Have you ever felt a strong urge to share Christ with someone . . . and didn't? Me too. Read on for the story.
Fifth Day
Actually, I just made a mistake. I meant to write about something that happened last night after the campfire, but technically it may have been just very early this morning.
Last night my tent-mate Eric started talking to me about something he had on his mind. It was weird because he and I were really tired and what he was talking about was really from the heart. It was something serious. I can’t really say what, but it was something that was bothering him and he needed someone to tell.
We talked and listened to each other. Actually, Eric talked the most and I listened. He had to get some things clear in his mind, which he did. I also talked about a similar experience and gave my testimony, which was similar to his. We related to each other and found consolation and comfort that it was the Lord who brought us both out of our situation.
Eric later talked about a school friend he knew who needs the Lord but he hasn’t told him. The whole time he was in school he never told this friend about Christ, but he still keeps in touch with him. I saw in Eric a picture of myself when I was in the ninth grade. I could have told this one close friend of mine about Christ, but my life didn’t exemplify it at all. I thought about it, but didn’t.
Then later on, after I had put aside my silly selfishness and started to truly live for Christ, I felt the desire to see this friend of mine get saved. The very next day I went to school all psyched to witness to my friend Joe, but I went to class and he wasn’t there. Day after day went by and he didn’t show up. I started wondering and worrying where he was. No one knew when I asked. I later asked a teacher who knew, and Joe had moved and transferred schools. I lost my chance and opportunity. I may have been the only one to tell him and I blew it. Boy, did that hurt my spirit. I now use that experience to tell others and not procrastinate and to not be ashamed.
After Eric and I talked, we both prayed and asked God for the determination to press on after our friends and family that don’t know Christ as savior. We also thanked God for giving us the desire for souls and asked Him to increase that desire. I really felt God’s presence among us last night.
Eric and I have a much stronger friendship and trust. In the future I feel confident that I can come to him with problems or just to talk. Thank you, Lord, for Eric and Your work in his life. And thank you, Eric, for opening up and sharing your life with me.
To be continued ...
Actually, I just made a mistake. I meant to write about something that happened last night after the campfire, but technically it may have been just very early this morning.
Last night my tent-mate Eric started talking to me about something he had on his mind. It was weird because he and I were really tired and what he was talking about was really from the heart. It was something serious. I can’t really say what, but it was something that was bothering him and he needed someone to tell.
We talked and listened to each other. Actually, Eric talked the most and I listened. He had to get some things clear in his mind, which he did. I also talked about a similar experience and gave my testimony, which was similar to his. We related to each other and found consolation and comfort that it was the Lord who brought us both out of our situation.
Eric later talked about a school friend he knew who needs the Lord but he hasn’t told him. The whole time he was in school he never told this friend about Christ, but he still keeps in touch with him. I saw in Eric a picture of myself when I was in the ninth grade. I could have told this one close friend of mine about Christ, but my life didn’t exemplify it at all. I thought about it, but didn’t.
Then later on, after I had put aside my silly selfishness and started to truly live for Christ, I felt the desire to see this friend of mine get saved. The very next day I went to school all psyched to witness to my friend Joe, but I went to class and he wasn’t there. Day after day went by and he didn’t show up. I started wondering and worrying where he was. No one knew when I asked. I later asked a teacher who knew, and Joe had moved and transferred schools. I lost my chance and opportunity. I may have been the only one to tell him and I blew it. Boy, did that hurt my spirit. I now use that experience to tell others and not procrastinate and to not be ashamed.
After Eric and I talked, we both prayed and asked God for the determination to press on after our friends and family that don’t know Christ as savior. We also thanked God for giving us the desire for souls and asked Him to increase that desire. I really felt God’s presence among us last night.
Eric and I have a much stronger friendship and trust. In the future I feel confident that I can come to him with problems or just to talk. Thank you, Lord, for Eric and Your work in his life. And thank you, Eric, for opening up and sharing your life with me.
To be continued ...
Again, as Paul's father, I am deeply humbled, but also greatly heartened by Paul's maturity and commitment to serve the Lord with his whole heart. My wife and I praise God that He has given Paul's testimony a new life to encourage and challenge a whole new generation. My wife and I cannot be more thankful to God for what He did and continues to do through Paul's life and death. We are not promoting out son, we are praising God because God is being glorified again through Paul's writing and testimony from 20 years ago. God is in this, and we pray that it spreads far and wide to God's glory and the challenging and encouragement of many more people. God only does good, and He has in this case and in many other ways, wonderfully turned seeming tragedy into triumph. Praise God! --Jim & Nancy Maxwell
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