Fighting Dragons and Other Items on the To-Do List

Sometimes it takes a convergence of things to really push me out of my comfort zone.

After many months, even years, of praying and guiltily hoping for an opportunity to be a witness in our neighborhood, this weekend I finally bit the bullet. 

Roughly speaking, these were the converging elements:

- South Site cards asking for 5 names of folks to invite to a Wed or Sun service this summer
- Daily prayer list for salvation for neighbors, family, and others
- Last Sunday's sermon (supplemented by this week's also)
- Ben's prayer time at last week's Overflow gathering
- Story (from Ben) of Caryn being convicted by a Joni Erickson Tada message to share the gospel with her neighbors
- Ben's opportunity to teach at this Wed's Connection service
- 5 service invite cards sitting on the kitchen table for a week
- New recipe for muffins from Pioneer Woman Cooks 
- Victor taking extra long naps this weekend

And, the outcome was taking a really deep breath, ignoring the million excuses in my mind why this wasn't a good time, I didn't want to, and this was not going to work, and ringing the doorbell at Door #1.  That was yesterday.  Got to catch up a little on the news about their fam, hand over 4 muffins and an invite card to Chad, and give a pretty basic synopsis of the gospel (as a little preview of what Ben will be teaching on Wed).  A little awkward, a little nerve-wracking, but a start.

Today, during Victor's afternoon nap, it was time for Door #2, but I didn't have to ring it.  They were both sitting out front for a smoke.  I was momentarily halted by the dog growling at me from the entrance to the porch, but she turned out to be a sucker for a scratch behind the ears, so I sat down (unfortunately, on the one chair without cushions, so I felt like I was falling through the slats after a few minutes).  We chatted about the neighborhood, their kids and grandkids, and the landscaping.  Then I pulled out the invite card and gave them a brief run through the gospel too.  Then I gave them the muffins, heard about the oatmeal from McDonalds that is Jim's old standby for breakfast, and got a tour of their home and backyard. 

I fight the sense of failure of all the things I didn't say, didn't follow-up on, didn't clarify.  But I think it was pleasing to God.  And since He can use talking donkeys, I feel in good company anyway.

Tomorrow, it's Door #3, Lord willing.  Still feel like the dragons in my mind and in my heart are in full fight to keep me at home.  But Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.  So I hope to give it a go.