the Lord and be used by Him. It takes us being willing and more times than not, willing to take risks. We have learned God can speak to us through events, circumstances, Scripture, other people, demonstrations of power, inwardly, through impressions and audibly. All of these examples can be backed by Gods word! I have learned that much of my desire was limiting God to speak in a few specific ways, BUT GOD IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN US- God can speak to us in anyway He chooses! Praise God, because I know that I was putting Him into a box, but through prayer and practice I have begin to take God out of this box and see Him speak in ways I could never imagine- all of this is to glorify Him and become an ambassador for Christ and to further His Kingdom! I will share an example of how God shows us He is listening, He does care, He is not bound to our agenda, and He can and will use ANYTHING to show His children He LOVES THEM!
This study we have been going through gives questions at the end of each day and they are designed to start DIALOGUE (not monologue) with God. Sometimes I have seen answers come quickly and others have taken some time. This particular day Faith and I took some time to “debrief” what we had studied. We both said we weren’t exactly “hearing” anything and that was ok- Matthew 10:19 explains “God will give you the right words at the right time.” So we took that with peace and decided to start our day, but we did take one of the questions with us that stated “Is there a particular person or place where you want me to minister today?”. We had to run several errands before heading to make some returns at the mall. Yes, the dreaded mall- so much going on and so many agendas, how can one focus?! Well we went here and there, making returns and just looking for stuff we may need in the next year. Our shopping brought us to a shoe store. We were talking with one of the workers there when all of a sudden 2 teenagers walk up in the middle of the conversation and ask “do you want to play??” We were all kind of taken back when we saw they were holding a Ouija board. Ill be honest and say at first I responded somewhat immaturely, laughing and saying “NO, no thanks haha” so they shrugged their shoulders and walked off, and we continued our search for shoes, but I couldn’t help but think about the background and use for a Ouija board and it stuck with me. It stayed with me enough to a point where I stopped and just began asking Faith, why a Ouija board, wonder what they get out of that, etc…It was on my heart enough to say “I hope we run into them again, that’s who we could minister to!” Some time passes and we make our purchase and walk out of the store, I notice two stores up these 2 teenagers who look just like the ones with the Ouija board walking out at just the same time we were. I told Faith “I think that’s them!” (PRAISE GOD- WHHHAAAATTT??) So we pick up our pace and catch up to them as I asked “where yall the ones with the Ouija board?” They say “yes” and it is on!
We slowly begin to get to know them. One was named Josh, a 16 year old who stated he was an atheist. The other a 17 year old girl named Joelle who said she had been attending a local church for a while. It was an interesting mix to say the least- but the Lord spoke! Through everything, the atheism and even learning Josh was homosexual and raised going to “bible school” the Lord broke through and put the impression on my hear to tell Josh “God loves you. No matter what you are going through or have done, God loves you so much!” As I saw some tears well up in his eyes I could tell he may not hear that often. I continued with the HUMBLING thought of putting our “agendas” together. Faith and I coming from our home, running across town, to the mall, returning things, stopping to catch up with old friends we saw, going to look at shoes, getting asked to “play a game”, declining, thinking “God if we can minister to them make it happen, AND WE WALK OUT OF DIFFERENT STORES AT THE EXACT SAME TIME….along with their agenda of walking all over the mall asking people to play a Ouija board just to get a reaction out of them- to meeting us and hearing “GOD LOVES YOU!” ….Let that sink in…..because it is humbling….God orchestrated ALL of that just to tell Josh He loved him….
We spoke for a little bit and for the amount of time we felt lead. With a sincere handshake from Josh (which I thought was funny) they both said thank you and we headed our separate ways. I know, I know- where’s the ALTER CALL TO COME DOWN AND GET SAVED?? Well there wasn’t one…I don’t think that’s what we were there to do (AS MUCH AS I WISH IT WAS) This is where I am learning to TRUST as well. I had it on my heart to tell Josh, as much as he believed in this Ouija board and all that can come of it, to begin to think of the opposite side- that being a God who loves him. I simply challenged him to seek God in that and to think about that. As we pray the Spirit to convict him and for him to receive the love and grace that is offered.
I hope this reaches you all well, challenges you, and encourages you! God can use ANYTHING to speak to us, and more importantly to tell His children He loves them. Even a board designed to bring evil, confusion and brokeness into the lives of people. That’s the God we serve. Glory to His name.
Matthew 10:7-20
