Stories from all over our city & beyond

[My wife and I attended] a friend’s daughter’s wedding. At the wedding reception a young gregarious guy sat down next to me. We had a lively conversation about the wedding, then it turned to his marriage. He shared some painful things. I asked about his spiritual journey and he said he grew up Catholic but has left the church. We talked about Jesus and he had lots of questions and doubts. It was a great conversation and good seed was planted for sure! I am planning to follow up. Please pray with me that [this young man] would come to know our Savior.  Also pray for wisdom for my next steps. Thanks!

Our team went to lunch at a local dumplings restaurant and met the owner of the place … who was so kind and told us all about the story of the restaurant. She tied it to her family history, the meaning food holds in her heart, etc. My coworker asked her how her faith plays into her views on food, family, etc. She shared that she isn’t religious but if she were, she would identify most closely with Buddhism. She said she has friends of all faiths and has great respect for all of them. I’m hoping to return to the shop sometime to continue the conversation with her!

Allison and I met a young woman in Victoria Park [in London on the Northwest mission trip] who was babysitting her 3 yr old niece. She was on hold on the phone but willing to engage in conversation with us. We prayed for her and I was able to share the gospel! She said she had heard it in the past but forgot. Lord let these seeds be watered and not dry up! She was unwilling to let us collect her contact info but I’m praying for believers to be placed in her path.

I met a young woman named [….]. She was walking near our group [from the London mission trip] and she said something to me like pardon. I ended up telling her about our group and the church ministry. She knew about Kahaila [local coffee shop church] which was really awesome! After a bit, I asked her if there was anything I could pray for her about, she said yes, her partner’s father was very sick. I asked how bad and it was pretty bad. I was able to have some connection with this since my mom is a hospice nurse and I lost my grandmother just over a year ago. I asked her if I could pray for her now and she said yes but she had never had anyone pray for her. So we prayed for her family and her and he partner and her partners father. After, I asked her if she was a spiritual person, to which she said yes. I then asked her if she had ever heard the gospel, to which she said no. So I asked her if I could tell her, it’ll take like 2 mins. She said yes and I got to share the Gospel with her! She was definitely impacted by this and told me she had a lot of thinking to do. I told her about the services at Kahaila at 7:30 on Wednesday and referred her to Paul [pastor of Kahaila] to answer her questions.

On the London mission trip, we split up into pairs or 3s and walked the pop up “farmer’s market” at Kings Cross Square in front of the Kings Cross St Pancras station. Caryss and I met […] at a cannoli booth. She works full time for this booth and was very kind. She’s been in London for 15 years and really likes it. I think she said she was originally from Pakistan???? When we asked what we could pray for her about, she mentioned her son […] who is 10 and has Autism. I was so surprised and shared that I also have a son with Autism who is 9! We prayed for him right there, and she thanked us. When we met up with the group afterwards to debrief, we learned that Allison and Christina had been by to talk to her before us (without either of us knowing), and when they asked her if they could pray for her, she said “just general stuff” – but when I asked her a little bit later, I was surprised that she answered so quickly and without hesitation, “yes you can pray for my 10 year old son […] who has Autism” I believe she must have thought about it after the other girls asked, and realized what she would have asked for prayer for! This was a cool connection God made for us too, because it showed in “real time” what we had been praying for – that God would bring other believers into the path of those we have been meeting, to continue the conversation and share Jesus with them!

[…] was a homeless woman sitting on the side of King’s Cross Station [in London on the Northwest mission trip] asking for money to get into a hostel. I was walking around with a partner from my missions team, looking for people to have conversations with, and we didn’t have any cash on us but I asked if there was an atm nearby. [She] said yes and led me to the atm, but as we walked I was able to pray for her and the other member of my team was able to share the gospel with her as I got her her money.

A co-worker […] who I’ve been trying to minister to shared with me that he has been reading Genesis and praying daily.

The cheerful lady at the return counter of the giant box store patiently tried to help me out with my mixed up order. When she finished, I gratefully handed her a DVD of The Jesus Film. “It’s a gift for you”,  I said. “It’s the story of the life of Jesus Christ”. “Oh,” she said as she grabbed it and held it close to her heart. “This is perfect, perfect timing. I have just finished watching lots of documentaries on TV, and made the decision to watch something about God or religion now. This is perfect, wonderful!”  She said delightedly. 

I handed her a basic gospel tract to go with it, as I left to go to the garden dept. Five minutes later, she came running up to me  breathless with tears in her eyes saying that her Mother would also love to see the DVD with her. She kept thanking me over and over.

When I finished my purchase in the garden dept., I handed the tired cashier a copy of The Jesus Film. She grabbed it, perked up and said, “My Family did not get to go to church on Easter, but we can all look at this together tonight. Thank you so much. You are always so kind when you come here.” 

As I left the store, I was aware that someone was following me into the parking lot. I turned and saw a clean cut young man who demanded, “What did you give that cashier? I was watching you.” I told him, then I asked if he would like a DVD too. “NO,” he said,

He was a Christian and didn’t need one.. He said he was impressed with the way I witnessed to total strangers. He had not seen it before. I asked him how he shared the gospel with others. He said he liked to sit down with a cup of coffee to talk to people and answer any deep questions they might have.

“I applaud your method of sharing the gospel,” I said. “God uses us all differently to reach all types of people, and we never run out of them. Carry on with what you are doing and so will I.” He waved a friendly goodbye. I was thinking that I would enjoy meeting him in heaven again some day with those that he led to Christ over a cup of coffee.

My husband joined a work volleyball league two years ago. I would pack up the kids and we’d go watch him play. I struck up a friendship with the wife of one of my husband’s coworkers. She is Muslim and had just recently moved to Texas to marry her husband. Shortly after that time she discovered she had a brain tumor and underwent a horrible year of surgery and rehabilitation. I got to follow along her journey and pray for her often through text messages where she could read them over and over which she said she did and was a huge encouragement to her. Last week I invited her to join us for Easter Sunday and she is so excited to come and learn more about “my religion.” Please be praying her and her husband would come and I’d have more opportunities to have conversations about Jesus with her.

Yesterday, Pastor Neil spoke about the first miracle in Acts 3 by Peter. A homeless man outside of Jason‘s Deli asked me for money, I said, can I pray for you, and bless you with the Holy Spirit. The man was confused at first, then surprised, then he became approachable. After our conversation, I came inside Jason‘s Deli, and a mother of four asked if it would be appropriate for her to buy the man lunch. The elderly man was grateful.

So obvious, the Lord needs us to be humble, share the gospel with kindness & love, respect and dignity to all.