"Have you ever...?"
That's my favorite question to be asked. The answer is almost always: "Yes."
Over my twenties, I unintentionally become a pro at collecting random experiences and unique stories. Two years ago, someone could have asked me: "Have you ever...?" and I would have immediately jumped out of my chair (in the group game of the same name) and retorted with all honesty: "Yeah, last week!"
Whether it was running alongside kangaroos in the bush, portraying a wicked stepmother in a 48-Hour film festival entry or waking up at 3am to watch the sunrise over a Wonder of the World (I've done this a few times...), I always had a story to tell. While I, of course, can still tell all those stories, most are not as "fresh" as I want them to be. Especially my crazy/random "everyday life" ministry stories...
Since being back on home turf in the US, I've found myself lacking the lifestyle of spontaneous prophecy and evangelism that was once so normal. In the past few weeks, though, I have been re-inspired to live in the courageous and less than comfortable way that I used to when I was on staff with YWAM. Living and working as a missionary (with a job that, by it's very nature, kept me focused daily on "Making God Known" to anyone with whom I came into contact), I often took this kind of "radical" lifestyle for granted.
I didn't realize just how much I took it for granted, however, until I wasn't doing it anymore.
Two weeks ago, I sat in the front row of a young adults group and listened to an average guy (not a pastor) in his mid-twenties share some incredible stories from his recent experience with "treasure hunting." If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, "treasure hunting" can most simply be defined as intentionally praying for a picture/vision of a person that God can use you to encourage/pray for. Additionally, you can pray and ask God if He has some sort of specific word that that person needs to hear (i.e. He has a plan and purpose for the difficult time they are going through at the moment) or an issue they need prayer for (i.e. Anxiety about a test, finding a job, healing for their family). Once this information is received (waiting in prayer, sensing leading from God), the treasure hunt begins! Just like the name implies, once you are given your "clues," the search is on for your treasure...a random stranger whom God loves and wants to use you to bless and uplift.
So, this particular guy at church had an amazing experience with treasure hunting just the weekend before. He had gotten three different pictures (really, they were just descriptors of specific people, like "Tall, blonde girl wearing a purple shirt") and specific messages for each of them. As you can imagine, this is not an easy or comfortable task by any means--walking up to total strangers, saying that you have a message from God for them. Lol! While you obviously try to say it in a less tacky/strange way than that, the majority of people you talk to are actually quite open to at least hearing what you have to say. This average Joe at young adults group had three different pictures and came back with three amazing testimonies--conversations that lasted for hours, tearful confessions and powerful prayer times. All with complete strangers in the mall, a restaurant and Starbucks. All generated out of pure and simple obedience, armed with the courage to step out in faith.
Last Sunday, when I re-counted that story to a friend, he turned and asked me that all-too-familiar "Have you ever...?" question. Had I ever done a treasure hunt? "Yes!" I told him "I actually used to do them a lot when I was working with YWAM."
While I wish I could just sit down and tell you all these stories in detail, here are just a few snippets of awesome experiences God set up (my personal experiences "treasure hunting" with random strangers)...
-Reading Psalms out loud across from a nightclub in Byron Bay, Australia with a few guys and a girl (one guy later asked for his own Bible and to take some to give to other people)
-Praying for a woman in a public bathroom in Brisbane who was struggling with intense anxiety after a frightening experience the night before
-Praying for a woman in Subway who was struggling with a custody battle for her son
-Sharing my testimony and methods for studying the Bible with my mechanic
-Sharing scriptures and prophecy with a woman working at an ice cream shop
-Giving a rose to a street vendor in Russia and telling her (through a translator) that God wanted her to know that He loved her
I've preached on the street in a festival in Thailand (with a sound system, through a translator). I've led worship on beaches and public parks in Australia. I've read Psalms aloud in city squares in Peru.
The funny thing about this little list is that I don't consider myself an evangelist. At all. Despite a communication degree, spiritual gifts of teaching and prophecy, and just a plain ole' love for people, I have always struggled with the concept of just going up to random strangers and generating a spiritual conversation out of thin air. Seriously, I don't get excited at all at the prospect of putting myself out there to be potentially rejected or made fun of because I choose to share my faith in such a bold way. To be honest, when I sense a leading from the Lord to speak something, I've often been shut up by own shyness and stubbornness. Truth is, I have forsaken several opportunities out of cowardice and prospective awkwardness. Many times, I have failed to speak because of fear.
"I'm just not that type of person," was always my excuse.
Apparently, God would have none of that...
