Are You Going to Harvard Square? Parsley Sage Rosemary and Thyme. by Linda Maynard

…Remember me to the one who lives there

La – la – la – la—la—la—la—la

Oh, excuse me I got caught up in some old tunes.

My apologies to Simon and Garfunkel, for messing with the lyrics  of Scarborough Fair.

Why Harvard Square you ask?

 I was on a short term Missions Trip to the Boston area.

Oh boy, I felt like I jumped off a faith cliff, right into the seat of intellectualism. I remember the terror. Could my heart beat any faster? I was sure there was “Nowhere to Run to…No Where to Hide” (Thank you,Martha and the Vandellas)

Ok, enough with the songs Linda, gather in your thoughts.

One evening, began in the South End of Boston at an A of G Church. The Pastor was going to oversee this outreach. We gathered at his church for a strategic pep talk.

 I gleaned something from him that I have never forgotten.

He said, “Don’t be focused so on bringing these young people to the Lord, that you  miss what God is doing.”

He likened a person’s life and their exposure to the Gospel as being on a continuum, 1 through 10.

 “On one end is #1, representing the person who has never heard about the Lord.

Then going all the way over to #10, where a person receives salvation.

He said “Maybe you are going to bring a person from a 6 to 7. That person has had people and circumstances already happening to bring them closer to a decision.”

“Another could be stuck at a 2 and have some misgivings or fears. You might just bring them up a notch.”

“You could be the one to pray the prayer of salvation.

Trust the Lord”

This lesson changed the dreaded idea I had of evangelism. I thought anything less than 100% was a failure.

We left the church and walked down the street with Pastor Tony.  We stopped for C-rations at an Italian Bakery.

I chose a cannoli.

We sat with the owner.

She was a dear welcoming woman. She kept looking towards the Pastor and in her broken English, kept saying …father this and father that.

While walking away, I asked him about her father.

 He chuckled.“Oh, she’s talking about me. She calls me Father Tony all the time. I tell her that I am not a Catholic Priest. It just doesn’t seem to matter.”

 We continued on our way to Harvard Square, via the subway

We picked a partner to minister with. The plan was one sister would be talking to a person, the other would be praying silently.

The closer we got, the more nervous I became.

On previous days, I blew a shofar in front of City hall, as well as in the Old North Church. That probably would freak someone else out, but those acts came naturally.

This mission was loaded with fright for me.

Some know that I have had a struggled with not feeling smart enough. I didn’t go to college, except for a few courses. I know this is not a logical, but I felt ‘stupid”

Actually, we know from the Bible, words have great power, for good and for bad. I was affected by negative words spoken over me.

We arrived and I wasn’t feeling one bit more confident and said to my partner, “You go first!” She did. Then I said “You did so well, why don’t you do it again?” She obliged and all the while I am thinking “I can pray. I am an intercessor. Keep talking sister! Keep going! I am right there with you”

She didn’t know my struggle but she also was not going to be the only one to approach strangers either.

All and all, I talked to 2 young men and 1 young woman.

One of the first was not interested at all. He was with a group that kind of mocked us.

The second however, moved away from the group and asked questions. Maybe he moved from a 5 to a 6? Only heaven knows.

The girl was sitting, leaning up against a storefront drawing. She just seemed happy to have someone to talk to.

Conclusion:

I didn’t die at Harvard Square.

My intelligence never came into question.

Even today, as I have talked with quite a few strangers, my heart still beats a million beats a minute…but for Jesus, I have determined to jump off the cliffs that He brings me to.

Is anyone ready to jump with me?

My Appointment with Billy Graham by Jenna Vick Silliman

Millions came to know Jesus in the Jesus People Movement in the 1970’s and I was one of them. As a part of Young Life I enjoyed the weekly meetings, singing Jesus songs, the skits, the talks, and going to camp. When I was a senior in high school I applied for work crew at Malibu Camp, Young Life’s summer camp in Canada. I got accepted and began training. The Young Life staff required me to memorize ten key Bible verses. Here is one of them (still in my memory bank 37 years later).

Sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart,

always be ready to give an account

to anyone who asks you

about the hope that is within you and

answer with gentleness and respect.

(See 1 Peter 3:15.)

This has become my operating theology for living out my faith and for sharing my faith. I abide or live with Jesus 24/7. I am in a love relationship with Him and He is my Lord and King. I live in such a way that people ask me questions and I am ready to answer them about our awesome God.

