Bringing a living Jesus to a dying world

So....

How has it been for everyone?

Anything ridiculously awesome happen yet?

I know for me I am always finding myself on my toes; I'm finding myself SO much more aware of the people around me such as my waiters/waitresses, my cashiers, my customers, and just ordinary strangers. I'm constantly listening to the Holy Ghost for those who need to hear the gospel.

When I go into work, I always tell myself that I need to make ATLEAST one divine connection with one of my customers. I need to make a rememberable impression on atleast on of them. Giving the cards out has been easy for me. I often slip one into the sides of the pizza boxes at work. :P

How's it for everyone else? Where are we finding our struggles/strengths?

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe Graham on July 29, 2009 at 10:22am: I have been making myself talk to people when I go to the gas station or places that I normally rush in and out of. I gave a church card to a casher and invited her to church. She was a young lady that looked pregnate and tired. She gave me a weird look but took the card. Somtimes planting the seed is the first step.

I like what you said about being aware of people around you. I have notices seeing people more and looking at them as real people in need of Christ. Instead of somone in my way; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Larry on July 29, 2009 at 12:05pm: Ok, so I'm driving to the Haslet city offices to pay my speeding ticket, we can discuss the whole authority thing later, any way I figure that I will park under the trees in front of the library to keep my car cool while I'm in the office.(this is about a 100 to 150 yard walk to the offices) There is a Jeep parked in the first spot with its hood up and a woman and teenage boy looking inquisitively into the engine. I politely ask if I could help. the woman responds back, "You can help jump the vehicle if you want but if you don't you can just keep on about your business.", obviously she is frustrated from the heat and the fact that here car is not working. I respond "I want to help but I don't have jumper cables." I explain that I don't live very far and that I would go and get my van and cables when I finish with the city. She thanks me and continues staring at the engine. When I return she has found a set of cables. I had commented that God would provide. She picked up on this and we began talking about God, Grace, Repentance and Jesus. This continued for about 20 to 30 minutes. While we tried to jump start her car. I had explained that I am not a mechanic but the Holy Ghost usually helps me discern things like this. She was just happy to know that someone cared. I was un able to start her car thinking that the cables were possibly bad since they looked really old. I told her I would be back in a couple of minutes as I was going to run home and get my cables and van. I returned within 15 minutes and offered her and the two children that were with her something to drink. I was at Wal-Mart picking up milk an hour earlier and had noticed that they had fruit punch for $.80. I bought it not knowing why at the time. I now understand why. Anyway I offer her children to get into the van to cool off while we continue to talk and work on her car. After about an hour and a half we decide that its not going to start. She asks me where I go to church. I tell her and she begins to explain that she has met a number of people since her arrival to Texas who said that they were Christians and offered her a business card in passing inviting her to their church. She explained that she found it refreshing that someone cared enough about her to not only try to help her with her car but to speak to her about her soul and salvation. She commented that she felt I was genuinely and sincerely concerned for her, and that she didn't get this from the others that had spoken to her. She and her 7 children have attended our church twice and will be here this Sunday. Her name is Tomissina. We fixed her car, a week later at no cost to her, and have been talking a couple of times a week since. I wasn't marketing for a building, people see through that, I was reaching out to a person in need, spiritually as well as temporally. It is amazing at how hungry people are to hear the word of God. Once you get started they thirst for more.

Be Obedient
Be Present
Be Prepared; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by AnDREa on July 29, 2009 at 1:04pm: Awesome, Larry!! Praise God!

