Every Friday we go to a park here in Byron to partner up
with YWAM. They put on a free BBQ for anyone who is walking by. We are
encouraged to talk to the people and just love on them. Every week I have made
sure I talk to at least a couple of people. This week the simple conversation
took more of a toll on me:
with YWAM. They put on a free BBQ for anyone who is walking by. We are
encouraged to talk to the people and just love on them. Every week I have made
sure I talk to at least a couple of people. This week the simple conversation
took more of a toll on me:
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She was a free
spirit. You could tell by the way that she floated about. Her shirt came an
inch or two above her belly button and a skirt reaching down to her ankles. Different
spectrums of jewelry lined all of her as she moved about. She was a rare beauty
with blonde hair and dimples. Her face was filled with so much joy or just mere
happiness. She floated around the country with her backpack, drum, and dear
friend of hers, seeking place after place.
spirit. You could tell by the way that she floated about. Her shirt came an
inch or two above her belly button and a skirt reaching down to her ankles. Different
spectrums of jewelry lined all of her as she moved about. She was a rare beauty
with blonde hair and dimples. Her face was filled with so much joy or just mere
happiness. She floated around the country with her backpack, drum, and dear
friend of hers, seeking place after place.
It wasn’t
something I contemplated before I traveledover. Ivy was her name. She,
along with Evy, is from Sweden. I began to ask Ivy questions while Evy
rolled a cigarette. In my mind, I realized how it was so normal for me to talk
to people who were smoking or drinking beer. Back home I would have looked on
it with disgust instead of loving like I should.
something I contemplated before I traveledover. Ivy was her name. She,
along with Evy, is from Sweden. I began to ask Ivy questions while Evy
rolled a cigarette. In my mind, I realized how it was so normal for me to talk
to people who were smoking or drinking beer. Back home I would have looked on
it with disgust instead of loving like I should.
I explained
what I was here in Byron Bay to do. Jesus obviously came into the
conversation and she nodded as if it was something she knew. After a few bits
of silence, I was so bold as to ask her what she believed. Since I finally
established that my ministry this month is listening, I stayed tuned earnestly.
Like many in Byron Bay she believed in the spiritual beings all around.
She knows they are there to guide her because she communicates and sees them
often. Her signs in life come from them. She states rather boldly that she is
her own god. Love is god and he is everything around her. At those sentences
all the words danced on my mind. She spoke with so much joy and
contentment with her life. I was given no words but my usual answerof ‘cool’
and ‘ok’. In reality, there was nothing cool about it. I wondered about
the emptiness that must be present in her heart. She had a way of hiding it so
well.
what I was here in Byron Bay to do. Jesus obviously came into the
conversation and she nodded as if it was something she knew. After a few bits
of silence, I was so bold as to ask her what she believed. Since I finally
established that my ministry this month is listening, I stayed tuned earnestly.
Like many in Byron Bay she believed in the spiritual beings all around.
She knows they are there to guide her because she communicates and sees them
often. Her signs in life come from them. She states rather boldly that she is
her own god. Love is god and he is everything around her. At those sentences
all the words danced on my mind. She spoke with so much joy and
contentment with her life. I was given no words but my usual answerof ‘cool’
and ‘ok’. In reality, there was nothing cool about it. I wondered about
the emptiness that must be present in her heart. She had a way of hiding it so
well.
Ivy got up
for a second and I started a conversation with Evy. I asked her if she believed
the same as Ivy. She began talking about religion and how she didn’t like how
people held so tightly to all the rules. That they were so shut off to others
and in a sense shunned those who didn’t believe. I explained the freedom that I
have in Christ and they he died for us.
for a second and I started a conversation with Evy. I asked her if she believed
the same as Ivy. She began talking about religion and how she didn’t like how
people held so tightly to all the rules. That they were so shut off to others
and in a sense shunned those who didn’t believe. I explained the freedom that I
have in Christ and they he died for us.
I said, “It
is all about a relationship with Jesus.”
is all about a relationship with Jesus.”
Right then
Ivy sat down and announced rather swiftly, “I have a relationship with the
moon.” It was her mother and she pointed to the grass saying it was her
father.
Ivy sat down and announced rather swiftly, “I have a relationship with the
moon.” It was her mother and she pointed to the grass saying it was her
father.
After my
typical response, I was filled with no words. Cigarette smoke blew right across
my face as I stared off into the distance. Two racers were playing tag with
some children. With a faint smile at the children, I still couldn’t keep my
mind from the way my heart kind of ached for Ivy. I held back small tears as Ipressed on with more questions. She told me about other aspects of her life and
I listened intently.
typical response, I was filled with no words. Cigarette smoke blew right across
my face as I stared off into the distance. Two racers were playing tag with
some children. With a faint smile at the children, I still couldn’t keep my
mind from the way my heart kind of ached for Ivy. I held back small tears as Ipressed on with more questions. She told me about other aspects of her life and
I listened intently.
Later, I
said good bye and walked over to our table. My mind was overwhelmed with
confusion. She was so happy in what she believed and the life she led. So
content with all she had. And yet me, who has all the hope there is, couldn’t find
or express the joy of Jesus for an hour at a time. My mind was plagued with
questions: how am I supposed to offer this relationship with Jesus? What am I
going to do? These people have the truth at their fingertips. They know in
their minds what Jesus did and yet they seem completely content without it.
said good bye and walked over to our table. My mind was overwhelmed with
confusion. She was so happy in what she believed and the life she led. So
content with all she had. And yet me, who has all the hope there is, couldn’t find
or express the joy of Jesus for an hour at a time. My mind was plagued with
questions: how am I supposed to offer this relationship with Jesus? What am I
going to do? These people have the truth at their fingertips. They know in
their minds what Jesus did and yet they seem completely content without it.
______________________________________________
I realize that I
can’t do this on my own. There is no power of myself that can get through to
these people.
Nothing that I can say or do.
can’t do this on my own. There is no power of myself that can get through to
these people.
Nothing that I can say or do.
God is the only one who can
change their hearts. I can only rely on the Holy Spirit in order to do anything
for His Kingdom.
change their hearts. I can only rely on the Holy Spirit in order to do anything
for His Kingdom.
It is all Him
who mends the brokenhearted.
who mends the brokenhearted.
All Him who
speaks the right words they need to hear.
As my heart begins to break and feel the emptiness for the lost, the only thing that I can do is rely on God.
speaks the right words they need to hear.
As my heart begins to break and feel the emptiness for the lost, the only thing that I can do is rely on God.