However, when I was a senior in high school, even though I had officially “accepted Jesus into my heart” on March 23, 1974 (See my writing “How I Met Jesus” ), I got swept up in the Jesus movement and didn’t know Him as Lord yet. I lived in Redwood City, California and attended Peninsula Covenant Church. I played volley ball with their youth group every Tuesday night. In December 1976 the youth leader, Doug, asked me if I would like to go to an Inter Varsity missionary conference called Urbana in Urbana, Illinois and he offered me a scholarship. It was exciting to go on such a trip! I love to fly and experience new places and meet people.

My roommate was the most serious Christian girl I had ever met. We had a prayer time together in the mornings and she obviously loved Jesus with all her heart and was on fire for Him. She planned to be a missionary in China and did not care if she was persecuted, imprisoned, or even died for her faith!

I met a charismatic young man from South Africa by the name of David Gammon. The Lord used him to set me up for success. He made sure I had a hymnal so I was ready to worship along with 16,000 Christians singing with all their hearts! Wow—that was a bit of heaven on earth to me. He told me about each of the speakers and a bit of their background. Elizabeth Elliot Leach shared her testimony of the South American natives killing her husband and how she forgave them and loved them and led them to Jesus, the God of all love. David told me about John Stott and told me if I only bought one book it should be his, called Knowing God (a life-changing book!).

David also told me about our keynote speaker for New Year’s Eve, December 1976—Billy Graham.

As Billy Graham spoke I felt powerfully affected by him. He spoke with such conviction, such boldness and passion. He knew Jesus and loved Him and communicated God’s tremendous love for us in such a way that I could receive it. It was like I was a starving person and he spread a sumptuous banquet before me and said, “It’s all yours and a whole lot more.”

I said, “WOW!” to my friend David with my eyebrows raised. He nodded at me as if to say, “I told you so!” I sat forward in my auditorium seat intently focused on Billy Graham’s face like he was talking right to me. I glanced several rows down and to my right where the church youth group all sat together and I noticed them chit-chatting and socializing. Later they giggled and teased me about my handsome friend with the English accent. They were obviously in a very different place than I was.

Billy Graham set before us the call to go into all the world and preach the good news about life with Jesus. He clearly explained the cost involved and that the Lord wants us to surrender our whole life--all or nothing--He is not just Lord on Sunday mornings. My memory verse came to mind, especially the command to sanctify Jesus as Lord in my heart.

Billy Graham gave an invitation to stand at midnight and give our whole lives to Jesus as Lord. It was not a light weight decision. Billy made it clear this commitment meant total obedience, submission, and availability—even to the point of death. The presence of God was heavy in the atmosphere. A quivering started up inside me and I had a choking feeling in my throat. I knew I had to stand up at midnight, but I was scared. There was an uncomfortably long silence and a hush fell over the coliseum. I was an awkward, shy, painfully self-conscious, senior in high school. It was way out of my comfort zone to stand up in plain view of 16,000 Christians, including my youth group. As the clock struck twelve a few hundred stood up and I was one of them. I looked over and not a one in our youth group stood up that I could see. I was shaking and crying, but I was standing and I was sincere. My whole life changed in this moment!

I love the Lord and I continue to sanctify Him as Lord in my heart. He is EVERYTHING to me. I am so grateful to feast at His banqueting table and enjoy His loving kindness that is better than life to me. His favor is on me and His life overflows abundantly. I love to tell anyone who asks about the hope that is within me. Jesus is Lord!

Taking it to the Streets

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19, NIV.

When I think of amazing evangelists, people gifted in witnessing to others about the saving reality of Jesus Christ, I don’t think of the biggies like Billy Graham. He is too far up in the stratosphere of superpower evangelism. I think of people closer to my bit of earth, whose love for God is so pure, so radical they exude it. I don’t come close to their level, but I want to keep them close, because being around them is infectious, convicting, and compelling.

Rev. Cherry is a person I just met. He is 78 years old and has been a pastor for over four decades. He parks his car as far from his church as he can on Sundays so he has opportunity to run into people as he walks toward the building, asking them if they know Jesus, inviting them to church. My friend James says he met Rev. Cherry at a barbershop recently, and the pastor was busy making on impact on all the young men in the place.

Susan works tirelessly to love on her section of the city—she and others created a flower garden at a corner that once held weeds and garbage; she and her crew renovated a section of the library, created a beautiful children’s section and began a story time; her block association holds a bike rally and a block party every spring and summer. She also knows the drug dealers in her neighborhood. Susan is slight in build, a harpist, and yet walks right up to these dealers, letting them know she knows what’s happening. They move on.