(To Be Continued)
That's my favorite question to be asked. The answer is almost always: "Yes."
Over my twenties, I unintentionally become a pro at collecting random experiences and unique stories. Two years ago, someone could have asked me: "Have you ever...?" and I would have immediately jumped out of my chair (in the group game of the same name) and retorted with all honesty: "Yeah, last week!"
Whether it was running alongside kangaroos in the bush, portraying a wicked stepmother in a 48-Hour film festival entry or waking up at 3am to watch the sunrise over a Wonder of the World (I've done this a few times...), I always had a story to tell. While I, of course, can still tell all those stories, most are not as "fresh" as I want them to be. Especially my crazy/random "everyday life" ministry stories...
Since being back on home turf in the US, I've found myself lacking the lifestyle of spontaneous prophecy and evangelism that was once so normal. In the past few weeks, though, I have been re-inspired to live in the courageous and less than comfortable way that I used to when I was on staff with YWAM. Living and working as a missionary (with a job that, by it's very nature, kept me focused daily on "Making God Known" to anyone with whom I came into contact), I often took this kind of "radical" lifestyle for granted.
I didn't realize just how much I took it for granted, however, until I wasn't doing it anymore.
Two weeks ago, I sat in the front row of a young adults group and listened to an average guy (not a pastor) in his mid-twenties share some incredible stories from his recent experience with "treasure hunting." If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, "treasure hunting" can most simply be defined as intentionally praying for a picture/vision of a person that God can use you to encourage/pray for. Additionally, you can pray and ask God if He has some sort of specific word that that person needs to hear (i.e. He has a plan and purpose for the difficult time they are going through at the moment) or an issue they need prayer for (i.e. Anxiety about a test, finding a job, healing for their family). Once this information is received (waiting in prayer, sensing leading from God), the treasure hunt begins! Just like the name implies, once you are given your "clues," the search is on for your treasure...a random stranger whom God loves and wants to use you to bless and uplift.
So, this particular guy at church had an amazing experience with treasure hunting just the weekend before. He had gotten three different pictures (really, they were just descriptors of specific people, like "Tall, blonde girl wearing a purple shirt") and specific messages for each of them. As you can imagine, this is not an easy or comfortable task by any means--walking up to total strangers, saying that you have a message from God for them. Lol! While you obviously try to say it in a less tacky/strange way than that, the majority of people you talk to are actually quite open to at least hearing what you have to say. This average Joe at young adults group had three different pictures and came back with three amazing testimonies--conversations that lasted for hours, tearful confessions and powerful prayer times. All with complete strangers in the mall, a restaurant and Starbucks. All generated out of pure and simple obedience, armed with the courage to step out in faith.
Last Sunday, when I re-counted that story to a friend, he turned and asked me that all-too-familiar "Have you ever...?" question. Had I ever done a treasure hunt? "Yes!" I told him "I actually used to do them a lot when I was working with YWAM."
While I wish I could just sit down and tell you all these stories in detail, here are just a few snippets of awesome experiences God set up (my personal experiences "treasure hunting" with random strangers)...
-Reading Psalms out loud across from a nightclub in Byron Bay, Australia with a few guys and a girl (one guy later asked for his own Bible and to take some to give to other people)
-Praying for a woman in a public bathroom in Brisbane who was struggling with intense anxiety after a frightening experience the night before
-Praying for a woman in Subway who was struggling with a custody battle for her son
-Sharing my testimony and methods for studying the Bible with my mechanic
-Sharing scriptures and prophecy with a woman working at an ice cream shop
-Giving a rose to a street vendor in Russia and telling her (through a translator) that God wanted her to know that He loved her
I've preached on the street in a festival in Thailand (with a sound system, through a translator). I've led worship on beaches and public parks in Australia. I've read Psalms aloud in city squares in Peru.
The funny thing about this little list is that I don't consider myself an evangelist. At all. Despite a communication degree, spiritual gifts of teaching and prophecy, and just a plain ole' love for people, I have always struggled with the concept of just going up to random strangers and generating a spiritual conversation out of thin air. Seriously, I don't get excited at all at the prospect of putting myself out there to be potentially rejected or made fun of because I choose to share my faith in such a bold way. To be honest, when I sense a leading from the Lord to speak something, I've often been shut up by own shyness and stubbornness. Truth is, I have forsaken several opportunities out of cowardice and prospective awkwardness. Many times, I have failed to speak because of fear.
"I'm just not that type of person," was always my excuse.
Apparently, God would have none of that...
(To Be Continued)
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