It has been about four months since I’ve returned from a year of missionary travels overseas. It’s hard to believe how fast time has flown by since my return and some days I honestly question if it was all a dream.
The transition from living with community for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to being back in my parents basement all alone has definitely had its challenges. Initially I cherished the alone time and loved being able to get in my car and drive places by myself. However, I had a taste of what true Biblical community looked like and I wanted more of that in my life back here in the states.
It’s funny how the Lord knows what we need and sometimes if we aren’t making it happen ourselves, he nudges us.
I was sitting at a coffee shop one day in March preparing a presentation about my trip to share at church. I had been there for over 5 hours, cycled through thousands of photos, created a beautiful slideshow, and was starting to get excited for my barre exercise class that was approaching. Around 5:15 pm a group of people came in and were sitting all around me. They were talking about being missionaries and going out on the streets of Elkhart to pray with people and share the Gospel.
The Holy Spirit told me I had to talk to them.
I went back and forth with him for a bit but eventually swallowed my pride, introduced myself, and they prayed with me. I told them I could not join them that night because I had my class and they would charge me if I didn’t cancel within a certain time frame. So we parted ways and I told them, “next time!”
Well the Lord had other plans. I got in my car and was completely unsettled. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me that I had to go out with them. I resisted and said I didn’t want to pay the cancelation fee of $15. At this point He quickly put into perspective the $15 versus sharing Jesus with somebody and potentially leading them to Christ. Count the cost.
I said, Okay Lord but they better be around here still.
I left my car and went looking for some familiar faces. I didn’t see them so I began to tell the Lord if He wanted me there then they needed to show up. Well I looked another direction and saw three of the guys from the group walking toward me.
I approached them and told them the Lord told me I couldn’t go to my class and that I needed to go with them. They were thrilled.
Little did I know at the time, they had just been talking about how it’s difficult to approach groups of women without a female present.
Shortly after joining them we ran into a group of three women and a couple of their kiddos. We prayed with them and shared the gospel. I was able to tell a little bit of my story, what Jesus has done in my life, and the hope I’ve found in Him. One of them gave her heart to the Lord that night.
I stepped out in faith that night and the Lord used my obedience for His honor and glory. What a privilege it is to be used for the Lord.
That was about two months ago and since then I have been going out with this group of people once or twice a week. Every single week the Lord sets up divine appointments and we are able to minister to people in Jesus name.
It has been a beautiful way to spend my evenings walking in obedience, stepping out in boldness, building community, and leading people to the way, the truth, and the life.
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I want to encourage my fellow believers, ask the Lord to bring you divine appointments. Share your faith with people. Pray with people. Love on them.
Don’t just stand in the line at the grocery store with your nose in your phone for 15 minutes waiting. There are lost people all around you.
Engage in conversation. Embrace the uncomfortable. Listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit. Share your story, it’s unique to what the Lord has done in your life.
He has given us power through Jesus. It’s time we shatter the stigmas that come with sharing our faith and rise up. It’s time for revival. The cost is too high not to.
Live each day with an eternal perspective. Realize we are only here for a short time and during that time it is our sole calling to make the name of Jesus known and to lead the lost to Him.
I pray that these words convict your spirit to the point of action.
