Sorry about the interruption folks, on with my story.
So to make a long story short, we prayed for one more guy and then eventually made it back to Joe's Cafe where everyone was meeting up. I had a pretty fantastic drink, ice cream with espresso poured over top. And, ironically, it was called Espresso With Ice Cream. We debriefed with everyone and shared our experiences, some incredible, some just strange, and others just downright hilarious!
It was the most enjoyable thing i've ever done! i mean, last week we played volleyball and it was killer fun and we all had a blast, but last night we were vulnerable and scared and God used that and just knit us together as a group. Every one of us stepped outside of our comfort zone and relied completely on the Holy Spirit to guide us and indeed He did. it was pretty incredible!
And i realized something important last night, something that i already knew but didn't really fully REALIZE, if you get my meaning.
When we go out there on the streets, or stand behind the counter at work, or walk through the mall on our day off and share the gospel of Christ with someone, it has absolutely nothing to do with us. We as humans are completely and utterly inadequate.
But get this: JESUS IS ADEQUATE. and HE IS FAITHFUL!!
All we have to do is ask Him and He will help us! its a scary thing! but OH SO WORTH IT!!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Adventures on the Drive
Last night i did THE scariest and most adventuresome thing i have ever done. Basically, last week we had a friend from Vernon down sharing about their mission work and just reaching out and sharing the gospel with people. So Leonard had the idea of going down to the Drive and doing just that! we were ALL nervous and ALL scared spitless, most of us had never done anything like it, but Charlie paired us off guys with girls and sent us out with the purpose of approaching people, introducing ourselves, and asking if they had anything they needed/wanted prayer for.
And it was incredible.
For the first 5 minutes Miguel and I just walked and said stuff like "oh man this is so awkward" or "what if we don't get to talk to anyone?" to which my unspoken answer was "hey well that would be fine with me!". But God definitely had BIGger and better plans than just turning tail and running back to Joe's. The first person just brushed us off and kept walking and the second person asked if we could pray for a "change of consciousness for all mankind". How do you answer a question like that let alone pray for it? Miguel and I REALLY were not prepared for that, and you could tell the guy had some WAY deeper issues to deal with (which he obviously wasn't about to share with us), so we made a graceful-ish exit and kept walking. Miguel had seen a program on tv that weekend about homelessness in Vancouver and knew that there was this guy named [?] that lived on the Drive. the government had been trying to get him onto welfare but he was afraid of signing any papers b/c he didn't want his aboriginal rights to be taken away. So the next block there he was sitting against a telephone pole making some of his art. we stopped and chatted, Miguel mentioning the tv program. He was really friendly with us but when we asked if we could pray for him he said some others had already asked him that and besides, he talks to his creator every day already. I just hope and pray that he really and truly is saved and the creator he was talking about wasn't some mad-made god in his imagination. At the end of the night we brought him a coffee.
Right after that we were just walking and discussing stuff and the two people in front of us (a guy pushing a bicycle and a girl) stepped aside to let us pass, the guy with the bike making a light comment about his foot being hurt and he couldn't walk too fast so he'd let us pass. It was like God was shoving the perfect opportunity right in our faces! we stopped, introduced ourselves, and got to talking. When asked if we could pray for anything the girl outright said "oh actually yes, i'm having trouble with my relationship with my boyfriend and i'm scared about what will happen, if we'll break up or not." or something along those lines. So we prayed for her and nothing spectacular happened at all, but a seed has definitely planted! i just hope that something does happen and she'll remember the two crazy people that prayed for her.
but thats all for now, our bible study begins a few minutes ago upstairs so i'd better vamoose...
And it was incredible.
For the first 5 minutes Miguel and I just walked and said stuff like "oh man this is so awkward" or "what if we don't get to talk to anyone?" to which my unspoken answer was "hey well that would be fine with me!". But God definitely had BIGger and better plans than just turning tail and running back to Joe's. The first person just brushed us off and kept walking and the second person asked if we could pray for a "change of consciousness for all mankind". How do you answer a question like that let alone pray for it? Miguel and I REALLY were not prepared for that, and you could tell the guy had some WAY deeper issues to deal with (which he obviously wasn't about to share with us), so we made a graceful-ish exit and kept walking. Miguel had seen a program on tv that weekend about homelessness in Vancouver and knew that there was this guy named [?] that lived on the Drive. the government had been trying to get him onto welfare but he was afraid of signing any papers b/c he didn't want his aboriginal rights to be taken away. So the next block there he was sitting against a telephone pole making some of his art. we stopped and chatted, Miguel mentioning the tv program. He was really friendly with us but when we asked if we could pray for him he said some others had already asked him that and besides, he talks to his creator every day already. I just hope and pray that he really and truly is saved and the creator he was talking about wasn't some mad-made god in his imagination. At the end of the night we brought him a coffee.
Right after that we were just walking and discussing stuff and the two people in front of us (a guy pushing a bicycle and a girl) stepped aside to let us pass, the guy with the bike making a light comment about his foot being hurt and he couldn't walk too fast so he'd let us pass. It was like God was shoving the perfect opportunity right in our faces! we stopped, introduced ourselves, and got to talking. When asked if we could pray for anything the girl outright said "oh actually yes, i'm having trouble with my relationship with my boyfriend and i'm scared about what will happen, if we'll break up or not." or something along those lines. So we prayed for her and nothing spectacular happened at all, but a seed has definitely planted! i just hope that something does happen and she'll remember the two crazy people that prayed for her.
but thats all for now, our bible study begins a few minutes ago upstairs so i'd better vamoose...
Friday, March 7, 2008
Forced Inactivity Is Killing Me!
So i've pretty much hurt my leg badly enough to have to stay home from work today. has this ever happened to me? NO! am i peeved? YES! am i extremely bored? YES! but life must go on as they (who?) say.
So far this morning i've done the laundry, tidied the house, vacuumed, watched a movie, screwed up 3 sudokus and finally finished the 4th, and sat on my rear end for countless hours. Now what?
who knows. but not being at work is killing me, and i'm beginning to wonder if i'm too obsessed with it. i mean, it's pretty much all i think about, all i talk about, and all i dream about (literally, i dream about work almost every night).
But i don't see any break in the near or far future from the retail line of work so i guess i'll just have to stick with it....
except today! today i stay at home and do NOTHING!
end of rant.
So far this morning i've done the laundry, tidied the house, vacuumed, watched a movie, screwed up 3 sudokus and finally finished the 4th, and sat on my rear end for countless hours. Now what?
who knows. but not being at work is killing me, and i'm beginning to wonder if i'm too obsessed with it. i mean, it's pretty much all i think about, all i talk about, and all i dream about (literally, i dream about work almost every night).
But i don't see any break in the near or far future from the retail line of work so i guess i'll just have to stick with it....
except today! today i stay at home and do NOTHING!
end of rant.
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