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I've shared before about my son's name, and the prophetic call I believe is on his life. Two Sundays ago, we had his dedication ceremony at our church.
At the end of the service, our pastor wanted us to bring him up to the
front to be part of renewing evangelism in our church. She
asked anyone who wanted to be empowered in evangelism to gather around
Jax.
My mother-in-law was visiting us that week from Florida. She is a nurse, and very strong in prayer and telling people about God as opportunities arise at her job. Every time we visit her, she ha these amazing stories about her patients who were healed, or whom she led to Christ. She chose to work in a religious hospital that allows her to do so.
During the week she was here, I overheard her and my mom talking about these stories, about wanting themselves and others to be bold and empowered to live like this more. Not just doing church and being decent people, but seeing miracles and helping people discover the awesome person of Jesus, in our day to day lives.
It put me to thinking about how this was going in my own life. The sad realization came to me: I have stories like this too, but they're old stories. I keep telling the same ones over and over. And every few years, maybe there's a new one. But it's been awhile. And the most powerful stories are so old they're from when I was a little girl. I don't want to keep telling the same, old stories.
Saturday, the day before Jax's dedication, my mother-in-law and I went to our local farmers market. It's a huge place full of booths of local produce, bread, ice cream, chocolate, coffee, cheese, meat, and more, located in a gorgeous renovated historic brewery right on the Riverwalk. There was a live folk band playing, people with kids, people with dogs. Many vendors let you taste their wares, and the whole atmosphere feels timeless and artisan.
As we walked, a woman about my mother-in-law's age approached us and said to my mother-in-law, "I have that same blouse!" My mother-in-law, being the friendly person she is, replied pleasantly, and soon they were in a conversation about where they bought it (Kohls), how to wash it without shrinking, etc.
I was listening, and thinking. Remembering mission trips to the U.S. where our goal was to walk around with intention, in a normal life situation, (spring break at Daytona Beach), and look for opportunities to talk to peers about Jesus. My Holy Spirit antennae were up, and I asked God for some information about the woman that would give me an open door. I heard, "Her daughter."
As she went to leave, I asked the only thing that came to mind, "Before you go, is there anything we can pray for you about?"
She seemed surprised, but made some comment of openness that made me think she was a Christian.
"Let me think," she hesitated, "Well, I guess my daughter."
I breathed a sigh of relief that I had heard correctly, and then kicked myself for not having told her right off the bat that God wanted us to pray for her daughter. Oh well. At least I didn't totally miss the opportunity like I have before, walking away without ever saying anything.
We prayed for her briefly, for her daughter Stacy, and tears came to her eyes.
Back to Sunday morning at church, where our pastor is talking about Jax and evangelism. She gives us a minute to listen for God to speak to us, and I start crying a bit. I can sense the presence of God pretty strongly, and I hear Him speaking in my thoughts, "you're right, Jax will be an evangelist. But he's going to learn from you." the implication being that it's time for me to grow in this, be bold, be prophetic, seek opportunities and take them. My mom says the best way to do this is to be sure wherever you go, have ten extra minutes, so you have time to spare to notice and do what God is doing.
I titled this post Revolution, because it's one of those times when a new thought or idea or perspective makes a life shift in you. You know something has changed. You know this shift is another turn in your life course that in a way, changes everything. It's a revolution in your soul.
Do you just have old stories? Do you wish you had ANY stories? Want to join me in the revolution? It's time.
