Gospel, Preparation, and Coffee Shop Conversations

"Hi." My back was toward the man who greeted me while taking his plate to the "dish-return bucket." "My name is Omad." (Not his real name.)

"Hello, I'm Amy."

"They have good coffee here, don't they?" he said. "I work just over there. Do you live nearby?"

"Yes, not too far from here. This is my favorite place to get coffee," I said. "I like to come here to work or do my Bible study," I pointed to my Galatians notebook on the counter. "I'm in a Bible study on Galatians right now. Do you know the Bible?"

"Somewhat, yes. My family is Muslim, but I don't consider myself Muslim. But I am quite religious," he said. "I feel very connected to God."

I said, "Actually, this week in Bible study we were talking about the heart of the good news of Jesus.

"We have a big problem, because all of us have fallen short of God's standard of goodness, and we cannot fix that. But God sent His own Son Jesus, who lived a perfect life. He died, not because of wrong things He had done, but rather to pay for the sins of those who will trust in Him.

"And God raised Him from the dead to show that it was enough. So if we trust in Jesus and not in anything we can offer, God will receive us and cover us with Jesus' goodness. It is such good news!"

"Yes, thank you," he said. "Have a good day."

"You too," I said, and he went on his way.

It was curious, but I was not surprised at this unusual encounter. Because on Wednesday at Bible study I challenged the women to take an "assignment" to share the good news we were discussing with someone in the week ahead. And on my drive to the coffee shop, I was asking God for an opportunity. And don't you know, He always hears our prayers.

May He give us many such prayers, many such encounters, and multiplied joy rehearsing the good news of Jesus.

P.S. My husband says he was just hitting on me. To which I say, well whatever. What he got was the gospel.

Door #3

Follow up to this post.

Woke up feeling really cruddy this morning... sore throat, burning eyes, achy.

Ben gave me some extra sleep time before he left for the day, and the Lord was very kind and I felt pretty decent for the rest of the day (following echinacea, multivitamin, probiotic, calcium, honey with cinnamon, spinach, OJ, strawberries, and banana).

I put Victor down for bed for the night and popped over to neighbors #3.  Nobody was home with the sleeping baby, so I didn't have long, but I gave them the card and muffins, and a real fly-by gospel message.  They go to church, and there was nodding while I told them what Ben would be talking about, which was encouraging.

They have some friends visiting from out of town tomorrow, so they might be busy, but they said they'd love to come if they're free.  So I'm praying there might be a change in plans so they could make it.  I'd love to have them hear Ben, and I'd love to have some more follow-up conversations.

So, we'll see what comes.  But all in all, the Lord was kind and it doesn't feel as intimidating to bring Jesus into the conversation after doing it several days in a row. 

Update

Nobody answered at Door #3.  So, try again tomorrow.

(Per yesterday's note.)

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.