Thoughts on Witnessing...

Well, my vacation has been interesting. This is only the 3rd day so far. On the first day, I ended up sitting with the band members of Buck-O-Nine from San Diego to Reno, and then from Reno to Seattle. I shared with Jeff, the drummer, about my mission trip to the Ukraine and did mention that I worked at my church. I guess I could say more when given an opportunity to witness, but I'm the kind of person that likes to let actions speak louder than words. So in the Reno airport, when we were all hanging out in the bar, though I am 21, I didn't drink. I didn't gamble either at those stupid slot machines. On the flight to Seattle, I did pray for them, and asked for maybe an open door to get to say something. I think my prayer got answered when my grandpa came to pick me up from the airport. He had just come from a Gideon's convention (they distribute Bibles around the world), and handed one of the band members a Bible. That was cool. I guess they all live in San Diego where I do, and they have my number, so pray for possible future possibilities to be a light in these guys' lives.On the second day, yesterday, I met these young guys on the Port Orchard waterfront (across from Bremerton, WA). My interest always gets peaked when I hear or see a skateboarder. To me it's like, "Witnessing opportunity!!!!" I have a good friend that skates so... I guess you can say that I know a little bit about the scene. [laughs] I also have the advantage of looking like a teenager! So, I hung out and watched this one guy try to land these tricks. I ended up talking to him and meeting his friend also. Their names were Dominique and Matt. At one point in the conversation, Dominique asked if I smoked pot. Man, does he live up to the typical skater stereo type! I told him I didn't and asked him if he did and why. So I got on him a little for that. I found out that Matt is from Palm Springs, California, which is just east, in the desert, from where I live. I also found out that Dominique grew up in Tuscon, Arizona before he moved up here to Washington. Matt's 17 and will graduating this year, and... I'm guessing Dominique is like 15. They told me they hang around there often, so I'm hoping for another opportunity to witness to these guys. Please keep them in your prayers.So I've been so blessed that my prayer request has been answered, for God to use me how He'd want to, and give me opportunities to meet people and get to witness to them.Please keep me in your prayers though because I do battle with lonliness big time up here. I guess I miss my friends. It's beautiful and everything up here, but if you don't have a friend to share it with, it gets kind of depressing. Thank you!

Well, I miss you too!I can't wait till you get back. But I guess it's not like, I never talk to you. I still talk to you the same amount as if you were here. Ha Ha! I just don't get to hang out with you on weekends... Ok, have fun!

wow, sounds like you have neat opportunities all around. I think it is very awsome that you can relate to the younger generation and not be put off by their dress, hair, ect... I am like that too. It helps that I have a 14 yr. old and that I look younger than I am. :-) May the Lord's peace and love be with you during your trip. You may never know the fruit of your "sharing" until you see Him.In Him, chanin

Thank you very much, Chanin. Yeah, I have a heart for teenagers. I used to be a youth leader in my church with the high school girls. I felt that God was moving me onto other things and freeing up my schedule for something else. I'm still not quite sure what that may be, but I do have a mission trip to the Ukraine 2 weeks after I get back from vacation. I get to work with teenage street kids at a summer camp. I guess the rest of the team always like to work with the younger kids because they're so cute, so the teenagers are all mine!But of course, people of all ages are cool. It's God that brings us all together and gives us a common ground in Jesus. I actually get to go to a Bible study with my grandma tonight to talk about angels. We'll be reading the story of Philip and the eunuch, and Peter and Cornelius from Acts. It should be an interesting study and discussion, like the topics on here. I may even post something on the topic of angels later.Okay, well this is like talking to my 2 friends here, so I'm done until next time.

Okay, so here's a question for you all, is there a difference between witnessing and evangelizing? And do you think that maybe some people are meant to just plant seeds, and others are meant to actually help lead someone to be saved? Should everybody just up front bring up Jesus Christ to strangers whether they want to hear it or not, or wait until the stranger asks about God?I'm asking because last night we were studying about angels and the Holy Spirit in a Bible study. One of the stories we read was about Philip and the Eunuch. The interesting thing is, that I think, is the Eunuch was asking about the Scriptures, therefore giving Philip the opportunity to share about Christ:"As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, 'Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.' So he did, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia... The Holy Spirit said to Philip, 'Go over and walk along beside the carriage.'Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah; so he asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'The man replied, 'How can I, when there is no one to instruct me?' And he begged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him...So Philip began with this same Scripture and then used many others to tell him the Good News about Jesus."(Acts 8:26-35)