One Can Make All the Difference

Taj Pacleb (top), Sheila (middle), Justin (bottom)

It's been really awesome to see how God has been allowing me to work with people from the past. I met Sheila about two years ago when I first began working in ministry in a summer colporteur program called Youth Rush. She was my leader along with Greg and Karen Wilson and was therefore one of the people that taught me what I now know about canvassing. The following summer it was my turn to teach students how to canvass. That's when I met Justin. Justin was my student my first summer leading in Youth Rush. It turns out that all three of us are now working together in Sonora. Also our evangelist for our Revelation Seminar happens to be Taj Pacleb who happens to be an incredible speaker (not that I'm bias because he's from Hawaii, he really is an awesome speaker). Anyway, it's been such a blessing to be able to work with so many familiar faces.

I'm mentioning this for two reasons, first it's just too cool how God is allowing me to work with so many people I know, and second, when I drop their names, you now have a little more background info to who these random people are. So this is where the real story begins...it's really epic, so keep reading. 

It was week one of this practicum. Melina, Sheila, Justin, and I decided to go door knocking in Jamestown (another one of the small towns right outside of Sonora). Justin and Sheila would alternate pairing with Melina and myself to give us tips on talking to people. It totally gave me flash backs to the previous summers. I guess it was more of deja vu's with Sheila since she was my leader and I was used to her working with me at doors, but it was kind of funny having Justin help me at doors since I was so used to being the one helping him at doors. 

Justin and I were right about to meet up with Sheila and Melina. Sheila and Melina were finishing up their last door while Justin and I waited so we could all move up to the next street together. That's when Eloise came walking down the road. Eloise had taken her puppy on a walk and was wondering what we were doing. She was relieved to find out that we were Christians going out to share the gospel. In fact it was an answer to her prayer that Christians would reach out to her community. After talking to her for a bit she decided that she would like to study the Bible with me and we made plans to meet up later that week. 

I had no idea how excited Eloise really was to study with me. Come to find out her doctor is also a Seventh-day Adventist and he's been trying to reach out to her for a while. So when she agreed to study with me, she made sure to let him know. The first study I did with her was over Daniel 2 and how the Bible has predicted over 2500 years of history. Eloise loved the study so much that she wanted to continue studying Daniel. We've been going through Daniel slowly and it's been truly amazing how God has been teaching her so many things from simply studying one book. 

Eloise is one of the most passionate people I'm studying with and she has a deep hunger for God's word. To give you a glimpse of how much she loves to study, each time I study with her it takes a minimum of three hours. The amazing thing is sometimes she just asks a bunch of questions and by God's grace and help, He's been giving me answers. He has really been giving me the opportunity to see John 14:26 happen every week when it says, "The Holy Spirit...will bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."

I wanted Eloise to understand more about Daniel so I gave her a book called Prophets and Kings. She's been reading it through the sections on Daniel faithfully (and several times as well) and has been loving it. She also watched all the documentaries (at least three times) such as Daniel Chronicles and Theodicy. Eloise is also been reading Steps to Christ and after I talked to her last night, she's planning on starting The Great Controversy. 

It's amazing to see how mind blown she's been by everything that she's been reading. I originally gave her the Steps to Christ to share with her son-in-law who has been struggling with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). But before giving it to him, Eloise decided she wanted to read it. Last night she told me, "I've been reading this book you gave me and it's unlike anything I've ever read before. I've been enjoying it because it's all true. I almost don't want to give it away because I realize how much I needed this book."

Eloise has a compassionate heart for her family and for everyone she comes into contact. She's always sharing stories with me of how she tells her neighbors and the people she meets about Jesus. It really is precious. There are times after we study that we'll just spend a few minutes praying for her loved ones.

Eloise is also extremely ministry minded. When I first knocked on Eloise's door, she wasn't home so I left a GLOW tract on her door and then later met her on the street. When I actually started studying with her she told me how much she loved that GLOW tract and how it's a great way to share Jesus with other people. God put on my heart to give her a stack of tracts to share and every week I replenish her because she gives all of them out. She's told me that as she talks to others she asks them, "do you want to be happy," then hands them a tract and says, "this will make you happy."

I could probably write a novel on how much I love Eloise and how wonderful it's been to spend time with her and study with her, so if you want to hear more about this, just give me a call. However, for now this is what really hit me the most last night; in the third hour of our study, Eloise's husband called. He works a lot and has never been able to make it to study with us, but Eloise tells me that she tells him everything we've been studying. As she was talking to him, she said, "Oh, Janelle is here right now you can just tell her yourself."

