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April
2002 Monthly Letter
Dear
Partner In Ministry,
In
one of His resurrected appearances, Jesus asked his fishing
disciples, “Friends, have you caught any fish?”
John 21:5
Previously,
He had told them they would become “fishers of others.”
While
traveling around the country, I’m still fishin’
in Florida! Here's a “fishing story” I hope will
encourage you in your fishing for others.
When
you move to a new location, you have to find new places like
groceries stores and new people like hair stylists!
In
2000, I found Sue, a hair stylist. She loves her job, her
husband, a daughter, 2 year old granddaughter, and her horses!
She
often uses the phrase: “Oh, my god!” Whenever I
hear this, my spirit cringes! So I put her name on my prayer
list, utilizing the FRIENDS fishing principles: Find
a few people in your walk in life, Reveal your faith
by friendly deeds, and Intercede for them — talk
to God before you talk to them about God.
On
6/27/00 during my prayer time, I was praying Psalms 86:11
“Give me an undivided heart to revere your name.”
As I prayed, I wrote Sue’s name in the margin with the
date.
During
my 1/01 appointment, she spoke of driving to Georgia and seeing
a road sign stating: “As long as you take my name
in vain, I will allow traffic jams! — God.” She
confessed her habitual use of the “name-vain phrase”
and a desire to stop. Coincidence?
I
went to my car, got my Bible, returned and showed her Psalms
86 and her name written next to it with the date! She was
astounded! Coincidence?
My
next appointment was to have been 2/16 but I called to reschedule
it for 2/20. When I came, Sue looked pale and troubled. “Are
you okay?” I inquired. “No,” she
said tearfully, “haven't you heard, Dale was killed
on the 18th.” “Dale who?” I asked in total
ignorance. “Dale Earnhardt!” (the famous
race car driver) “He was like family,” she
said.
While
getting my hair cut, God gave me the opportunity to ask her,
“Sue, if you died in a car accident and God asked
you, ‘Why should I allow you into heaven?’, what
would you say?” I then had the privilege of introducing
her to Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life, and to
New Hope Fellowship, a church at which she and Bud now attend!
Another
coincidence? Notice that my original appointment was before
Dale’s death. The rescheduled one occurred after
his death! Her heart was now open in a different way! God’s
timing was perfect! His power is released by interceding prayer.
Have you noticed that the more we pray, the more coincidences
like this occur!!!
Thank
you for your interceding prayers for me, my family and UpBuilding
Ministries. We appreciate them. Keep on praying and fishin'
for the few in your arena of life. I’m doing that with
Nick, a car mechanic, Harry, a neighbor, and Ron, a plumber.
They’re nibblin’ !
Ron
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