| A little preface for those of you that are reading to explain some things so you'll be able to understand better. Extension is a term used to describe the different ministries Northland students are involved in. I have two here at Northland...I love them both! My primary extension is on the weekend where I go to a church and help out there. My secondary extension is at a job corp, and it's there that inner-city kids/low income students that can't afford to go to a technical college will attend to get their HS diploma or learn a "trade", such as electrician work or painting. I and 5 other college students go there on Wednesdays (and they go on Sundays). The Lord has done many incredible things there! Like the one about to tell you about now :) The night started out normal as we got into the car.. There were four of us in one car: Ben, his wife Brooke, Holly, and me. We were about to pray as we normally do for the job corp and the students there, then Holly challenged us to pray specifically for two students that the Lord has burdened us for or met recently. I prayed for a girl named Cheri. Cheri is a student that has been at the job corp since October. She started out as a very friendly girl, and a faithful attendee of our Bible study and church on Sundays...she had the church lingo down, but we all still felt that she didn't know Christ as her Savior. But then it was as if she fell off the face of the earth. We didn't see her at all on Wednesdays nor on Sundays. Then when I did see her, the converstation would be quickly aburupted with something she had to do or finish. The Lord did give me a burden for her...and we continued communicating through e-mail. So as Holly presented this challenge for us before prayer that was the dear soul my mind went to. I was flooded with times I had seen her, and had seen her looking so sad and troubled and continuously so brief with me in conversation. So I asked the Lord to give me an opportunity to talk to her, and to have a longer conversation then what we have been having. Brooke then prayed. She prayed for a girl named Schae(shay). Brooke had only met Schae once, and it had been quite a while since Brook had seen her...and didn't quite remember what she looked like, and I hadn't met Schae at all. The staff at the job corp asked Brooke to try to "counsel" or speak with Schae because she wouldn't talk with the staff at all. They presented a few things about Schae to Brooke, that quite frankly just broke my heart. So Brooke prayed for an opportunity to give the gospel to this girl, and for her salvation as well. We finally arrived at the job corp. I went into the rec-hall, which was routine for me. There was a group of four in the snack-shop area sitting down and playing cards. I had talked to the four on a regular basis and went over to them to say hi. As I was talking a little bit with them, I heard a boy behind me make a comment about "the church lady"...that was me :). I turned around and saw a young, black boy with a smile from ear to ear in a booth with a black girl with a round face appearing the same age as him. I went over by him and made a comment back to him. It was a dialouge of brief comments...seeing who could come back with something smarter and faster. Finally I got to the point where I found this boy...um, a little obnoxious. The girl didn't speak a word to me...or even look at me the whole time. I realized I hadn't even gotten their names, so I interupted our silly dialouge and asked the boy his name. He kept that wide smile on his face as he told me it was James...then I asked the girl, and she said her name was Shiniqua meeting my eyes briefly and then quickly refocusing her eyes on the empty cardboard with grease spots from the pizza that once was there. James then made another comment trying to continue our meaningless dialouge from before. I(being transparent here :)) was ready to leave. In my mind I was thinking there was probably a more meaningful conversation I could have with another student. Just as I was about to say my farewells Brooke came up to join me. She introduced herself, and James then aimed his smart comments at Brooke. I don't know really how it came up, but Brooke told him that she was a nurse. This caught James' attention. He explained to Brooke and I that his gf back home was going to have a baby soon. He then wanted to know what the chances were for his baby to have a disability and if anything causes it. Brooke gave him an answer that even I could follow :) James then put the focus on the super-silent girl across from him. He said how she was depressed. She quickly followed his bold statement with an objection. Brooke then took this opportunity to present the gospel. It was incredible! We were able to present the gospel from beginning to finish to both of them without any interruptions. To see the Holy Spirit work was amazing. Both of the demeanors of James and Shaniqua changed. James was no longer the smart-comment boy I had introduced myself, but instead he had a very pensive look on his face focusing deeply on what Brooke was saying. And Schae...she went from staring at a piece of cardboard to actually making eye-contact and a few smiles and laughs here and there. With follow up questions to what we had just told them it was VERY clear that they had understood! Neither of them made a decision, and quite frankly it's okay for now... I know it's not our words or our examples that will save them, it is the Holy Spirit. And I am 100% confident in the work of the Holy Spirit...we did explain and show them how to make a decision and gave them a track with everything we had just got done telling them. The neat part though was that near the end of our conversation we found exactly who we were "really" talking to. James said something to Shiniqua...he ended up calling her Schae...and Brooke and I put the connection together of what she had told us about herself and what we knew about "Schae" beforehand. It was so incredible...God had set up a divine appointment with her, and we didn't even know it at the time! The night gets better though. Just as Brooke and I were finished up talking with the two Cheri ended up walking into the snackshop. She saw us and was so happy. She ran up and gave us each a hug, but then the next thing I knew she was gone before I could get a chance to talk to her. Brook and I prayed for the two we had just finished witnessing too, and praised the Lord for the answered prayer! Then as we went into another building waiting outside of the room where our Bible study was being held we started talking to two other girls, just small talk. Then out of one of the offices came Cheri. She sat at the table we were at but was very focused on the papers she was filling out, and apparently uninterested in talking with us. Brooke and I offered to help her with the forms she was filling out, and I could tell something was bothering her greatly. So I finally just asked if everything is alright. She stopped what she was doing and looked up at me...her green eyes were filled with tears and she said softly, "I just have a lot on my mind." She put her gaze on the floor. Brooke then comforted her by telling her God knows, and He does care. Cheri shook her head in acknowledgement...and then after some other things we were able to present the gospel to her. Incredible! She was completely interested. Another answer to prayer! We didn't force her to make a decision, but did give her some information. We asked James, Schae, and Cheri if this was the first time they had heard what we had told them...and it was! The Lord gave me and Brooke the privilage to share the gospel with three souls that had never heard it before! God answered prayer in a mighty way that night... and I look forward to what He will do in their lives as the semester goes on. Please add these three to your prayer lists...wouldn't be amazing if on Wed. (tomorrow) I go there and one of the three tells me that they have decided to give their life to Jesus! An incredible thought to me! God also used this in my own life in a great way...ministry is two-fold, and I'm constantly reminded of that as I serve Him. I serve a great, mighty, loving, and just God! And to be used by Him....wow, praise the Lord for that as well. So I would very much consider this a "gift from Him on Valentines Day"... nmf |
