Day 7:: Healing to a Hurting World

"What are you doing to cope with this?" I asked him.   "Are you drinking?"  "I don't drink and I don't do drugs.  I work 12 hour days every day," he replied.  I can only imagine that working himself to the bone was his attempt to avoid those harsh memories of what had happened.

Photo Credit

First impressions alone would not have given me any indication that this young man was going through any kind of suffering.  I would suspect that most people you happen upon would not express their true emotions either.  Along with their hats and shoes, they put their best face forward as they walk out the door, but on the inside they are battered and maimed.  I would also suggest that many people keep their sufferings to themselves without having another person they could share them with.  Many who have a desire to be released from the bondage of their afflictions but having no way of escape except to drown them in their vices.

Jesus is the answer that these individuals are in need of and we are the ones who hold this answer within us. 

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Isn't it intriguing that the Lord puts another reference in there about them becoming "trees" of righteousness and the "planting" of the Lord?  May He be glorified!

Read all 31 Days here

Day 6:: Life's Little Interruptions

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this next post and felt that I needed to share the story before talking about the actual step.  This particular story was posted in December of 2010.  There was already a tug in my heart to begin sharing the gospel with others, but having two small children at the time seemed more than I could handle.  Something very powerful happened in my heart after sharing with this young man that really showed me that it is so necessary to share with others.

Click here to read the story.

Find all 31 Days here

Day 5:: The Grocery Store Checker

I wasn't sure I was going to make it!  It was about a quarter till midnight and my Dad was craving some snacks.  He was in the hospital again and losing his appetite, so any opportunity for him to eat was taken with great importance.  "Heading home from the hospital?" the grocery checker asked me.  "No, I'm grabbing these snacks and heading back there.  My Dad has leukemia," I replied to his question.  "I'm so sorry.  I just lost my Grandmother to leukemia a few months ago," he said.  "I'm sorry to hear about your Grandmother, but please don't be sorry for me.  I believe in a good God, and this is all part of His plan," I said assuredly. 

This is how the conversation began.  He told me about his Grandmother.  I told him about how Christ was working in our lives through the illness.  He asked me about my church.  I shared with him how I was raised Catholic and was invited to a church where we were encouraged to read the Bible.  He mentioned that some friends had been sharing with him about what it means to be born again.  Then the transaction ended and I grabbed my groceries.  I was the last customer and the doors had been locked, so he walked me to the doors.  As I exited the store, I felt compelled to ask him if he wanted to ask Christ into his life.  And right there, at the door of a Food For Less grocery store, he asked Jesus Christ to be his personal Lord and Savior.  It was a 12 minute interaction.

Photo Credit

Looking back, I can see that this was completely the work of God.  The seeds were planted as others had been sharing with him already.  It was clearly evident that the Lord led my conversation and  I still feel so blessed and privileged that I got to be the one to lead him in that prayer.  I was mutually reassured of the purpose that God had for our family to go through such a difficult time.

For in this the saying is true: "One sows and another reaps."  I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.

John 4:37-38 

 

Find all 31 days here. 

Day 4:: Time

One of the biggest struggles that I battle with everyday of my life is time management.  I like to blame it on my Mexican heritage, but there never seems to be enough time for me to get things done or to make it anywhere on time.  The thought of carving out time to share the gospel with another person seems like a complete impossibility.  That is, until I come to the realization that God has complete sovereignty over time and operates outside the limits of a dimension that we are confined to.  The measurement of time, money, physical and emotional strength, are all quite different in our economy than they are in God's economy.

  But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:8-9

When the disciples were concerned about whether or not Jesus had eaten in John 4:31-38, He remarked to them that there was more to life's sustenance than just meeting the needs of physical thirst and hunger.  He had just received a drink of water from the Samaritan woman at the well, but He took the time to speak with her about salvation while He met His own physical need.  He exhorts His disciples to follow along in this pattern of sharing the gospel as they go along in their daily routines.  In the same way, we can take those little moments to share with those we encounter.  We simply need to look up and see that they are there, take the time to speak, and believe that He will multiply the time. 

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields for they are already white for harvest!

John 4:35

 Photo Credit

Many possibilities broaden when you realize that sharing the gospel is possible in very ordinary circumstances and with very limited time.  Some of the most divine of appointments were not a result of a date set with another individual, but in a grocery store aisle, a call from a telemarketer, in line at the DMV, pushing my kids on a swing...diminutive, miniscule moments in time seemingly extending into sufficiency as the conversation of eternity ensues.

Find all 31 days here. 

Day 3:: Tony's Testimony

He stared at the mantle in his living room with an ensuing loneliness that led him to wonder what the purpose of life was.  A series of events had brought Tony to this point of questioning what life was all about.

Within a few weeks, several small occurrences began to form a path in his heart and mind to a greater purpose and meaning to life.  While shopping at Nordstrom's a woman and her child came up to him to say that she felt led to tell him that Jesus loved him.  A friend of his, who he caroused with on the weekends, let him know that he had become a Christian and would no longer be clubbing with him.  On a random afternoon at work, a sign was placed in the window of his office that read, "Be aware of God." 

If you would've asked him about his religious background, he would've told you that he did not believe in God.  It was becoming quite clear to him, however, that he needed to look deeper into this God, who was obviously pursuing him.  After a few weeks of reading the bible, he was ready to go to church and called his friend who had recently given his life to Christ.  Unbeknownst to him, this friend had rallied up a group of people to pray for Tony's salvation just the night before the call.

Tony is my husband.  Today, he is is an amazing man of God.  A wonderful husband and father, full of wisdom and integrity.  Such a different person from the man he was back in those days of uncertainty.