Larry said:
Ok, so I'm driving to the Haslet city offices to pay my speeding ticket, we can discuss the whole authority thing later, any way I figure that I will park under the trees in front of the library to keep my car cool while I'm in the office.(this is about a 100 to 150 yard walk to the offices) There is a Jeep parked in the first spot with its hood up and a woman and teenage boy looking inquisitively into the engine. I politely ask if I could help. the woman responds back, "You can help jump the vehicle if you want but if you don't you can just keep on about your business.", obviously she is frustrated from the heat and the fact that here car is not working. I respond "I want to help but I don't have jumper cables." I explain that I don't live very far and that I would go and get my van and cables when I finish with the city. She thanks me and continues staring at the engine. When I return she has found a set of cables. I had commented that God would provide. She picked up on this and we began talking about God, Grace, Repentance and Jesus. This continued for about 20 to 30 minutes. While we tried to jump start her car. I had explained that I am not a mechanic but the Holy Ghost usually helps me discern things like this. She was just happy to know that someone cared. I was un able to start her car thinking that the cables were possibly bad since they looked really old. I told her I would be back in a couple of minutes as I was going to run home and get my cables and van. I returned within 15 minutes and offered her and the two children that were with her something to drink. I was at Wal-Mart picking up milk an hour earlier and had noticed that they had fruit punch for $.80. I bought it not knowing why at the time. I now understand why. Anyway I offer her children to get into the van to cool off while we continue to talk and work on her car. After about an hour and a half we decide that its not going to start. She asks me where I go to church. I tell her and she begins to explain that she has met a number of people since her arrival to Texas who said that they were Christians and offered her a business card in passing inviting her to their church. She explained that she found it refreshing that someone cared enough about her to not only try to help her with her car but to speak to her about her soul and salvation. She commented that she felt I was genuinely and sincerely concerned for her, and that she didn't get this from the others that had spoken to her. She and her 7 children have attended our church twice and will be here this Sunday. Her name is Tomissina. We fixed her car, a week later at no cost to her, and have been talking a couple of times a week since. I wasn't marketing for a building, people see through that, I was reaching out to a person in need, spiritually as well as temporally. It is amazing at how hungry people are to hear the word of God. Once you get started they thirst for more.

Be Obedient
Be Present
Be Prepared; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Dove on July 29, 2009 at 1:42pm: I just started training a lady who had severe arthritis in her wrists and hands that has affected her life tremendously for the last 30 years. Waking up during the night with severe pain, unable to do certain things, etc. Last week during our training session her hands started to shake and it was obvious that she was in a lot of pain. When she explained the situation i shared with her that because of the work of Christ she didn't have to live in pain and asked to pray for her. I took her by the hands and immediately they stopped shaking and she let out a sigh of relief. She was healed instantly. It was AWESOME!!!
So I invited her to church and im hoping to see her at church on Sunday.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joe Graham on July 29, 2009 at 4:48pm: That is amazing

Larry said:
Ok, so I'm driving to the Haslet city offices to pay my speeding ticket, we can discuss the whole authority thing later, any way I figure that I will park under the trees in front of the library to keep my car cool while I'm in the office.(this is about a 100 to 150 yard walk to the offices) There is a Jeep parked in the first spot with its hood up and a woman and teenage boy looking inquisitively into the engine. I politely ask if I could help. the woman responds back, "You can help jump the vehicle if you want but if you don't you can just keep on about your business.", obviously she is frustrated from the heat and the fact that here car is not working. I respond "I want to help but I don't have jumper cables." I explain that I don't live very far and that I would go and get my van and cables when I finish with the city. She thanks me and continues staring at the engine. When I return she has found a set of cables. I had commented that God would provide. She picked up on this and we began talking about God, Grace, Repentance and Jesus. This continued for about 20 to 30 minutes. While we tried to jump start her car. I had explained that I am not a mechanic but the Holy Ghost usually helps me discern things like this. She was just happy to know that someone cared. I was un able to start her car thinking that the cables were possibly bad since they looked really old. I told her I would be back in a couple of minutes as I was going to run home and get my cables and van. I returned within 15 minutes and offered her and the two children that were with her something to drink. I was at Wal-Mart picking up milk an hour earlier and had noticed that they had fruit punch for $.80. I bought it not knowing why at the time. I now understand why. Anyway I offer her children to get into the van to cool off while we continue to talk and work on her car. After about an hour and a half we decide that its not going to start. She asks me where I go to church. I tell her and she begins to explain that she has met a number of people since her arrival to Texas who said that they were Christians and offered her a business card in passing inviting her to their church. She explained that she found it refreshing that someone cared enough about her to not only try to help her with her car but to speak to her about her soul and salvation. She commented that she felt I was genuinely and sincerely concerned for her, and that she didn't get this from the others that had spoken to her. She and her 7 children have attended our church twice and will be here this Sunday. Her name is Tomissina. We fixed her car, a week later at no cost to her, and have been talking a couple of times a week since. I wasn't marketing for a building, people see through that, I was reaching out to a person in need, spiritually as well as temporally. It is amazing at how hungry people are to hear the word of God. Once you get started they thirst for more.

