FCT Days 3-13:

As thy days, so shall thy strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25

A precious promise this last two weeks! It has been rainy, snowy, cold... But the experience of touching peoples lives for eternity is worthy the pain, long days, and sacrifice.

Obviously I have not been posting each night. Things have just been so busy. And now I have so many stories I will never get them all written down and I've already forgotten half of them. I was (ashamedly) shocked at how open and hungry people are for the books. Many still reject, give, excuses, or say they are already Christian and have their own church. Some are sincerely unable to purchase the books, but want to know if I will come back in a week when they will have money. I cannot do that, but I can give them a Happy-D and show them how to order them later. Then at least they have one message book. Some of them I give the book to for free because either I have received extra donations from others who don't want any books, or because I can tell they really want them and the message will not be lost with them. Yesterday I got my first Spanish book out. We have He Taught Love in Spanish. They lady didn't have then ten dollars, but after telling her I would give it to her if she would read it, to which she gladly agreed, and praying  with her, she went inside and brought out $7. "I don't have ten, but I have this," she said.

So many I could tell...Rebekah who gave $25 dollars of the last $60 she had to last over a week until payday. She also was having to pay people to take her to work because her car was in an accident. I prayed with her that God will would allow her car to be fixable and to stretch her remaining money in thanks for her generosity to me. We happened to be eating yesterday in the parking lot of Radio Shack where she works and so I ran in to see if she was there and ask how things were going. She was glad to see me and said with joy on her face that her boyfriend had taken her to a friends shop over the weekend and fixed it so she can drive it again. The answer to our prayers! At church this last Sabbath I shared the experience and a church member asked where she worked and for her name because he wants to take her an envelope with $25 and just give it to and say, "The Lord impressed me to give this to you." I exchanged email addresses with Rebekah yesterday and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for her. I invited her to the couples Valentine's dinner at church this weekend. She's not sure if she can get off work, but sounded interested. She will stay in my prayers.

There is Ben who I gave a Great Controversy because he didn't have any money with him. He gave me his card with his cell number and told me where he lived so I could stop by if I was in the area and he would give me the money for the book. I called and left a message inviting him to church this last Sabbath. I'm going to call him again. He has a little boy who he said he wants to take to many different churches so that he can have a taste of different religions.

There is so many more....Someday I will write them down. Until then they each live in my heart and in my prayers and encourage me to press on when my back hurts and I can't feel my toes for the cold. In my worship this morning I read the chapter in Steps to Christ entitled The Work and the Life.

"From the manger to Calvary He followed the path of self-denial and sought not to be released from arduous tasks, painful travels and exhausting care and labor. He said, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28. This was the one great object of His life. Everything else was secondary and subservient. It was His meat and drink to do the will of God and to finish His work. Self and self-interest had no part in His labor.

So those who are the partakers of the grace of Christ will be ready to make any sacrifice, that others for whom He died may share the heavenly gift. They will do all they can to make the world better for their stay in it. This spirit is the sure outgrowth of a soul truly converted. No sooner does one come to Christ than there is born in his heart a desire to make known to others what a precious friend he has found in Jesus; the saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart.

And the effort to bless others will react in blessings upon ourselves. This was the purpose of God in giving us a part to act in the plan of redemption. He has granted men the privilege of becoming partakers of the divine nature and, in their turn, of diffusing blessings to their fellow men. This is the highest honor, the greatest joy, that it is possible for God to bestow upon men. Those who thus become participants in labors of love are brought nearest to their Creator."

Though the battle has been fierce and the trials hard, I know that God is doing something in me that, when I see the fruits and receive the reward in heaven, I will count as more than worth every sacrifice!

We are here till Sunday the 21st so keep praying. There are many more people to be reached. Thank you!!