Michael and Julia are also pastors, but they don’t work for a church. They and their team mentor neglected and disadvantaged city children from the age of 6 and work to get them through high school and then hopefully into college. Every one of the kids they have mentored have graduated from high school. That is an amazing statistic, given the dropout rate in Rochester is abysmally high (in 2011, the graduation rate was 46.1%).

All of these dear people are evangelists and they each do it differently. They live out the scripture from James 1:19 (above)--they listen to God, listen to people, then act. They check the pulse of a hurting community and respond. Behind their ministry is a rock solid faith in the God they serve and they want to touch others with God’s love and the message of salvation. I can’t hold a candle to them: they have poured out their lives very much so like the prophet declares in Micah 6:8, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

I only hope that as I evangelize in my own distinct way—which includes loving, listening and writing—that I will do so in a way that honors God and honors the people he brings across my path.   

Let Me Introduce You to My Jesus

I am thrilled beyond words that I've been asked to contribute to this purposeful blog.  Thank you so much for the invitation and honor.  I feel I should give a brief background to offer a little insight into my relationship with Christ.  I spent fourteen years of my life being a staff kid.  My father was the business administrator at one of the largest Baptist churches in Arkansas.  I came to accept Jesus as my personal Saviour when I was ten and have grown up with an understanding of the responsibility we all share when it comes to leading others to Christ.

Mark 16:15 ESV    
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation..."

        
As Christians we are created to serve two primary purposes.  The first being to worship and give praise to our Lord Jesus.  The second being to lead others to Christ.  Evangelism was an integral part of our church's foundation and many classes were offered to help teach Christians effective witnessing techniques.  I remember many nights overhearing my parents and their friends practicing and studying their "Evangelism Explosion" notebooks in preparation for the door-to-door visitations which would start upon completion of training.  My parents and their friends memorized verses, knocked on doors, and presented the Gospel to any and all who would listen. My most vivid childhood memory, however, of my mother telling someone about Jesus had nothing to do with a planned presentation.  It happened instead at our local grocery store.  I was about nine years old and standing in the checkout line with her.  A young mother with her two children was standing in front of us frantically trying to count out change for her milk as one of her children was crying inconsolably.  Even I picked up on her distress.  She was coming up short and the cashier was being neither kind nor patient with her.  My mother quietly stepped forward and said, "Let me buy your milk for you in the name of Jesus.  It's what He wants us to do for one another." That tiny snippet in life made a lasting impression and taught me that even in our gestures and actions we are given the opportunity to tell others about our God.  It doesn't have to be a perfectly-scripted scene and we don't have to be Biblical scholars to do the task which is set before us.

In my teenage and adult years I've been blessed by having the experience of getting to pray with several people as they accept Christ.  Sometimes it has been a situation where I feel God telling me very clearly to speak to someone and other times it is more subtle, quiet.  About five years ago I was feeling very convicted that I hadn't lead anyone to the Lord in such a long time.  I told God that morning that if He would open the door for me to speak to someone I'd be more than happy to do so.  I was having a yard sale that particular day and spoke to all of the visitors who came into my yard.  A girl I had never seen before came up to discuss a picture of mine she was wanting to buy and I noticed cuts and scrapes on her arm.  I asked if she was okay and she went into a lengthy story about a car accident she and her child had been in just a few days earlier.  She said to me (and I PROMISE this is exactly how she said it), "It's a good thing we didn't die cause you know I'm not a Christian and all..."  My mouth literally fell open.  Are you kidding me, God?!  I get the message loud and clear!  I asked her to wait for a second, turned around and marched into my house, came back outside with my Bible, and read John 3:16 to her. Sitting right there on my white porch swing this sweet girl prayed to receive Christ.  I was so happy for her and thrilled that God had so clearly set this up.  As Christians we are happiest and have the most joy when are living in the fullness of His plan for us.  I was so thankful to know that in that moment the fullness of His plan for me that day was being accomplished.

