"Road Trip"

This week we are blessed to have one of my best friends share a "life experience" with us. John Whitworth is one of my fishing buddies and although we seldom catch fish, we always come back with a story. John is a graphic designer for Kerr Screen Printing in Kerrville. John is married to Melissa (Gannaway), together they have two children. Thanks John!

*****Last weekend my family and I were headed out of town to celebrate Labor Day weekend. I got in my truck to leave work and found out that my battery was dead. I was finally able to get my truck started but knew I needed to replace the battery before we got on the road. "I don't have time for this! I can't afford this right now!" I grumbled. It was miserably hot outside, and I didn't have time to go to the store, install a new battery, and get all sweaty and stinky right before our road-trip! I wasn't in a very good mood as I pulled into the local auto parts store. I walked inside and was greeted by a very friendly and heavily tattooed man. I told him about my car troubles so he tested the battery and confirmed it was time for a new one. My attitude shifted as he offered to install the battery for me! This was great, because I didnt have to get dirty before our trip.

As he worked on my car, I struck up a casual conversation and quickly learned that he was a cancer survivor. He said he had battled cancer that had spread throughout his body and he has been free of it for about six years! The more we made small talk, I started to feel that tug on my heart. Have you felt this before? Its that feeling you get inside when you can feel God nudging you to share your faith.

"Not now God!" I thought to myself. "So uncool. Just let this guy fix my car and get on my way. He'll think Im a lunatic!" After a quick internal battle with God, I decided to be bold and take courage. I would try and share.

A quick little trick I learned from the book, Share Jesus without Fear, is that you can turn any casual conversation into an opportunity to share with one simple, non-confrontational question, "Do you have any spiritual beliefs?". So, I tried to work up some nerves(kind of like jumping off a high-dive) and took the plunge.

"So, do you have any spiritual beliefs?" I asked.
"Sure" he replied, "I think there is a God".
I followed up with, "So, do you believe in a heaven or a hell?"
He paused, and then said, "Yes, but to tell you the truth, my dad just died about a year ago, and I'm still struggling with that."
Ouch. Door Slammed. Point taken. How could I go on witnessing to this guy? I didn't want to seem like an insensitive jerk and tell him that without a relationship with Christ, we can not be with God in heaven. What can you say?

God gave me the words. I explained to him that I have a very close friend, that recently lost his father, and has been battling cancer himself. We now had something in common. He really opened up to me, and we had a great conversation. I explained how we are all sinners, and need a savior. I explained how Jesus paid the price for our sins, and that if we trust in Him we are saved. I explained that I believe my battery died that day so that I would meet him, and share the gospel with him! It really was an amazing chain of events. Did he accept Christ right then and there? No. Was it a "success"? Yes, I did all I could do, I shared. We cannot save anyone, only Christ can. It is our job though to tell people what the Bible(God's Word) says! I would like to hope that I planted a seed in his heart and one day he will accept Christ.

I learned a few things that day:

***1-God can take something that may seem bad to us, and use it for his good! Sure my battery died and I'm out a hundred bucks, but was able to share the gospel with someone in need!
***2-God calls each of us to share our faith! Even though it may be "socially awkward", who am I to keep such a wonderful and free gift a secret!
***3-Duralast batteries have a two year warranty.

I tell you this story to encourage you! When was the last time you told somebody about Jesus? If you know Christ as your savior, I pray that you will answer the call to share your faith! A great book I recommend is, "Share Jesus without Fear"...google it. It gives you really easy ways to share the gospel.
If you aren't a Christian, or if you aren't 100% sure you'd go to heaven if you died tonight... open a bible and read Romans 10:9-11. You can always write Tony at PocoLoco if you have any questions about all this "Jesus-stuff". It's actually pretty easy, as it is a free gift for all that accept! Billy Graham put it best when he said that God made it so easy that even a young kid can do it! Our salvation is by faith alone.

Have a great week,
--John