One Red Light, One Divine Appointment

It was a typical Saturday afternoon. I had just left Target, and was leaving the parking lot waiting for the light to turn green. The typical moment turned into a moment where I felt the Spirit tugging on my heart. A moment that I knew I had to listen to what God was asking me to do. My heart started to speed up a little bit, as I was taking a step of faith, and another leap out of my comfort zone. I don't know if I can define comfort zone for me anymore... it has been knocked out so many times, that determined that is one of the things my life is about. There I sat in my car, with the radio in the background, looking up at a distance I saw a man. His clothes were worn and dirty, his face looked pretty rough, but there he stood with a sign in his hand. He was one of many homeless men and women who stand on the street corners daily hoping someone would give them the time of day to help them out.

God was tugging on my heart to roll down the window, and to get his attention. The nudge was pretty strong, and I knew I couldn't ignore it and just wait for the light to turn green. So I sat there for a second, and slowly rolled my window down a few inches... just enough to stick my hand out. I had a small Bible that I kept in my car. I knew God was asking me to give it to this gentleman standing there. With the Bible in my hand, I reached out my window to get the man's attention. It was shaking a little bit, because I honestly didn't know what kind of reaction I was going to get in return. I mean he could have thrown it back at me, or said certain things that I've heard several times before, which I won't repeat in this blog. But he did none of those things, instead he took it, and he said "God bless you, this is something that I have never received before, I wanted one of these more than a dollar, a dollar I can live without, but not this." He smiled at me, and that said it all to me. He assured me he was going to read it. I'm trusting that God will begin to do some incredible work in this man's life. I probably will never get to know his story, but I don't need to, it is all for God's glory at that is what matters.

The light turned green and I moved along to my next destination. For the rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. I was walking around in the water at the beach and kept thinking and wondering what God was up to. That was just the first step of what God is calling me to do. There are more homeless men and women standing on the street corners, sitting on the sidewalks in downtown, all are hurting, they all have a story, and they all have been ignored day after day. God wants more Bibles to be handed out, and He wants me to trust in Him, to keep leading me to people who need Him. I want to have more Bibles in my car. I know that I may have people say bad things to me, but I also know God is the God of the impossible, He can melt the heart of stone, and He can move in these people's lives, through the streets of San Diego, and all of the other places of the world. I just have to say, "hear I am Lord, send me." Where God leads I will follow. I will continue to be led out of so called comfort zone.

Please pray for these people, all the hurting and lost people of the world. Pray that I can receive more Bibles to give. This is only the beginning. God has asked me to move forward, I know that faith is not always easy, but I need to cling to God and His promises. I know that the pain can increase rapidly, but climbing a mountain, is not a piece of cake. I will keep climbing and I will not loose heart, I will keep my eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of my faith.

Steps of Faith

Today has been a wonderful day, a wonderful Sunday it was. This morning I attended an incredible church service. God spoke to me through the pastor this morning. I am called to take steps of faith in obedience to Him. The pastor said these words, "if you are wanting it to be easy, you are in the wrong place.... but we have to be armed with God's truth, because we are in a world where it's only going to get harder." I know that as I move forward I need to trust in God for His provision, His protection and His guidance. There is a call and tug on my heart that continues to get stronger. There are challenges that have come up along the way, and there will continue to be, but I know that I need to continue. I need to keep taking each step and be who God has called me to be. There are times when I fall, times when I struggle, and those times where I feel like I've felt like I've been slammed to the floor, but there has never been a time where God has been away, and never a time where I have been defeated. It is by God's grace that I can keep going, and it is through His strength. I know I have talked about this a lot, but it is one of the most important things I need to remember. I need to remember who I am serving, and why I do what I do.

It is not an easy journey. Choosing the narrow road has bumps in it. Hard ones. But that road also is leading to eternal life with Jesus Christ. The One who conquered death, suffered and died so we can live. He is walking the road with me, and He is in the boat with me. When the storms rage, God is my strength, He is my comforter, and He calms the storms in my life. This evening I spent some time reflecting on all that God has led me through. I was reading through my personal journal, where I wrote down every feeling I was feeling. There was a lot I went through, and probably a lot I'm going to go through. But one thing I've learned is how God is there with me every step of the way. As I've said so many times before, I must continue on the journey with faith and perseverance. Knowing that the race does have hurdles, but there are so many people out there walking in total darkness. I must keep being the hands and feet of Jesus, and going to where He is calling me to go. Many people need to hear the words I love you, and hear how valuable they are to their Heavenly Father, and how much He loves them. I am not afraid of what they may say to me, I've been called many things already, and have heard and seen so much already, but I still know they need Jesus. That is worth everything I have.