Several years ago I was praying for a friend who was very ill, dying in fact.  In an effort to coordinate her friends and family from across the country I decided to start a Facebook prayer group for her.  Through no reason other than the amazing power of Jesus this prayer group in less than a week grew to over 800 members.  People my friend didn't even know from all over the world were praying for her.  God healed my friend and allowed this wonderful prayer group to become the foundation for "Church Without Walls (the not-so-small small group)" on Facebook.  I described it as an "uncommon common ground for people to meet on Facebook" and encouraged people to "check their denominations at the door".  It serves as a place to meet and leave prayer requests and share testimonies of what God is doing in their lives.  After seeing God move through the prayer group in such a palpable way it was obvious that His work needed to continue.  This group has been life changing for me in ways that I never even expected.  I realized a new-found accountability to the people I was writing to through the devotions and songs on that site.  When Jesus is speaking through us and using us as a tool we must be sure that we are living up to that privilege.  I've had days of struggle with this, days I didn't feel "worthy", but the beauty of the Lord is that He is always loving, always accepting.  He died for us and wants to spend eternity with us.  That's the Jesus I want people to get to know.  In the age of social media we are able to reach miles beyond where our legs could carry us.  That's one reason I get so amped up about groups like Kingdom Bloggers.  I can't imagine a more productive use of the Internet than bringing people into His kingdom.

We are called to share the good news of our Lord through our word and our actions.  Whether it be face to face, on the phone, or through the computer God wants to use each of us as His mouthpiece.  Pray that He will provide the opportunity.  I promise He will bring it to you.

Evangelism? Isn't That What Other People Do?

“Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you are living the way you are and always with the utmost courtesy”… 1 Peter 3:15…The Message
“Let your speech message, at all times, be gracious [pleasant and winsome] seasonal [as it were] with salt so that you may never be at a loss, to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you] Colossians 4:16… The Amplified Bible

I have never been one who takes to doing “formulas”. So, for me use, for example, the Four Spiritual Laws format to present the gospel, would not be my way. (Note: there is absolutely nothing it, as it presents the clearly and succinctly.)
I was listening to a Christian radio station and a woman Dr/Author was discussing a portion of her book about evangelism. I caught the last 4 methods she mentioned.
1) Using apologetics
2) Giving practical aid to people and people groups, say in a disaster, and then presenting the gospel to them
3) Building relationships with people and then over time, talking about your faith
4) Going to their place of worship…discussing the differences between Christianity and their beliefs, while allowing them to keep their beliefs.
I disagree with this one, as I thought."How is that presenting the truth? The truth of the cross of Jesus Christ and that He is fully God and fully man? Many religions acknowledge Him as a great prophet, but do not consider Him, fully God and fully man. Where does that leave the central truth of Christianity of the cross of Jesus Christ and why He died? I couldn't believe that was even being presented as an option.”
I would not use apologetics as I do not feel qualified to do so. Even if I could, this method could become confrontational, which isn’t my nature.

So giving practical aid and or building relationships seem the most reasonable to fit my personality.
In addition, years ago, I had heard about people approaching strangers and either giving them a personal word from the Lord or asking them if you could pray for them in general or for healing. The more I heard about this method and the results people reported that they were getting, I said “Lord, I want to do that!”I have had numerous times that I have acted on what I felt was the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is scary (every time) but I still go ahead. I mean what do I have to lose? I know that I could face people’s mocking and anger, which I haven’t as of yet. Yet, I fully realize that I probably will encounter such, in the future. But will I be willing to pay that cost, so that another can be saved and spend eternal life with the Lord?
I heard a testimony of a well known Pastor in South Korea. He had been previously been presented with the gospel message and held disdain for the message and the messengers.
The thing that broke through to him was a young girl who wept, as she told him, unless he received the message of eternal life, that he would be eternally lost. Her heart, that was so in tune with the heart of God, broke through this man’s hard shell.
There has been something on my mind for a long time. I was brought up in a traditional denomination. Some of my family still attends the church that I did. Others fell away and don’t attend church. They probably still believe in God, but must be disillusioned, as to how church is relevant to them.
I am pretty sure most of them would acknowledge that they know ABOUT Jesus, just as I did. But hopefully would realize that I don't KNOW HIM.
So on that premise, I thought of writing a letter to them to talk about how I came to be “Born Again” (that very scary word for them). When you think of it, it's our own personal testimony. No one can ever take away. People can argue “points” and have opinions but they can never take away what we have lived.
Billy Graham once said that the majority of people (the % was very high) come to a personal relationship with the Lord, through people that they know. There is that relational aspect, whether by family, friendship or taking the time to build a friendship.
We'll see what happens. I will report on any response that I get. I must follow through, as the Holy Spirit won’t let me dismiss it. Oh yes, I am cognizant that they may be put off by it and just as Jesus says that a Prophet does not have honor with his own people.
My family, so far aren't even sure what to call what Linda is involved in. It is rather humorous in that some in my family hold the attitude of " Oh yes...that's Linda...she has had some heartaches, along the way. We see how SHE "needs" religion."
Maybe using the letter method is a copout. It is the best that I can offer for now. I know is that I cannot leave the earth, knowing that I haven’t put the effort in, for the people I love.
 I have to admit, I wish my passion was as deep as that young South Korean girl. I DO know that Jesus desires my family to KNOW HIM and the longing in His heart is deep.
I can picture Him weeping for them, can you?

