Yesterday afternoon I was sitting at a Starbucks down the street from my house by myself working on my support letter.
As I am typing away I notice one of my patient’s from the hospital comes walking in with his girlfriend and a box of pizza. It’s kind of out of place, especially in a Starbucks. Not making and eye contact, I continued to do my work when I heard a call from across the room. It was him and he was grinning from ear-to-ear. “Hey everyone! That was my nurse!” He loudly stated. It felt like all eyes were on me, but I was also very happy to see him. He was so young and obviously so tired and so in need of love.
He quickly shuffled over and I asked him how he was doing. How his shoulder was doing after his accident. He proceeded to tell me how his pain level was so bad he had already used his month supply of pain meds in less than one week. During this conversation, I noticed a man sitting across from me staring at us while we spoke. I immediately knew the holy spirit was present in that conversation but I assumed it was because that guy that was staring was a believer or something.
I had a thought come into my head, “Pray for his shoulder”. I did not pray for his shoulder. I realize now why I should have been obedient to the still small voice of God.
My young patient and his girlfriend soon left after we talked for a little while. After he left, the man sitting across from me started pursuing a conversation with me asking me where I work and what I do. I also did the same for him. I love having random conversations with people. It’s my favorite part about my job!
The man sitting across from me was not a Christian. In fact, he was a Buddhist man who came from Jewish descent. I shared with him about how I am leaving for Israel in a few short months and it opened up a deeply spiritual conversation. I was able to share with him about the radical encounter I had with Jesus in my personal life.
He made comments about how God is so big and he has so much to think about already and that he would not be interested in his problems. I shared with him my testimony and I also shared with him the story of the prostitute brought before his feet, that God is in the business of loving imperfect people. I shared with him that God is not bound by time like we are, and he is never too busy. I shared with him how I pursued God and how God met me where I was at. I told him to throw away all his knowledge and to just ask God to show himself.
Toward the end of the conversation, he repeated a sloppy rendition of a verse to me that he knew deep down. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Mark 2:17. I said goodbye to the man as I had to leave for church, but I left the conversation deeply impacted and feeling so loved by Jesus because he decided to love that man through me!
Sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ is my soul purpose in life. I forgot how fulfilled I feel when I am doing the work of the kingdom. I am hungry for more and I know God is always in the business of more.
If you can, please pray for my new Buddhist Jewish friend Andrew. Please pray for my patient with the dislocated shoulder, and please pray that I would see him again. Please pray for my heart to be prepared for ministering of the gospel. Please pray me to be disciplined to study his word. And please pray for my heart to be soft and that I would walk in the forgiveness and reconciliation gospel message that I will be sharing.
Thank you for stopping by. <3
