Ministry Update

[This one's for you Marie]

Its been so long since I have updated this blog that I actually forgot what it was called and I had to go to my 'links' page on Facebook to get the site address.

Part of the reason for the infrequent updates is laziness. Another part is that I am always questioning my motives. The words of Tozer continue to haunt me: "Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice." Do I really maintain this blog for Christ's glory, or for my own? God knows.

Although the blogs have slowed down the preaching goes on. The Santa Rosa Jr. College devoted almost an entire newspaper to our ministry. We have been on several news stations and a friend just told me that our local newspaper reported that Santa Rosa will soon be clamping down and introducing new laws regarding public speech, most likely because of our ministry there. So much for the First Amendment.

Here is a story I want to tell you about: A young woman whom I will call 'Jane' was one of our most vehement opponents. I remember one time I was preaching and she stood right in front of me and stuck both of her middle fingers in my face. I remember looking in her eyes. They were so full of hate that I almost could not believe what I was seeing. If she could have ripped my heart out of my chest and stomped it to a pulp on the sidewalk she gladly would have.

For whatever reason the Lord put it on my heart to give her 20 dollars - just to bless her. So when we arrived at our spot the next week I saw her and realized that I didn't have any money on me. About a half hour later when Jim was preaching a man came up to me and said "God bless you guys" and handed me 20 dollars.

So I look up and who did I see but Jane. So I walked over to her and said, "Jane, you will never believe what happened to me. Someone gave me 20 dollars for preaching the gospel but I don't take money for preaching the gospel so I wanted to give it to you." Her jaw almost hit the ground.

About 10 minutes later I was back to preaching again and Jane and her friend walked by and made some evil comments like "Hey fool, thanks for the 20 bucks. We are going to get a big %$@#& hamburger with it."

What happened next was very interesting. For the rest of the night all her friends kept coming up to me saying things like, "Did you really give Jane 20 bucks?" They could not believe it - that a preacher was actually giving money away. Some of them were calling their friends and telling them, "Hey, remember those preachers? One of them gave Jane 20 bucks...can you believe that?"

Another very interesting thing happened. Jane softened towards me. Later that night she asked me for my e-mail and when I got home this is what I found:

"I don't believe in God anymore because of this: My Mom left me. My Dad left me. The only thing I had was my ex-boyfriend. I loved him. I actually loved him and I loved God. Then my ex tried to commit suicide multiple times. This led me down the wrong path and I tried to commit suicide as well. I always prayed for him. I read my Bible everyday. Then he turned on me. He told me I could go and die. So I tried, but it just left me broken and my heart literally died. I turned away from God. The only thing I had left was cutting. Yes I am a cutter and I can't open myself up to God. I have tried so hard to get Him back in my life but nothing happened so I gave up. The only reason I am telling you this is because I am so hurt and I just need someone to talk to...."

This is a very hurting young girl friends. Join me in praying for her...