Linda Maynard

ESSE QUAM VIDERI

I was having a conversation with someone yesterday about “witnessing.”  I’ve written about the 4 spiritual laws and the Roman Road and my feelings about these tactics before.  I guess if they work for you that’s awesome.  If it brings someone to a knowledge of Jesus, I’m all for it.

In this conversation we determined that some people are just more gifted in this area.  I had a pastor one time that was like that.  Every Sunday it seemed there’d be someone new sitting in the pew.  It was someone he met at the post office or grocery store, or stood next to in line at McDonalds.  He saw these routine activities as soul fishing trips.  Being a Pentecostal pastor if he could, he’d get his new convert in his car before it was over and have you speaking in tongues.  If not, by Sunday night service they were.  It was his gift.  It is not a gift I have.

Now some of you may feel that’s a cop out.  Maybe it is, but I am uncharacteristic of the female gender, I don’t even like to ask for directions when I’m lost.  Put me in front of a group of people and I’m fine.  One-on-one, I can struggle.

I don’t struggle so much with this issue of witnessing or evangelism anymore.  I’ve learned it is not so much what you say but how you live.  It’s about the everyday mundane things of life.  Jesus’ ministry was less about what He said but what He did.  Even more important was the essence of who He is, His “being.”

This past summer I spent eight days living in a college dorm as I began my doctoral degree.  Rather than   Math or Science, we studied Personal Leadership.  One of the phrases we pondered was “to be rather than to seem.”   

I know some abrasive opinionated people.  I’ve been tempted to shut them out of my life.  At times I’ve thought, I don’t need this and ask myself, why bother?  But then I think of the pain I know they’ve had in their life.  I think of why they are abrasive.  I decide and chose to love them.  I get that same nudge that David talked about yesterday in his blog.  That nudge of the Holy Spirit that says love them.  And I do.  I truly love them. 

For me, that’s witnessing.  For me, that’s how I share my life in Christ.  I love.  As I do, I see them as Jesus would see them.  I see them as a fellow broken human being.  I see their scars and still unhealed wounds.  It humbles me and makes me love even more. 

Whose wounds would Jesus have you touch?  Who do you need to love like Jesus would love them? 

Maybe I missed the topic completely, but that’s what’s on my heart this morning.

Are You the Next Sam Holton; How About the Next Ed KImball

I don't know much about Samuel Holton. I don't know when he was born, when he died, what kind of life he lived or if he was a Christian. I do know that he was D.L. Moody's uncle and Holton reluctantly hired Moody to work for him at his Boston shoe store. Additionally Holton required Moody to attend Mt. Vernon Congregational Church in order keep his job. I know some about Moody, basically because of what I have read today. I know he was born in 1837, raised by his parents as a Unitarian, he has a college and publishing company named after him and he died in 1899. Previously I have read a little bit about him, nothing too in depth though. I have read more about Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake and other 'heavy hitters' of the Faith.

Another man I know very little bit about is Sunday school teacher Edward Kimball. Kimball taught Sunday School at the Mt. Vernon church that Moody attended, as required by his uncle. One day, Kimball visited Moody at work and shared with him the Love of Jesus and Moody was a changed man after that. After awhile, Moody left Boston for Chicago and immersed himself in sharing the Love of Jesus with others.

Moody was a pioneer of the Faith. He ministered to and equipped women and children in the late 1800's, not a common practice at that time. He saw beyond denominational limitations and preached Jesus wherever he was invited. His burden for the poor, minorities and uneducated children led him to start schools. Eventually Moody's vision of a school to equip people with the Gifts and train them to minister. He also started Bible Institute Colportage Association (BICA) in 1894 in his desire to provide Christian literature to average American.

