One step into faith, ten steps into Target

Over the course of our time here at training camp we have gotten the opportunity to go out into “the real world” as we have so lovingly dubbed it, and evangelize to the people in town. We typically will go to a public space like Walmart, Home Depot, or the park. We’ll start conversations with people, smile at them as they pass, ask people if we can pray for them. Some girls have gone around giving out flowers and telling people Jesus loves them. We just try to show Christs love through our actions and conversations with others. Some people on my squad have even had the opportunity to share the gospel with the people that they have met. Real world evangelism like this has always scared me a little. I was nervous about going up to random strangers. I told myself I didn’t want to bother them, or interrupt their day but in reality I was just scared of rejections. I was scared I would mess up and end up making someone hate Christianity. I didn’t want to pour my heart out to them or try to show them Christ and them completely dismiss me; or even worse, get mad at me. This Saturday was an evangelism day, and as Saturday crept closer and closer I kept getting more and more nervous. But on Friday night we had a “revival” service and I felt God calling me to just take that first step. Calling me to step out in faith and trust Him. Well Saturday came and the first stop we made was a Target. We all piled out of the van and made a bee-line to the Starbucks in the front of the Target (we had to be thoroughly energized in order to spread the gospel! lol). While me and my friend Anna we standing in line, the woman standing in front of us in line turned around and pointing at my Ridgecrest shirt asked if I had ever gone to “Camp Crestridge”. I excitedly told her, yes I had grown up going to Crestridge and I had even gotten the opportunity to work on staff there that past summer as a counselor. She then informed me that she had also grown up at Crestridge and had worked on staff for several years. As the (God given) unusually long line progressed we chatted about camp, everything that had changed over the years, traditions that we both enjoyed, and fun stories from both camper years and counselor years. My friend Anna had also grown up at camp and the three of us continued to talk about all things summer camp. We then shifted the conversation towards a more eternal topic and talked to her about her spiritual life and what we might be able to pray for her about. She shared some requests that we were able to pray for her about and she asked us if there was anything she could pray for us about. We told her about the World Race and where we would be going over the next year and she was very excited for us. When we got to the register she even insisted on paying for our drinks which was very kind. As we were walking out of the Starbucks, still talking, another man who was also getting coffee jumped into the conversation and the four of us chatted for a while and then the woman had to go. We continued talking to the man (who told us his name was John) as he told us about his life. He goes to church and has a strong relationship with God but his family does not. He has tried to bring them to church with him numerous times but they always refuse. Through many years of work and with the providence of God he has overcome many hardships in his life. We were able to listen to him, help him to feel heard, minister to him, pray with him, and encourage him. It was a very sweet encounter. After he left we realized it was time to go, we hadn’t even made it ten steps into target before the Lord placed people in our path to minister too. It was an amazing lesson for me in the lords providence and timing. To take that first step, even when it might be uncomfortable. My encouragement to you is to smile to that person who passes you on the bread isle. To ask that person in the elevator how their day has been. To show Christ’s love through your everyday tasks, even something as mundane as ordering coffee.