Gone Fishin' SixSample
Gone Fishin'
"I Don't Feel Like Taking Time To Chat"
Gina and I took a walk this morning on a path we usually don't take. About three-quarters of a mile from our house at the end of a cul-de-sac in the hills, we were looking through a chain fence from the base of an orchard going uphill. I saw a woman at the top of the hill and yelled, "Good morning!"
She said, "How are you?" I grabbed a line from Gina, "Doing great, thank the Lord!"
She said, "Stay right there, I'll be down in about 2 minutes." (WHAT??)
We looked at each other with surprise. She was a total stranger to us and vice versa. Gina even commented, "I don't feel like taking time to chat with somebody. I have a lot of things to do today." On any given day, this is exactly what I might have said. Opportunities aren't always convenient, right?
I replied, "Well, we just may be in for a wonderful surprise; you never know!" (It's all part of intentionality. We were committed now.)
Her husband joined her and stood off about 15 feet. After some small talk, I said, "So, where did you two meet?" She said, "It is a really long story but to make it short, we got engaged 3 weeks after we met."
So we told them, "So did we!" We all laughed, and I said "Boy, you guys are really friendly! How often do people come running out and say I'll be down in 2 minutes to talk to a stranger?" (Sometimes I need a governor on my mouth.)
She said, "Well, it's just our culture over in Iran."
I said, "You know, we were in a park a while ago, and Gina said, 'I think the Lord wants us to talk with that man. It turned out we had a nice talk, and he's from Iran too.'"
She said, "Was he old, tall, and skinny?" I said, "Yes, he was!"
She replied, "Was his name Iraj?" I said, "Yes!"
She said, "That's my father!" (You have got to be kidding me!!)
I literally pulled my hat and sunglasses off, and excitedly exclaimed, "No way!"
We all laughed, and she said, "Let me give you my phone number so you can text me your name and address. We would like to bring you some cookies."
What an exciting day!
"Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest." Ecclesiastes 11:4
Dwight Lyman Moody — 'The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.'
God will provide opportunities if we ask for them, especially during this current time when people want peace and security. When we love, we are cooperating with the will of our Lord and Savior.
We are learning to love the people with whom God’s Spirit is prompting us to share His story. We never know what God might already be doing in their lives. The love of Jesus has stirred within us and overcome our fears and obstacles to sharing.
Praise the Lord! What an adventure! To God be the glory!
Please pray for R and A to see this as God at work in their lives.
PS Two weeks later: A Knock On The Door - HERE she was with the promised homemade dessert!!
Be Encouraged. Be Inspired.
Have GOALS.
Go. Open Your Mouth. Ask Questions. Listen. Share your story.
"One of the most important Christian disciplines is Scripture memory. If I had it my way, every student would know 500 verses word perfect with the references before leaving Dallas." spoken to Drake Mariani at a men's conference 11/15/1998
Dr. Howard Hendricks, Dallas Theological Seminary
About this Plan
Many people are smiling but hurting inside. I have discovered that God is doing something in everyone's life, and He's doing something in mine, too! I'm loving and praying for strangers like never before, and they are grateful. Sometimes, I even get to share the Gospel! These personal stories in my life are to help you help others move one step closer to God.
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