FCT Day 2:

I got up at 4:30am to get my things together to pack in the van that was coming to pick me up at 5:05am. It arrived at 5:20am. After a few more stops to pick up luggage and two more people, we hit the road at 6:00am for the eight hour drive to Clarksville, TN. (The programs were switched around at the last minute and I’m not going to Memphis now.) There are 17 in our group. The trip was uneventful accept for one stop to try to figure out why the van kept losing its get-up-and-go power. After its short rest it carried us along without a problem. Sunny skies and pleasant weather followed us for the length of the journey.

We arrived safely at about 1pm and unloaded. Getting settled took a little while. There are 8 of us girls in the mother’s room, but it’s warm and comfortable. We share one shower, but we have hot water.

Our leaders went out to buy food for lunch. That took a while as well so lunch was delayed until around 4pm, but it was yummy. Haystacks! Yea!!

The experienced ones went out after lunch to canvass, and the rest of us got training. Tomorrow we will shadow different people to get hand on training in the field. God is really blessing me with peace which I know is an answer to the many prayers! Thank you!

Lights-out is in 5 minutes so I must run. I’m very tired after a long day. Goodnight…zzzz

February Canvassing Trip Day 1:

I boarded my plane in Omaha this morning at 10:55. I’m flying Southwest {feel the LUV!}, so I get to pick my own seat. I like that…and I don’t. I get to pick my spot, but I have to decide where might be an opportunity to share might be. Last time I flew Southwest I picked a row with a lady. That was fine, but they seem to be quite and absorbed in book or sleeping most of the time. As I waited at the gate I looked around at the people. Who might I want to sit by for an hour and a half? One gentleman caught my attention. He look like he was traveling for business, but seemed either anxious or stressed or depressed. He paced back and forth, checked his watch, paced, took off his jacket, looked at his watch... If I see an empty seat by him I think I’ll take it. I tried to imagine what might be weighing on him so.

The gate attendant announced that boarding would begin shortly and the A group lined up by their respective pillars. The business gentleman pressed forward to his place in line and disappeared from sight. Group A boarded and I took my place at B18. Praying as I rounded the corner to enter the aircraft, I spotted him right there in row 4 in the aisle seat. Another business looking gentleman occupied the window seat. Feeling conspicuous I hesitated to choose the seat, but the line stopped just ahead of me so, “Well, I guess I’ll grab this seat.” He jumped up and helped me into the seat. I positioned my luggage in the overhead bin and squeezed my bulging backpack under the seat. Polite “oh sorry” and “excuse me” passed between the three of us as we got situated. The gentleman in the aisle seat, still with anxious manners, began browsing through a magazine and the other was looking over some papers on transportation efficiency. The seats filled and soon we taxied out.

Once in the air I pulled out my backpack and retrieved my devotional (one of my very favorites, Streams in the Desert). After an encouraging reading I decided to read the chapter in Isaiah from which the devotional scripture was taken. The flight attendants came by to take orders. I declined since I had my full water bottle. I opened my Bible to Isaiah 58. Before reading I selected a few GLOWs to keep in my pocket for quick use. After putting them in the front of my Bible I decided I was thirsty and located my water bottle. As I flipped up the straw, a fountain of water erupted from the bottle. Shocked, I quickly closed it, but the damage was already done. Thankfully it missed my good humored neighbors. They offered their condolences as I dabbed at my wet Bible with my sleeve and requested some napkins for me as the flight attendant came by. “And that’s not the book you wanted to get wet”, offered Mr. Aisle. “No,” I laughed, “but I think it will survive.” “It’s the weathered look,” says Mr. Window. I laughed again. “I’m sure God will forgive you”, comforts Mr. Aisle as I carefully place napkins between the most affected pages, “I’ll ask Him to for you.” I smile, “I’m sure He will.”

