It was one week after Easter, a beautiful day with perfect weather, but there was nothing special about it. With two kids under 2 years old, I was grateful for an overdue first lunch date with my next door neighbor. We landed on a bite to eat at a local coffee shop and took advantage of an outdoor patio. As crowded as the area was, I was led by the Spirit to be bold and share my broken yet redemptive story with her. As I followed the storyline from poor decisions in high school to brokenness in college to encountering salvation to how God led me into His work today, her face became more and more disheartened. A bit confused, as this wasn’t the usual response, I asked her “What about you? I’d love to hear how you ended up in North Carolina!”. She mustered up the courage to tell me that she desperately wanted a relationship with God, and I was grateful to lead her to the start of it.
It’s crazy that God already knew my neighbor was going to give her life over to Him on this day when she heard the message of truth (Ephesians 1:11-14), I surely didn’t! He allowed me to be the mouthpiece of the most important message she would ever hear, I was only the messenger! As believers, we may encounter conversations that can cause us to question our knowledge of theology or what the bible says. I hold a seminary degree and still shake in my boots anytime someone asks me to clarify a biblical text. However, the one thing I am always confident of explaining is the personal story God has given me that directly points to His saving grace and total Kingship over all creation!
Who in your life right now needs to hear what God has done for you? Have you allowed the Spirit to illuminate Jesus’ boundless grace in your story? The apostle Peter teaches us “[but] in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” (1 Peter 3:15). As we imperfectly follow Christ, let’s share our stories with one another, revise our storylines making much of the gospel, and use the broken pieces of our pasts to point to the hope we now have for eternity.
May You Live Sent Today!
There are several mission trips in North America and beyond that are taking place in 2022. You can find out more information by clicking on this link.
The World Games (www.twg2022.com) are coming to Birmingham July 11-17, 2022. 110 countries, 3600 athletes, 200,000 projected attenders. If you are interested in an “at-home” mission opportunity with The World Games, email missionalliving@shades.org for information. For information about volunteering at the games, visit www.twg2022.com/volunteer.