Day 28: At the park

We had a kick-off tonight for our Kids Club program at church. It consisted of an old fashioned ice cream social, complete with three-legged races and watermelon rolls for the kids. I was speaking there with one of the women of our church. It was one of the many times people have commented to me about this project God has given me. She asked whether I knew about a guy named D.L. Moody. That name was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. So she told me how he was a businessman more than 100 years ago who pledged to do much the same that I’m doing in talking to people every day about Jesus. He turned out to become a powerful evangelist. But in those daily connections with people, he helped people come to Christ – even people who initially rejected his message.

It was encouraging to me. It was encouraging to know someone else had done something like this and that the response can be a powerful one. So I was bold then. I’d not talked to anyone that day about God, and found myself looking time and again at another group of people at the park who were having a barbecue. It took some time to build my courage up, and then Mary gave me the five minute warning that we were leaving. That was my cue.

I walked over to them, and they greeted me. Many of their own group had left as well, but there still were five of them standing there. That’s a lot, I told myself as I approached. I asked if I could pray for them. They absorbed that for a few seconds and then one of the women piped up – “Sure!” The rest of them immediately agreed. And so I prayed for them. It seemed they genuinely appreciated it. We shook hands before I left.

It made it a good day, a fitting end to the day – and the weekend. This morning, a guest preacher spoke at our church about the new heart we have in Christ, a heart where goodness naturally flows. Not all of my interactions with people have felt natural during these past 28 days. But today’s did. And yesterday, I got some much-needed encouragement from my aunt and uncle and cousins. I’ve got a strong support system and greatly appreciate it.

Scripture: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23