Eloise handed me the phone and her husband Joe told me, "I just wanted to thank you for all of the time that you've been spending with my wife to study the Bible with her. I've been enjoying everything that she's been sharing with me and I also really enjoyed watching the DVDs you've given her. I've been going to church for a long time but I've never learned so much then the things you've been teaching Eloise and the things I've watched in those videos. It's answered so many of my questions. I just wanted to let you know that you're doing a good job, kid. Keep it up."

My heart was touched by hearing those words, and apparently God wasn't done blowing my mind because then Eloise told me something else. She said, "you know, I know you've haven't met any of the people that I tell you about or the people we pray for, you haven't met Joe, my son, my son-in-law, my daughter, my daughter-in-law...(she continued to name off people and I actually lost track of all of them), but I just want you to know, that you've touched every single one of them. By studying with me, it's been softening my heart so that I can deal with them in a more Christ-like manner, and they've noticed. They've been asking what's so different and then I get to share with them everything I've been studying with you. You may not have actually met them, but you've touched them."

Before I left, I gave Eloise a hand full of smaller Steps to Christ to share and restocked her with GLOW. She's definitely not afraid to use it and that's great. In fact she even gives away the study guides I've given her. She told me that when the ladies from her Sunday Church give her some book to read she handed them a study guide in return and says, "great, here's something for you to read too."

As I got into my car to leave that night, the thought then came to my mind, "I know you study with her for three hours every week and you have to pray for strength from Me each time just to make it through, but just know it's all been worth it. You may only get to spend time with Eloise, but I've been using her to reach people that you personally can't." Little did I know that studying with one person could make such a difference.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, 

for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 

Galatians 6:9

Perfect Timing

I had been working on different information for the revelation seminar coming up, and finally got an opportunity in the afternoon to go knock on doors for a couple hours. I knocked on my first door, when an older gentleman, Bill answered the door. We began talking and he invited me in to meet his wife Barbara as well. We hit it off, they loved traveling around and helping out orphanages, meeting needs of communities, and sharing their faith. As we were talking they learned that I am Seventh Day Adventist. Barbara then asked me, "I have a question, one thing I know about the Seventh Days is that you don't believe in a living soul. I am at a point in my life where I want to know what it says in the Bible, I have heard both sides but I have never seen anything really in the Bible on what it says, could you show me? I am open to believing that the soul does or does not live after death, I just don't know what the Bible say, and that is what I want to believe." So I answered her questions with Bible verses and she was able to see how a loving God has us rest. At the end of the study she was processing through everything. I asked her if the topic was clear and if she had any questions. She asked some questions on other Bible verses that I was able to explain to her. Her last comment was, "Wow, yes everything was clear. I believe you, I see exactly what you were saying in the Bible."  One blessing about that study is that Sheila wasn't feeling well about a week prior and asked me to give the state of the dead Bible study to one of her contacts, and because of that I had a list of verses and examples and ideas of ways to explain the topic to others who had the same questions about the state of the dead. God sent circumstances to help me be prepared for Barbara's question, and I will be going back to her and her husband this week. =)

Castle Built On a Hill

Melina and I have a saying, "if you're not going up a hill in Sonora, then you're going down one." Sonora is absolutely beautiful and one of the geographical features that adds to its beauty is the beautiful rolling hills. While driving (or walking) you pretty much are always going up or down a hill. I'm telling you this because this story involves yet another hill.

The beginning of this story actually took place the very first night Melina and I ever went door knocking to seek Bible study interests. Melina's leg was hurting so when we split directions on the street, I took the houses with massive driveways. There were four houses in a row with huge driveways. The last house up the steep driveways was special from the rest. I was greeted by two massive dogs as I made my ascent and was also greeted by Nate, a young high schooler dressed in a suit, who was attempting to call his dogs back. After conversing with Nate for a bit I asked him if his parents were home, so he went to call his mom, Heidi. 

Heidi and I totally hit it off from the start. I really don't recall exactly everything we talked about but I do remember that it led to a spiritual conversation. It just so happened that their family was watching the new Nicholas Cage movie Left Behind, and she told me how her son had questions about the secret rapture. She then said, "I sent him to Christian school all his life, and I feel like he should know this...but then I realized, the word rapture isn't even found in the Bible?" Heidi continued to tell me how she had several other questions about the Bible, for example she said, "I believe that when you die you go straight to heaven, but then I was reading that at the second coming the dead in Christ shall rise? So I'm just a little confused about that." 

Heidi then looked at her watched and realized that she needed to take Nate to his basketball game, but she did want to continue talking with me and said she would like to study with me on Thursdays at noon.