Following that introduction (that regrettably never included exchanging names) the ice was sufficiently broken. I asked them if they traveled a lot and my suspicions of businessmen were confirmed with a double yes. Mr. Window, from Sioux City, owns a trucking company with his brother (hence the transportation papers). Mr. Aisle, from Fremont, works for a company that has something to do with 3rd generation pasta from Europe (I think). I got a bit lost in the explanation that passed mostly between Mr. Aisle and Mr. Window. They hit it off quite well and I was the successful conversation moderator asking questions that the two of them then answered in business fashion between themselves. I found it quite humorous. I was able to interject a comment, polite nod or chuckle occasionally. A lively discourse continued for the duration of the flight. It floated from commuting to cities lived in, to selling houses, to snow storms, to the technological state of the world, and concluded with children and the opportunity we as children have to communicate in numerous ways. Yet we agreed that the danger is that so much of it can transpire without the awareness of the parents. We also discussed the problem that it is causing in that the younger generation is losing the ability to communicate face to face. (I say we now because I entered into the conversation a little more at this point.) I was impressed with Mr. Window’s involvement with his children. He has a system set up through his work where he can track how many texts his children send and then compares it with the number on their phones. They abide by the rule that no messages are to be deleted and mom and dad can review them. If the number doesn’t match the phone is confiscated.

I kept waiting for them to ask me where I was going. Finally they did. I explained and offered them a GLOW as we approached Chicago-Midway airport. I can never decide which one to give, so sometimes I let them pick what looks interesting to them. Mr. Aisle made me pick for him. Mr. Window selected one on the Sabbath and one on “The Economy and Your Future”. For Mr. Aisle I spread the stack out in front of me hoping he would spy one of interest himself, but he insisted with a smile that I choose for him. So I gave him one on Daniel 2 and one called “Talking to God” which is an excerpt on prayer from Steps to Christ. He took them with thanks and a smile, and a big change from his persona at the Omaha gate. Though I wasn’t able to overtly share Christ, I did my best to represent Him to them. I pray that the seeds of truth shared will be watered. I also encouraged them in dedication to their children.

As we taxied into our gate, I gathered my things. Mr. Aisle retrieved my luggage from the overhead bin and Mr. Window carried it all the way up the gangplank into the airport. Since it was nearing lunch time he told me where I could find the food court. With thanks and “God Bless” we parted ways.

My two hour layover was spent going in the opposite direction of the food court and absentmindedly asking a nice black gentleman for directions. The problem was he was recruiting people to sign up for a Southwest Chase card. He greeted me warmly and I asked, “Did I pass the food court?” To which he replied, “Are you over 18?” Trying to figure out how that fit into my search for food I answered, “I’ll be 22 next month?” “Ah, well then, sign up here and with your first purchase of any amount you get a free flight to anywhere Southwest flies! Here, you’ll get a free Chicago T-shirt too!” Being the kindhearted person that I am he finally persuaded me, and then directed me to the food court. In turn I handed him two GLOWs.  He looked at them, “Signs of the Times,” he read title. “Oh no,” escaped his lips and I wasn’t sure what it meant. “I did yours now you have to do mine,” I said with a persuasive smile. He smiled back and said with sincerity, “I will read them.”

After finding my way easily to the food court I decided I would save some money and eat my favorite granola bar (Dr. Nedley’s Uplift bar!) and cup of peach medley applesauce. Then I went to my gate and while waiting for my plane started this blog.

The next flight was just barely over half full. I chose a seat by the window in row 3 with a sweet elderly lady. We share a pleasant conversation off and on throughout the flight. She was returning to Little Rock from a two week visit with family in Denver, CO. She asked me where I was going and I shared about the canvassing I would be doing. She asked if I was going to school and we talked about the wide variety of career opportunities in so many fields.

Towards the end of the flight I asked her if she liked to read. “Yes, I do, but I couldn’t find my book in my bag,” she replied. I pulled my Happiness Digest out of my backpack and gave it to her. “I can keep this?” she asked with appreciation. I told her how much I enjoyed reading it. I showed her the other books listed in the back, “These are the books I will be selling.” I asked if she studied the Bible. “Oh, yes,” she said, “I make that part of my day! And I pray too.” We shared about how Christ makes such a difference in the life, and how so often we don’t realized the power available to us through prayer. She thanked me for the book as she looked through it the last few minutes of the flight. “This looks like stuff that is useful in everyday life. I will cherish this book and think of you.” Her name is Jean, just a few letters away from mine. :) The flight attendant helped Jean with her luggage off the plane. She was gone so quick while I gathered my things that I missed saying goodbye. Thankfully she showed up right next to me at the baggage claim. “It was so nice to meet you,” I smiled, “Have a safe rest of the trip home. I will keep you in my prayers.” “Thank you, sweetheart. You do that!”