The journey of finding Christ began before any one person shared the gospel with him.  It began with a prompting from the Holy Spirit to question the greater meaning in life.  Along the way, different individuals made themselves available to be used to touch his life.  The mom with the child, the friend, the person who placed the sign, the people who prayed for his salvation.  One planted the seed, others watered, and the Lord brought the increase of faith in Tony's life.

Lord, help us to be willing to be used by You to become a part of someone's testimony.  

Find all 31 days here. 

 

Day 2:: One Plants, One Waters...

I used to think that the whole measure of a person's salvation rested on what I was going to say to them at that moment...on that street corner, park bench, Starbuck's line...and what their response would be.  I had built the process up so considerably in my head, that I infused a great deal of fear into something that was not mine to worry about.  My role was merely to share.

 Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

 Mark 16:15

Freedom from those fears came when I realized that I am not responsible for the eternal salvation of another.  Or even any measure of eloquence or persuasiveness for that matter.  I am to be obedient to the call to share the Good News and put the rest in God's hands.  It really has little to do with me, and it has everything to do with what He will do in their lives.  Of course we do want to be sensitive, prayerful, and loving in what we say to others about Christ, but our focus alters from what "I can do" to what "He does".

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:7

Oftentimes, there is a progression of  faith in an individual's life which comes from a series of experiences, conversations or just plain observation of God's work within one's surroundings.  In fact, I have heard it said that it takes between 7-15 times for a person to hear the gospel before they make a decision to follow Christ.  Our willingness to share, could be the one proverbial seed or watering that a person needs to have their spiritual eyes opened. 

What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.

Luke 13:18-19

Find all 31 days here.

31 Steps to Sharing the Gospel of Christ

Day 1:: Sharing the Gospel of Christ

Day 2:: One Plants, One Waters

Day 3:: Tony's Testimony

Day 4:: Time

Day 5:: The Grocery Story Checker

Day 6:: Life's Little Interruptions

Day 7:: Healing to a Hurting World

Day 8: What Happens in the Afterlife?

Day 9:: He Was Clearly Offended

Day 10:: But A Vapor

Day 11:: A Life That Ended Too Soon

Day 12:: Sharing Tools: Building Upon His Foundation

Day 13:: Sharing Tools: Sharing the Gospel with Muslims


Please tell me your stories in the comments section!

Day 1:: Sharing the Gospel of Christ in 31 Days

Palms get sweaty, butterflies begin their flight, encircling the deepest parts of the stomach.  Thoughts of uncertainty begin contending with the determination that brought you to the point of making that effort to open your mouth and share...

These impulses began for me the first time I was taken out by our youth group to street evangelize.  In my heart, I was willing to share the gospel with others, but to actually find the nerve to approach a complete stranger seemed an impossibility in my mind.

It's been 15 years since the first opportunity I had to share.  Since then, I have gone on short-term mission trips, lived in Japan as a missionary, become a wife and mother, and now live a very quiet and simple life as a housewife and homeschool mother.  It's no longer my job to share the gospel with others, but the call to be a light in my community endures.  We have all been given this wonderful gift of salvation, and we are called to share the gospel to a hurting world of family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, classmates...

I'm linking up with the lovely ladies at write31days.com.  Join me for these 31 days in October as we look into the scriptures to seek the Lord's wisdom in fulfilling the call of sharing His good news and to challenge ourselves to take that step in sharing with someone.  We'll look at:

• Excuses that impede us from sharing
• Why it is important to share with others
• Tool belt of resources we have been equipped with
• Practical sharing tips
• Personal stories

You can find all 31 steps here.  I look forward to being encouraged by your stories in the comments section!

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen"

Matthew 28:19-20 

Cuban Style Party

My lovely friend Karen turned 40 this year, and her husband asked me and a couple of our friends to help him give her a surprise party.  When he mentioned that he was ordering Cuban food, our minds instantly went to Havana themed party, and since Karen is Cuban, it just seemed all the more appropriate!

We kept our table settings simple with cigar boxes, fedoras, palm fronds and flowers in coffee can vases.  The cigar boxes were found at the local smoke shop for $1 a box.  The shopkeeper thought it was bizarre that we wanted to boxes and not the cigars!

 We scoured the community for palm branches and asked our neighbors if they wouldn't mind us taking some cuttings.  No palm tree was safe!

 

  

As well as being a very talented photographer, our friend Jacque put these flower arrangements together. 

Some pineapples, wooden skewers, your neighbor's palm fronds and voila, the perfect centerpiece for a tropical party!

There were so many inquiries about where the food came from that I am adding a link to Rumba's Cafe.

Rumba's Cafe in Whittier

We asked our friends to come decked out in their Cuban garb.

Here is my inspiration photo for my outfit.

Photo Source

Photos by Portrait Bliss Photography

Karen and Jacque

Happy Birthday Karen!  We love you!

DIY:: Pineapple Tree Centerpiece

 

Supplies:

4 Pineapples

6 Wooden skewers

6 Palm fronds

1 Tray or plate

Directions:

1. Cut the top and bottom ends of 3 of the pineapple and cutting only the bottom end of one of the pineapples

2.  Place the first pineapple on your plate making sure that the plate is sturdy

3.  Stick 3 skewers into the pineapple

4. Slide the second pineapple over the skewers

5. Stick 3 more skewers into the pineapples

6.  Continue to add more pineapples, placing the final pineapple that only had one side sliced at the very top

7.  Trim the palm fronds to be proportional to the tree

8.  Stick the ends of the palm fronds into the pineapple

Place your choice of fruit around the tree!  We put grapes around ours and used it to decorate our food table. 

 Dressed up our food table nicely!

It was a nice touch to our friend's 40th Cuban Surprise Party.

Photos by Portrait Bliss Photography