The following Thursday at noon I arrived at her house, but she wasn't home. I would sporadically stop by her place in attempt to catch her home but I always seemed to miss her. The following Thursday I stopped by again but this time I ran into her husband, Scot. He told me "my wife really enjoyed talking to you and she really does want to meet with you." He then gave me her cell phone number to try to reach her. I called Heidi and she was thrilled that I got a hold of her. She apologized because emergencies kept coming up and she hasn't been able to be there but she rescheduled for the following Thursday. So the next Thursday I went and again she wasn't there, but I ran into Scot again. He kept telling me to keep trying so I did. I called her again and she apologized and asked to reschedule for the following Thursday. 

The next Thursday, Heidi called me in morning and apologized again because she wasn't going to be able to make it and then rescheduled again for the next week. During this entire time of hit and miss, God kept putting on my heart to continue to pray for this family and not to give up. 

This lead to this past Thursday, six weeks after I initially met Heidi. I drove up to her house knocked on the door and found met her house cleaner. Heidi wasn't home, yet again. I walked back to my car and began to pray, "Lord, I know that you have me coming back to this family for a reason. I just want to commit this situation to You. Please let Your perfect will be done."

After I finished praying, something impressed me to check my phone, I'm not really sure why, I wasn't expecting a phone call and I wasn't even sure if I was because I was going to call or text anyone. However, when I checked my phone I saw I had a text message from Heidi. She said that she was running 15-20 minutes late, but that she was on her way. Joy filled my heart and nervousness also. I've been trying to meet with Heidi for five weeks and today was finally the day, so I decided I needed to pray some more. I called my dear friend, Janell, whom I love praying with, and asked her to pray with me and for this study.

Soon after Heidi came home and invited me inside. Since it had been several weeks from the last time I actually saw her, we spent the first few minutes just catching up and she was just asking me questions to get to know me. Her husband Scot then walked in and greeted me. He said, "Hey it's you! You are persistent, and I like that." Scot and Heidi continued to talk with me and get to know my background. I'm not entirely sure how the conversation led this way, but God impressed me to share my personal testimony with them, so I did.

As I spoke, I could see the tears welling up in their eyes and at the end Scot said, "You've really touched us with what you shared and I want to help you more in your ministry. Come by my office tomorrow and I'm going to write you a check." Interestingly enough, I never asked them for money. Heidi then said, "You know, normally I would've just canceled meeting with you altogether, but something kept telling me that I needed to meet with you and I'm sorry it's taken this long for it to actually happen. But I can see now why God wanted me to spend time with you. You know it would be great if you could study with my 14 year old daughter." Scot then interjected and said, "it would be great if you could study with our entire family actually." 

God then had me do a Bible study with Heidi about wrestling with God and how we shouldn't give up even when it's difficult. Heidi was mind blown by the study and then said that she really wanted have a deeper relationship with God and it studying the Bible would be great for their entire family. They then told me that they wanted me to come back to study and also to cook for them as well (they found out that I love cooking...haha). 

This is Scot (President of California Gold)

The following morning I received a text message from Scot telling me to come by his office because he had a check waiting for me. The more I ran into Scot the more I started learning how influential this family was. Scot owns California Gold Development Corporation and turns out that his company has built and owns all the nicest subdivisions, shopping centers, business offices, medical centers and even gas stations in Sonora. Things started to make sense why they had the nicest house with the nicest view. Scot did tell me that he would call his house a castle built on a hill.

I walked up the stairs to his office and although he was incredibly busy he came out to greet me and give me a check. I thanked him and he told me that they would invite me over again and was excited to try my cooking, then he went back to work. I walked back down to my car and just prayed thanking God for whatever was in the check. I carefully opened the envelope to find that Scot had given me far more then I would've asked for. 

God pricked my heart and the thought came to my mind, "I know you've been busy working for Me and you haven't had a chance to earn much money to support yourself, and I just want you to know, I'll take care of you."

Little did I know that there would be a blessing on both sides of this story and the best part is this story isn't over and I'm excited to see what else God has in store. 

And my God shall supply all your needs according to 
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Traveling Back in Time for Tea

Have you ever been in a room and heard a phone go off and automatically checked to see if it's yours? It's pretty funny to watch, especially when everyone has iPhones. Even though there's settings to customize our ringtones and even change the pattern for our phone to vibrate, most of the time, we don't bother to change it. Therefore, when one iPhone goes, we all automatically think it's ours. That happened to me this morning, but then I realized I was in the kitchen all by myself, and it dawned on me, "oh that's my phone." To my pleasant surprise, my friend Lindsey called me and invited me to tea in Old Town Columbia. Columbia is about ten minutes away from Sonora. It's a quaint historical little town that makes you feel like you've traveled back in time to the 1850s. The main town square only allows stage coaches to pass drive on the main road as well as travelers on foot. Also all of the employees in the shops in that area dress up like they are from the 1850s as well. It's actually pretty cool. I literally had to park my car several blocks away and walk on foot just to get to the tea house. 

