| Author | Message | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3616 Registered: 3-2004  |
Last night I was greeting people as they entered the church. A young man and lady came it and I welcomed them. The young man stopped and looked at me. Then he said,"you do not remember me". I looked at him and an incident came back to me from this past winter. A young man entered the church. As I greeted him he told me how he got there and how he had gotten drunk and hit his girlfriend. I listened to him, prayed with him and assured him God loved him. I asked him to come to guest central after the service. He came and we talked some more and I prayed with him again. This was the same young man. Only now his girl friend was with him and the both of them are attending Starting Point. Starting Point is a 6 week course telling the person, from the Bible, what the church teaches. His girl friend turned around and came back. I hugged them both and prayed with both of them. The young man had told his girl friend all about meeting me. My heart was singing as they walked into the service. It is beautiful to see new growth. God does such an awesome job. Diana | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 1036 Registered: 4-2000  |
Diana, You are truly an ambassador for Christ. Thanks for sharing your greeting ministry with us. May your tribe increase! Dennis Fischer | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 915 Registered: 8-2004  |
Awesome Diana! God is so good! Mary | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5788 Registered: 12-2003  |
Diana, what a wonderful story! God has given you a gift of warmth and hospitality that blesses people as they come to church. He is awesome! Colleen | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3618 Registered: 3-2004 |
As I am reading this post I was thinking that I almost did not go to the Exaltation Wednesday evening service. Because I do not usually go I do not greet people as they enter. God had a reason for my being there last night. I asked if help was needed to greet and of course help was needed. I was told to do door 1. The rest of history. My heart truly sang out in church last night. God is AWESOME. Diana | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3619 Registered: 3-2004 |
(Message edited by Flyinglady on May 03, 2007) | ||
| Bobj Registered user Username: Bobj Post Number: 144 Registered: 1-2006  |
Diana Thank you for the many times you've given affirmation and support to us on this forum. I praise God for you. What a great story about the young couple! You never know how God will use a kind word to help a hurting person, or the influence we have over others. I often think that there are many people for whom correct theology means little--they are just so desperate for love and acceptance. I've really appreciated you and Colleen and so many others here. Thanks for being such a friend to so many of us. Bob | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3620 Registered: 3-2004 |
Thank you God for using me and all the others on this forum for your honor and Glory. Use us like this until you come to take us to our permanent home. You are always awesome. Diana | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 721 Registered: 9-2006  |
Quote: I often think that there are many people for whom correct theology means little--they are just so desperate for love and acceptance. Bob, you really hit where I live with that statement, Just desperate for love and acceptance. Years ago I took a 13 year old kid fishing with me, we tied up at a distant Marina for the night miles from home port, that night I was fast asleep in my bunk and along about daybreak the next morning I heard an awful thumping and whumping and I rushed out of the cabin onto the deck and the sound seemed to be coming from the bait box, I opened it and there was a SeaGull flapping around desperately trying to escape so I pulled him out and set him free, I asked the kid how in the world he had caught a Seagull and he said he caught him on a hook! I explained to the kid that this was illegal, chewed him out a bit for waking me up and we went to breakfast and the incident was forgotten by me. Today that kid is doing “life” in prison and recently he wrote to me of his fondest memories of when I took him fishing and about “The Seagull” how could I have known what was to take place in the years ahead and that this kid would cling to that memory in the dark of night in a cold and lonely 4x8 cell? Now this “kid” is no longer a kid, he has already been “in” 15 or 20 years, he is a Christian today, wasn’t much theology involved in taking those kids fishing and camping, back those years I didn’t think my efforts with the kids of that neighborhood amounted to much and I still don’t know the full effects it had on them if any, most all of them are grown up and gone away to God knows where. Actually it was a real pain to guard them and make sure each one was wearing a lifejacket, wishing I had eight arms to keep them from falling overboard and drowning or wasn’t catching rattle snakes or someone getting lost in the desert or mountains, but God sometimes gives us a peek into what it is all about, in that letter from that “kid” God allowed me to see how he taken my time with a kid and made it into something comforting to the “kid”. Who would have thought? God has allowed Dianna a peek, carry it close to your heart Dianna and when you feel discouraged and maybe feel like you are not getting anywhere it will stand you in good stead. Ain’t much theology in a fishing trip or greeting someone and taking the time to speak to them and let them know they are welcome and that you care. Or is their??? River | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 5790 Registered: 12-2003 |
River, what a great story--and a great memory for both you and "the kid". Bob, I agree. Sometimes people really need love and acceptance before they can think about anything else! Colleen | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 3621 Registered: 3-2004 |
Finally, after all the years under SDA influence God is teaching/showing me how to share his love and acceptance. It is not about the Sabbath and all the minor issues. It is all about Jesus. Thank you God. River, that is a wonderful story about you and the kid. God you are always awesome. Diana |