It was a good day! I pray the Lord’s blessing, protection, and guidance on my three new friends, and hope I meet them again someday.

P.S. I do get internet here in the hall way so I will try to post each night. I'm not in Memphis anymore. Things got switched around and we are now in Clarksville, TN on the boarder of TN and KY in a city of about 130,00.

a new adventure...

Tomorrow I leave for my first canvassing trip. It is 2.5 weeks long (the longest I've ever been away from home...yes, I know how old I am, but I’m kinda attached to my family) I will be going to Memphis, TN, with a group of students from Ouachita Hills College (OHC).

I'm excited...and scared...and nervous...and expectant. I've heard so many amazing stories from canvassing, the fierce dogs that lay quiet at your feet, the searching souls, the customer that meets you with a gun (true story from my brother), Divine appointments. I want to experience them myself. (well, ok maybe not the gun) I am aware that it won't be all fun and great times; it will be outside my comfort zone for sure. But that's part of what intrigues me. There's a side of me that craves impossibility just so God can show me His power. I have asked for this before and was shocked at His quick and thorough answer (some may remember certain temperamental headsets). Sometimes when a dilemma arises, my heart races with anticipation to see the mighty arm of my Prince at work. Not that I don't fear at times or cry or fret. I'm still learning. But it's like when a Father asks his child to close her eyes fall backward, trusting he will catch her. There is a fear, but yet a craving to know his faithfulness and strength.

Prophets & Kings is our current evening reading as family. We just finished the chapters of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It was greatly encouraging to me and strengthened my faith in the mighty arm of my God. Nehemiah did not have it easy, but he knew Who was on his side.

In his many activities Nehemiah did not forget the source of his strength. His heart was constantly uplifted to God, the great Overseer of all. "The God of heaven," he exclaimed, "He will prosper us;" and the words, echoed and re-echoed, thrilled the hearts of all the workers on the wall. PK 640

Endowed with divine energy, [truth] will cut its way through the strongest barriers, and triumph over every obstacle. Ev. 20

I know what I will be doing will not please the enemy, just as Sanballat and Tobiah were not pleased with Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. But the God of Nehemiah is my God and He is going with me. I am going out with truth and it will cut its way through the strongest barriers, and triumph over every obstacle.

I always get very fearful at new things, so I don’t know why I crave them so much. (I haven’t figured myself out yet) But I guess it’s kind of like my little nieces. They will do something they are totally afraid of, even while their heart is racing and they’re shaking with excitement, as long as I am holding them tightly in my arms and doing it with them. That’s where I want to be…held tightly in the Father’s arms!

A friend shared Phil 4:6, 7 with me this last weekend, and I have been quoting it to myself for the past few days. “Don’t worry [fear] about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand His peace will guard you hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” {NLT}

I like that…He will guard you heart and mind. I picture Him setting a guard at the drawbridge of my mind. Sir Fearful (feigning to be Sir Caution) comes to gain admission. After a questioning by the noble guard, Knight Peace, he is seen to be a trespasser and the would-be visitor is taken captive (2Cor 10:5) and promptly conducted to the dungeon. (Ok, so I have an over active imagination. I’m visual. ;)

Of course I solicit your prayers. Not just for me, but for the whole group as well as for the city of Memphis. Pray that the angels of God that excel in strength will go before us and drive back the forces of darkness, and that His Holy Spirit will open the minds of the people to sense their need.

I will not have internet there. Otherwise I would post my experiences. I will write them down though and post them all when I get home.