So why the brief history lesson on the life of Dwight Lyman Moody? I want to show the importance of one man's ministry. No, I am not writing about Moody's ministry, I am writing about Holton's ministry to his nephew and Kimball's ministry to another church member.

What if Holton would not have had compassion upon his nephew? What if he would not have cared about his nephew's Spiritual development? Where could have Moody have wound up?

Kimball said the following about Moody before his Salvation, "I have seen few persons whose minds were spiritually darker than was his when he came into my Sunday School class."
Imagine if Kimball would have been too timid to visit Moody at his job and share Jesus with him? What if Kimball would have written off Moody as a waste of time?

Think of the millions that have been reached in the name of Jesus because of the efforts of D.L. Moody. Think of the millions that have been reached because of the efforts of Sam Holton and Ed Kimball.

Now take a look around yourself. Is there someone Holy Spirit has laid upon your heart? Is there someone who needs you to be the compassion of Jesus? How are you going to reach millions? Will it be with your words or your works? Or will it be from reaching the one who reaches millions?

Save at Dime Savings Bank

I’ve written before about witnessing. I’ve pounded the pavement in Brooklyn NY with the Roman Road. I’ve tallied souls and imagined notches in my salvation belt because of them. I’ve witness on the street corners in days gone by. I’ve looked at street maps as strategies were developed for winning souls. I even carried a bible with a bright red HiBA cover on top of school books to testify that I was a Christian. I’ve worn my salvation beads, WWJD bracelets and all manner of holy junk.

All these righteous activities were to lead up to saying the prayer. You know that prayer. We call it the Sinner’s Prayer.  I may get in trouble with my fellow bloggers, but often this prayer is little more than an exercise in guilt reduction. As if magic words were spoken the guilt of sin disappears, at least temporarily.

One of my earliest recollections of evangelism was a person who showed up at our young people’s meeting. It was never called youth group nor did we have a youth pastor. Friday night was “young people’s” where the same pastor who preached on Sunday, shared the word with the youth. Older folk were welcome and there was no Foosball, ping-pong or pool.

He looked rough by our standards. I am not sure where he came from or why he came. He was not Norwegian either. On Friday, we had a street meeting by the Dime Savings Bank at 5^th and 54^th in Brooklyn. They even let us use some of their electricity for our “meeting.” Perhaps they thought any kind of saving was good… <grin-okay, I know that was bad.>

As I think of him, I wonder if he had been to that meeting. Or if he were an invited friend of someone. I really don’t recall. Nevertheless, he was there. Right in the midst of clean scrubbed Pentecostal Norwegian youth.  The Holy Spirit convicted him that night, the solution, the prayer.

We invited him to go to the ice cream parlor with us. Like the Dunkin Donuts after church that became part of my children’s religious tradition, ours was the ice cream parlor. Later we would meander through the streets of Brooklyn until all the girls were safely escorted home by the boys. Someone offered him a life saver candy on that walk that night. He refused, saying he had already had a lifesaver in church. Boys were we excited. We had just caught fresh fish-we had been fishers of men. He was reeled in for sure.

I know this is laced with a lot of sarcasm. I don’t mean to sound so harsh. I don’t know what was in that guys heart that night. I do know we never saw him again. Maybe later, sometime in his life, he remembered that night and sought the Lord. I just don’t know.

I prayed that prayer at least a dozen times as a child. I was fairly riddled with guilt for all sorts of sinful infractions like playing cards, wearing make-up or looking at a boy. The prayer didn’t work. What worked for me were faithful Sunday School teachers and other adults in my life showing me the love of Christ.

If I have influenced anyone to faith, I would say it that children I taught in Sunday School. I don’t ever remember offering the prayer. I may have because of the pressure of my tradition that we all must “repeat after me.”

I taught them the scripture. I planted seeds in their life. Hopefully, I showed them that they were loved. I picked up children all manner of children and brought them with me to church. I sat on the floor with them playing games – games with a purpose. We sang about going on a trip on the Vacation Bible Ship. We made crafts. We laughed. We cried. We shared life. I told them about Jesus. I prayed for them. I still do.

I’d love to tell you that they are all missionaries or in full time ministry. Unfortunately, few of them seem to be serving the Lord. Maybe what I did with them was no more effective than the repeat after me prayer the guy prayed in young people’s so many years ago. 