Be Obedient
Be Present
Be Prepared; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Admin on August 2, 2009 at 10:14pm

Joe Grace's video blog.

We'll be available again on Wednesday night, for anyone who'd rather tape than type. :-D

Keep it up everyone...it's really encouraging hear about your adventures!

Attachments:

TE_JOE_LP.mov, 2 MB

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Larry on August 3, 2009 at 8:49am: will tomasinas video be up soon???; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mel on August 4, 2009 at 11:01am: Hey Larry!

It will be up very soon. :-D We're going to play it in church Wednesday night, then I'll post it.

Thanks!
Mel

Larry said:
will tomasinas video be up soon???; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joe Graham on August 6, 2009 at 5:23pm: this week was crazy busy but I had four opportunitys to talk to people. One was on facebook with a freind of mine I had not talked to in a while. He lives in the same city I do so I invited him to come to the church I go to up here. It was kinda cool because we were small talking and I had told him that I had a awesome wife and cool church I went to and he wanted to know what one that was. So hopefully he will come with me in the next week or so. I loved what Joe Grace said on the video you have to look for the opportunity. I have been praying for opportunity to witness and they are starting to happen.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cameron on August 7, 2009 at 6:05pm: I've had some interesting experiences this week on both ends of the spectrum. On Tuesday, one of our mail drivers came in to get the mail. He looked like he was about to pass out. I asked him what was wrong and he told us that he occasionally got vertigo for no apparent reason. The doctors told him that they don't know what it is, but they think it is either hypoglycemia or some disorder where a part of the ear drum actually detaches and floats around, causing problems with balance. I told him I had seen things like that healed and asked him if I could pray for him. He looked at me like I had just asked him for used puppy parts or to borrow his kidney. He told me he was going to go home and fast for a day (always a great idea if you think you have hypoglycemia, by the way...), then he asked me if we could pray the next day. It never happened.. I was just surprised that he preferred to stay sick rather than be made whole.

On THURSDAY, however, I was walking to my car after work and saw a guy who works in the studio hobbling out to his car. He had a cane with him and was having a hard time walking. I asked him what happened and he told me he didn't know. His ankle just started hurting and swelling, but he didn't do anything to tweak it and the doctors don't know what's causing it. I told him I'd pray for him, to which he was all for, and after I was done he looked me dead in the face and said "Thank you.. It's about time someone here actually got up and did something." I spent the next 20-30 minutes just talking to him about God and about His grace...talked to him some about total depravity and how our salvation has absolutely nothing to do with us. As we were talking, you could tell the look on his face was almost like he had just had a breath of fresh air, or that he sensed something that he had seen once and nearly forgotten about... like when you smell something from your childhood that makes you smile because you remember how great it was. I gave him all our church info and invited him, and it seems like he's excited about it.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see him today to see how his ankle was, but I'm hoping he'll be there friday... if not, I'll just stalk him next week. LOL; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mel on August 7, 2009 at 7:57pm

These are all awesome!!! :-D

Here's Tomasina's video:

Attachments:

TE_Tommy_web.mov, 1.2 MB

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joe Graham on August 8, 2009 at 2:31pm: Thats awesome keep it up

Mel said:
These are all awesome!!! :-D

Here's Tomasina's video:; ▶ Reply to This