A LETTER SENT TO MY BSF AREA ADVISOR:
Hi Shirley,
It was so wonderful to hear from you and the other HQ staff this past weekend at the Birmingham retreat! I enjoyed each person's testimony and the wonderful teaching we heard.
I wanted to share a story with you about how God answered the prayer of my Lunch Group for me on Saturday. This is a long email, and is even a shortened version of the entire conversation, but I hope you and the HQ staff will be encouraged by it.
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Saturday, at the "Special Needs Diet" table (I'm a vegetarian), I was surrounded by a group of women I didn't know. Quite frankly, I wasn't in the mood to get to know them. I asked God to help me overcome my tiredness and help me engage in conversation with them. I shared that I was concerned for some people I love deeply who are not believers, and told them that what I really needed was boldness. I needed sensitivity to the Holy Spirit to know what to say and when to say it, and boldness to share what he told me no matter the circumstance... and not just with my family- but boldness in every situation I'm presented with. The woman across the table from me reached over and touched my arm. She looked me straight in the eye and said, "I'm praying for boldness for you. That's what you need."
Coming back from the retreat was hectic. I realized on Sunday that I had completed the next week's lesson (the wrong one), and was trying to figure out how I'd finish the correct one for our make-up leaders' meeting on Monday (last night). Other unavoidable tasks got in the way. "Lord, how am I going to finish this?" I decided I'd do my lesson during my lunch hour at work on Monday. Since I had missed work on Friday, I had much to catch up on yesterday at the office. My lunch "hour" quickly became scarfing down some food at my desk while working. "OK, God, you know my need for time, and you know my heart, that I want to complete this lesson. Please show me how to get it done." I decided to hit up Starbucks after work (something I rarely, if ever, do) to get a coffee to help me stay awake, and would hunker down to complete my lesson there before heading to leaders' meeting.
I ordered my coffee, sat down with my lesson ready to go, and opened my Bible to John 17. Then, I noticed a man lingering around the shop. I knew he'd be coming over to me. And he did. He asked if he could sit down, and I told him he could. He asked if I was an angel (??). I laughed and said "No, I'm just a human, but I do worship the Living God." He noted that I had my Bible open and asked if I was a college student. I said, "No, I'm just a person who believes in Him and studies His Word. I'll share with you what I'm learning if you'd like."
I began to share with him about Jesus' love for him and His ministry in the book of John, and was met with the agony of a very angry, bitter man who said he'd told God to "go to hell because if He's so great then why aint He helping me out?" I found out the man was homeless, jobless, womanless (which I told him was probably a gift! :) and hopeless. I told him God would forgive him for saying that if he truly repented and meant it. He said if he didn't think he'd go to jail for it, he'd just "take everyone out." Instead of being afraid, I asked what good that would do to destroy God's creation? He said "People have turned their back on me, and I'd feel vindicated." I shared with him what true vindication is- when God throws Satan and his army into the lake of fire after destroying them on the spot as they surround the New Jerusalem. Taking the lives of other people would only drive him further into despair, plus God is the only one who will ultimately get vindication, so which side would he rather be on? (I should note that I don't really think he was a threat to society, especially since he would not have the resources for that.... he's just a guy with a lot of hurt and a chip on his shoulder and no other apparent way to deal with it.)
I shared with him about the Holy Spirit. He said, "That Holy Spirit seems like a pretty good dude, but he don't do 'jack' for me." He had obviously heard the Gospel before, and said he did pray, but "God never answered" his prayers. I told him God always answers prayer, either with "yes, no, or not right now." I asked how he was praying, and learned that he wanted "instant gratification." I laughed and said we'd never get that, as long as our prayers are focused on us.
"How often do you come in here?" I asked him. "Hardly ever," he said. He had just come in to get a cup of water (which I appreciate that Starbucks gave to him!)
I said, "At the end of time, every non-believer will be reminded of every opportunity he or she had to accept Jesus Christ. I hope you can see that our meeting here was no accident- this was a divine appointment by God, and Jesus is asking you to receive him and follow him." The man, named "Van", asked me, "So, what if somebody does drugs or drinks alcohol or smokes cigarettes?"
I told him that God is more concerned with our heart, and sanctifies followers over a period of time so that our desires become His, and we don't care for those things any more.
(Notice how the Revelation teaching is peppered throughout our conversation- is that divine or what!)
I encouraged "Van" to ask God to reveal Himself to him, instead of praying for what he thought he wanted or needed. I said even if he never got another home, job, or woman, he could still have all the riches in heaven if he would just believe in Jesus Christ and choose to follow him. An hour later, it was time to leave for BSF, so I told him my husband and I would be praying for him.
I got in my car and said, "God, what just happened?!" And my Lord reminded me... "You asked me for boldness, and I just gave you the opportunity to use it." I burst into tears at His faithfulness in answering prayer. I can't think of a more seemingly uncomfortable situation for me- sitting in a crowded coffee shop with a homeless man who was cursing God's name (rather loudly), and being stared at by the people who overheard our conversation. I didn't care. He made me bold.
I showed up at leader's meeting without having completed this week's discussion questions (sorry, Headquarters!), but there are just some things that God has to teach us in His own way. I truly believe that every obstacle I encountered was part of God's plan to have me meet that man yesterday. It was not God's will that Van accept Jesus yesterday, but I pray that he will soon.
Our Lord is good, He is holy, and He is worthy of all our praise.
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Thank you for the sound teaching we received on the book of Revelation last weekend, and thank you for carrying on the ministry of BSF. May God continue to bless it!
Ansley Kynes
Nashville Evening Womens' CL
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