I've never gone to a tea house before but it was really fun. It made feel dainty and elegant. I even held my pinky up as I drank my tea cause I want to feel fancy. Anyway, I had blast hanging out with friends and drinking tea during my lunch break. After leaving lunch I walked back through the town and decided I would get some work done while I was there. I brought flyers for the health seminar and the Revelation seminar as well, and I also stacked my pockets with GLOW tracts.

The first shop I walked into was a black smith shop. It's pretty cool. Everything they make in that shop they do the old fashion way. Anyway, I continued to go into every shop, talked story with the workers and then would invite them to the events coming up and ask them if they are interested in Bible studies. 

There was one shop in particular that stood out the most to me. I walked into what looked like a museum. There was an older gentleman that seemed like a tour guide. The shop was filled with displays and artifacts from the past. In case you didn't know this area is really well known for finding the Mother Lode (the largest gold nugget in California, 195 pounds). Things started to click in my mind such as why the main state route that runs through town is called State Route 49, after all we are in the historic mining area of the 1849 gold rush. (You can obviously tell I'm not from California, cause only now is things really clicking such as why there's a football team called the 49ers. It just makes so much more sense.) Anyway, this gentleman, Tom, started telling me all about the gold rush and it really was fascinating. Then it was my turn. I invited Tom to the health seminar and then proceeded to invite him to the Revelation seminar as well. 

The invitation to the Revelation seminar caught Tom's attention. He asked, "are you associated with the Seventh-day Adventist church?" When I told him I was, he was delighted. "I've been meaning to look you guys up." Apparently Tom has been studying his Bible and has found that the Seventh-day Adventist church is the closest that he's found to following the Bible. There was only one problem. Tom motioned me to walk toward the back of the exhibit hall away from his wife sitting in the front and then said, "the only thing is my wife is very committed to her own religion." I offered him Bible studies and he then began to tell me that he has been doing Seventh-day Adventist study guides online. He then said, "I've realized that the closer you get to the truth the more difficult it is to accept." I left Tom with a copy of every GLOW tract I had on me and he is planning on attending the Revelation seminar and also checking out the church for himself as well. 

True Friendship Evangelism Part 2

Recently (or a couple hours ago) Melina posted about her contact Linda reaching out to her neighbor (who had originally told me no for Bible studies). The interesting thing is this friendship evangelism has worked in reverse circumstances as well. In an earlier post I talked about my friend Kim. Well Kim's parents live across the street, where it just so happens to be the doors that Melina knocked on. Kim had told me to go talk to her parents to see if they would be interested in Bible studies, unfortunately no one answered when Melina came by. However, Kim was able to invite her mother to join us for our studies and they are planning on attending both the health seminar and evangelistic series together as well too. So I second what Melina mentioned, God is able to reach people in a way that Melina and I can't.

True Friendship Evangelism

The same day I met Linda, Janelle was across the street inviting people to have Bible studies as well. Linda's neighbor rejected receiving any activity or help from us, which is her choice, and Janelle moved on to people who would desire Bible studies. After studying with Linda the first time, she shared with me how she really enjoyed learning about how God has shown His love to her by giving prophecies (specifically Daniel 2) so we can learn to trust Him. The next week when I returned, her neighbor, who had declined everything Janelle offered, was at the house as well and asked me if I had another Bible she could borrow. The past several weeks I no longer only study with Linda but her neighbor whom she invited to be able to study with us as well. Friends are able to reach friends in ways that Janelle and I would not ever be able to reach them.

Only at Home

"Dear God, I pray I will meet someone who can only be reached at their home." I began knocking on doors, momentarily dismissing my prayer from my memory . Linda answered, she is retired and rarely exits her home. We began chatting, I struggled to see any interest in any of the activities we offered, but as soon as I reached inviting her to join me in studying the Bible she accepted. You see, Linda and her husband attended a church several years back when he decided he would no longer go to church. Linda, in "respect" to her husband, ceased to attend church as well. Since that decision he made three years ago Linda has longed to sing songs, study the Bible, and have the support of a church family. We nonchalantly set up a time for my return the next week and bid farewell to each other for the time being. As I walked away, I recalled how God had specifically answered my prayer finding someone who desired to get to know God better but was unable to be reached at a social function.