Psalm 146:2 "I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Being a Missionary--Around And About In The City!

Hi Everyone,

So, it is just like every time I go out anywhere, it is like I am being used as a missionary all over in this community.

Today it was as if God was clearly giving me opportunities to focus on the children. And He had things prepared ahead for me to do.

It started on yet another run for errands (I have been at Wal-Mart four times this week shopping for things for my team--not complaining by any means,--just amazed at all the wal-mart trips on the bus---I AM TRULY SO GLAD I CAN SERVE MY TEAM AND BLESS THEM IN THIS WAY!)

So I was siting on a bench after buying what was needed and a boy, about six or seven years of age, came out of the little photo studio indoor side store. I said "Hi." and he says, after a long long silence, "Can I tell you something?" And I said, "Sure, go ahead." (I expected it to be about him getting a new toy to play with or something.) well he totally began pouring out his heart to me telling me about his very delicate family situation. I just let him talk and had no intentions of stopping the boy (based on what I have learned in my own journey of healing that the Lord has taken me on where I have looked at my life honestly, as I once perceived it, before Him--(God).)

I realized that the boy needed some help in this, to process it, so I gently said, "I am so sorry that is your situation. I don't want to deny the sadness it causes you, but I want you to know you are not alone. There are many kids all around growing up in similar situations." I encouraged him to eventually come to the point where he himself makes good choices, regarding his own family situation rather than what he has grown up in, when he gets older, and to think about how hew wants his own family to one day be. (Obviously that all is probably 20 years away for him, but I wanted to encourage him and felt led to mention the good choices part.)

At some point his mom realized what he had said, about their personal family life, and she got slightly upset with him, but he ignored her and kept talking to me. Apparently he hasn't quite learned that whole, "What happens at home stays at home," principle yet.

And he continued to share with me about his challenges in learning and that he has to go to a different school and is going to miss his friends.

And as he talked, I just wanted to step in and be an advocate and ally for him-to spare him from the whole "you're different and therefore not valuable" LIE that gets perpetuated every day especially to children (sometimes at school) with "challenges of any sort" or "differences." I am pretty passionate about this because I believed that same lie myself most of my life.

So I told the little boy that, "He is valuable and worthwhile-that God loves him - and that Hew is created in the image of God for a purpose-and to NOT believe anything different than that NO MATTER WHAT." I said it a few different simple ways to him.

And then, he began to talk about "Pokemon" or something like that, and within about a minute, his mom was ready to leave the picture studio side store. I pray that God used me in his precious life--that a tiny seed was planted. I prayed for them all as they headed out of the door.

And then I had two separate incidents happen, one before arriving at the store and one after being there, where parents responded so poorly to their kids--with NO LOVE OR RESPECT--and neither of the kids were sinning or misbehaving--they were just being what they were--children. I couldn't say anything in either situation---just had to overhear it all. My heart broke for those precious kids. My thought was, "Gee! (sarcastically) I bet they feel really loved." HOW SAD!!!!

And then I also realize that maybe their present parent or parents never really knew love either-and they probably still don't--because they don't know of Jesus' love. I prayed silently for these ones in these two incidents as well.

And there was another thing that happened yesterday. I was on the bus again and a little buy siting in the seat across from mine asked his dad, "What if there wasn't any sky?"

His dad ignored the question. So I piped in and said, "Well, if there wasn't any sky, we wouldn't be alive. God has made things just right for us so we can live."

And then I think, "Maybe his dad is an evolutionist." But then I think "So what!! I don't care! I am telling that child a little bit of God's truth, appropriate to the situation."

Can I encourage you again--LOOK for opportunities to share Christ, and be a fragrance of Him wherever you are---the opportunities are there. I am just living my daily life--nothing special--AND GOD JUST GIVES THEM BECAUSE I AM SIMPLY READY TO OBEY, TO SHARE TO WHOEVER WHEREVER, AND AVAILABLE. Lord help me and all of us to continue to see what you lay before us and do it! May we be found faithful!

The Christian life, as a Believer, in a relationship with God is so PRACTICAL!!!

Praise God for the opportunities He has prepared for us---they encourage us to do more of the same!!!!

Since being saved by God's mercy and grace, I have become very observant as to what is going on in the lives of the people around me, at that moment, even if they are total strangers. Prior to being saved, I really would not have cared too much--because I was too busy living for myself. It isn't an observation of being critical or judgemental, just observations of the heartbreak caused by sin, and a real burden for the lost--remember that all without Christ are prisoners--in need of the freedom that only Christ can give to them!

We aren't saved to "keep it to ourselves." We are saved to give the hope and joy away to a hurting lost world! May we never live for anything other than this!

I've said this verse so many times, but will quote it once again--bear with me!

2 Corinthians 2:14 "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him."

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I love your viewpoint, Crystal, And really, it's God's!

I've had a special burden on my heart for children, too. Thank you for pointing out that opportunities are EVERYWHERE! Sometimes we underestimate those little exchanges that a kid will remember forever and ever!

Unknown said...

p.s. can you email me your snail mail address on facebook? i have a letter fo ryou!