What I do know is that God calls us to be faithful. He calls us to ask WWJD? The answer is usually not words or even prayers.  Jesus shared Himself. He gave Himself. If I am to share my faith, I have to die. I have to give myself away. I’m may not be very good at it, but I do know what I am supposed to do. Thankfully each day I get a do-over.

I may have missed the theme this week, but this is what is on my heart.

Lamentations 3:22-24 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.

Eating Ladoos to the Beat of a Tabla: Lifting Up Jesus

Sharing my faith in the typical ways is not easy for me anymore. Once upon a long time ago I was involved in a “Summer of Witnessing” as a teen in NYC. Teens from mostly the Midwest came to Brooklyn to use the Roman Road and tell people about Jesus. I liked the silent prayer partner role the best. However, I would also take my turn, going through down the Roman Road and hope for a prayer. We reported every day of our numbers and have services every night. I don’t remember every seeing any one we witnessed to during the day show up at that meetings.

I remember street meetings in Brooklyn that I have already mentioned in this blog. In one of them, with a group from Nyack College, I remember leading someone to the Lord. I never knew what happened to him. I got involved with a group that had a plan for winning Brooklyn for Jesus. We took blocks and targeted them with prayer and door knocking, all very strategic.  All of this was before I finished the tenth grade. To say I was a bit zealous is an understatement.

However, over the years my personal experience is that I have rarely seen this method of evangelism have long-term results. I have found that simple living the life is probably the most effect. Just hanging out as David said in his blog yesterday.

The most unusual time I shared my faith was in Pakistan. No, I wasn’t on a mission trip to Pakistan, I was on a family trip. It was 22 years ago last week. My husband’s brother was getting married. My husband, four of our children and I flew from NYC to Kuwait and on to Pakistan.

When we landed in Kuwait, I knew everything was different. At that time, you never saw police armed with machine guns in the US. In Kuwait, they walked around the airport, scanning all of us. I had a headscarf ready and hid under it. It was not because of modesty or religious conviction. I wanted to hide my light skin and light hair. I also insisted on wearing my cross. I wanted it clear, no matter what, I am a Christian and not ashamed.

I used the public toilet only to find it didn’t have a toilet. There was a hole in the floor to squat over. I was not that coordinated. We boarded the next plane to Karachi, Pakistan.

We arrived in the wee hours of the morning. As we went through customs, my fear increased. There was an old high desk in the middle of the room. The man sitting on the stool was quite intimidating. When he approved someone to go further, the sound of his stamp on the paper reverberated throughout the room. 

As the days went on, I slept a lot trying to adjust to the time change. I had never met my husband’s family other than one of his brother. There were so many people, most spoke no English. I had no idea of Pakistani wedding customs.  The woman would gather for hours and hours with a tabla, a drum and sing traditional wedding songs. The most popular one was about a mother singing to her son about how he was as beautiful as a peacock.

There were days and days of singing.  Three preliminary ceremonies leading up to the actually wedding.  I put mehndi (henna) on the bride-to-be’s hands and fed her ladoos to help with her fertility. It evidently worked she has five children.

One day I was sitting with the woman, all related, only one spoke any English. They were singing and beating the tabla. I was attempting to clap my hands with them. However, I am Norwegian. Norwegian usually have a serious lack of rhythm. Usually I have to watch careful in order to clap hands to music. This beat was different; it was odd. I was lost.

The sister-in-law who knew English looked at me and said, “You sing?” Sing? Me? I don’t know any Pakistani songs.  They all got excited as she translated that she was asking me to sing a song. They said you sing English – you sing one of your songs.

I probably know 100’s of songs. Nevertheless, at that moment, I couldn’t think of one I knew. I looked at our daughters. I asked them if they wanted to sing. They were young and of course, they thought this was a great idea!  So I asked them, “what do you want to sing?”

They looked at me with a big smile and said, “How about Jesus Loves Me?”  We were in a Muslim country and the only Christians in the house. I thought, dare I? I sent the children into the room with the men to ask their dad what he thought.  They came back and said, “Dad said sure, why not? They won’t understand it anyway.”

We started to sing:

Jesus loves me this I know,

For the Bible tells me so

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak but He is strong

                Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me

                Yes, Jesus loves me, The Bible tells me so

They played the tabla and clapped to their beat. It wasn’t the beat of the song, it just have sounded terrible. We sang. They smiled. We smiled. 

Ok, now maybe this isn’t what you had in mind for sharing my faith. I’d love to tell you that all these woman received Christ. They didn’t. However, I believe the scripture:

But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32