Rambling in the Spirit

    I have just started teaching a weekly Sunday School class--middle school girls.  Our church allocates very little time to these classes (about 35 minutes of actual teaching time), so sometimes it's hard to focus all of your teaching energies and stay on track.  I usually teach the lesson, pray for them, and then I'll throw in a couple tips for living the Christian lifestyle.  The girls are just really starting out in their life ministries to their peers, and I want to give them as much support as I can...in 5 minutes or less.
    So last week as an oh-by-the-way lesson, I asked them where they would suggest that someone new to the faith should start reading the bible.  Their answer:  "Genesis?"  Well, not exactly.  I told them that Christianity in a nutshell can be found in John and Romans.  And I reminded them that we sent out some "John and Roman" scriptures to Mexico when printing the whole New Testament was too expensive.
    It's hard to know whether kids are even listing to you sometimes, let alone whether anything is sinking in.  But last night one of the girls from the class came up to me with something to share:
    "Hey Anna, remember last week when you told us where to start reading with someone who had never opened a bible?"
    "Sure"  (I barely remembered even talking about it.)
    "Well, the other night I was over at my friend's house jumping on the trampoline, and these boys were around...being rude, and I told them, 'That's not very Christ-like," and they wanted to know what that meant, so we started explaining to them, and..."
    Okay, long story short, ('cause you know middle school girls can go on) these girls talked to these boys so long, that they pulled lawn chairs out to keep the conversation going.  They pulled their bibles out, knowing just where to start, and explained the Gospel to them.  After the boys left, the two girls prayed for them.  A little later one of the boys came back and told them that he wanted to be saved!  Are you kidding me!!!!!
    God used my imperfect, Moses-like, bumbling, babbling self to catch this girl's attention.  Because He knew it was the perfect timing, and that that boy was ripe for his Good News.  Something that I've always been sad about, and if I'm completely honest, a little embarrassed about, is that I've never had the privilege of personally leading someone to Christ.  But yesterday He proved to me that there are many ways to be a witness for Him.  That even I, with my timid-Christian spirit, am playing a role in furthering His kingdom--in the busiest season of my life.
     Thank you, Lord!

Comments

[Titia]

How awesome! Timidlike"who"?? God has allowed your spirit to grow enormously in Indiana! How proud I am that you have had your First Share! Thank you for sharing with us. An amazing story...

[Momma]

Anna, I love this section. Keep up staying out of your box...
You are full of 'Kingdom Opportunities'. SO PROUD. M

[katelynjane]

I coach a ball hockey team at "the ark" a local Christian community "safe-house". Every week during club talk, we talk to the boys on God stuff. It's so hard sometimes because they aren't paying attention and you have no idea if they even heard what you just said. Every now and then we get one kid that responds, asks a deep question or shows true interest. It's an amazing feeling and so worth going on and talking to them more about God, if only for that one comment every couple of weeks!