I have an update on some of the people God brought into my life, where I've gotten the chance to join Him in His work.
I'll start with the best news: The coworker's wife who was feeling anxiety, which I told my friend could be God drawing her to Himself - SHE GOT SAVED! Hallelujah! She continued to ask questions, and my friend continued to lovingly answer them while pointing to the power of Jesus in his life. Meanwhile, I just KNOW that our wives need to meet, and I set about trying to come up with a way to make it happen. Again, I am trying to do this in my own power, and failing. I ought to know better, because of course, God provided the way. My friend's wife is anxious. My wonderful wife, a licensed massage therapist, offers her a massage. She accepts. After a few weeks, they get it scheduled and she loves it. My wife simply showed her the love of Christ. She didn't evangelize verbally, didn't beat her over the head with a Bible. Just loved her and cared for her. Showed her what a real Christian is like.
Then my friend got the chance to ask his wife if she'd be willing to talk to a pastor about why she was anxious. She agreed to, and he contacted my pastor (she of course wondered how he knew this pastor, perhaps a little suspicious, but he answered truthfully that he'd met him through me). Two days after the visit from my wife, they meet at their house. After many questions and answers, my pastor asks whether she wants Jesus to enter her life, and she says she does! My friend questions her a little more to make sure she understands what she is doing, and she does. Right there, she repents and accepts Jesus as her Savior and Lord! I saw my friend two days later, and he was speechless, and glowing with joy!
After a few busy weekends, he makes it to my church and he is thrilled (along with all of the people at my church who have been praying for him and his wife for the last six months). He sends her the sermon from that week, along with the pastor's email about how our church had to come together for a last minute relocation. My friend thinks he isn't going to be able to go to church the following week due to some family logistics. The next thing he knows, his wife has changed things around and the two of them make it to church, and I finally got to meet her! Of course everyone at church is thrilled to meet her and turns on the hospitality. I hope she felt welcome and returns.
Our long-time fill-in guitar player has returned to church, but not playing guitar. Our new fill-in keeps coming back! It looks like he's staying. Also, the soundboard guy has accepted Jesus! We hope his family is next.
The lunch-time small group study at work is going strong. .We have three people in a conference room and one on the phone. Some weeks, we've had two on the phone. Everyone is participating and we are all learning a lot about our identity in Christ. And it turns out our colleague who moved away, is moving back to PA for a new assignment. He'll be about 90 minutes away, so we should be able to visit sometime.
I haven't heard from the friend who isn't a believer. Which reminds me that I need to get back to praying regularly for him. I have been remiss.
I think that brings this part of my story up to date. In the next post, I'll explain the last-minute relocation that I mentioned. What a story of victory in Christ that is!
