What if you owned your own business? As they say, if you do, you can choose which 16 hours out of the day you want to work!! But couldn’t that business be used for God’s business? Couldn’t that be a soul-winning business? Couldn’t you start an Amazon business, let’s say, and put a gospel tract in every package you send out? Couldn’t you start a lawn care company and witness to everyone’s whose lawn you cut? Maybe you could bless elderly folks with a free trim of their grass and witness to them?
Well, Curtis and Jennie started a coffee shop. Nothing like combining your love of coffee with your love of reaching lost souls for Jesus! Take a look at what they just sent over:
This is Ken and Kathy. (A little back story on them —God used them in a mighty way in our lives. Ken was a pastor north of Okeechobee where I used to live. He was with a mission that helps rural churches that can’t afford a pastor. When they got here, he started helping with the wrestling team at Okeechobee high school. Curtis was on the High School team, and that is where the two of them met. Later on, Paster Wagstaff led Curtis to the Lord on the way home from a wrestling tournament.)
They live in Virginia and came down to Okeechobee, to see their son, who lives here, and to work on a project truck. They stopped into the coffee shop to see us. We got to talking, and he shared how he is working on messages that are geared toward people who “think” that they are saved but are not. They think they are “good” enough to get to heaven, etc. I began to pray and knew I needed to give him The Watchmen. I told him I had something he should read and gave him the book. I also told him to tell me what he thought about it, and the next day, he had read a few chapters and told me how much he was enjoying it. Then on Sunday, they came to our church and shared with me about being a “watchman” just before they showed up for church. He commented before they left that he was still reading it and was taking his time and reading every word. This was so encouraging. I really felt that it was important to give him the rest of your books because I knew they would really make an impact and also encourage him with the work he desires to do for the Lord.
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Some days are just back-to-back witnessing with great encounters, and September 7th was just that kind of day:
These 3 girls (Annelise, Naomi, and Abby) came into the shop early one morning. Curtis likes to ask where people are heading. They told him that they were heading to Camp Impact. (I really don’t know too much about the camp other than they offer a Christian-type camp experience for groups to meet up.) Since that was an easy way to talk to them, I asked them what they would be doing there. They replied that it was a retreat to get recharged. So, I grabbed three books and asked them who they felt was the most stressed between them. They discussed it and explained why they felt that way. They agreed that Abby was, so I gave her Paradise. Then I asked who they thought was most spiritual, and they said, “Annelise,” so I gave her One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven. Then I said to the last girl, “This one is yours. It’s factual and to the point.” Her name is Naomi, and she made a comment to Annelise that they had just been discussing the fact that she was like that. God worked it out perfectly. We encouraged them to read the books and pass them around.
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We had a family from Poland come in; the boy is their nephew. I didn’t get a chance to write their names down, but I believe the man’s name is Michael. I was sitting and talking to a lady named Maryann. She is a Mormon. I was sharing a gospel tract with her called “Three Truths Every Mormon Should Know.” Then another guy came in, who wanted some water and used the restroom. He’s been in before and is in between jobs. Maryann wanted to pay for a muffin for him if he wanted one, but didn’t want anyone to know. After the guy left, the man from Poland came over and wanted to pay for the guy’s order, but we shared that it had already been taken care of. I thanked him for his kind actions and wanted to give him a book. I told him about it, and he got so excited and even hugged me and hugged us again before he and his family left. I made sure to also give his wife and nephew a book. I’m really concerned about Maryann and am praying that the Lord will use us to reach her. Please pray that she will have ears to hear and a heart open to accept Him. Just the other day, I was sharing my dad’s testimony with her, and it’s like a wall comes up and she blocks out most of our spiritual conversations.
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Then later that day, a gentleman named Tim came in. He attends church and has a relationship with the Lord. His wife Phyllis is dealing with cancer. He made a comment about witnessing and how when things get tough, it drives you to share your faith with others more. He also said how it’s sad that it takes something like that to happen to make us share the gospel. I told him, “I have a book for you to read” and gave him One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven. I shared with him, “One of the reasons you’re sitting in this coffee shop today is because of this book.” I told him that the book is great and that he was sharing the gospel with others and not to look back at what he could have been doing but to start with today. I told him that this book would encourage him and help him with witnessing to others and would light a fire to keep witnessing even more. I was thanking the Lord for the opportunity to encourage him to share the gospel even more with the lost.
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This is a missionary named Roland. He is with HELP Ministries and is from the Philippines. After the message on Sunday night, we got to talk with him and share One Heartbeat Away with him. We exchanged emails, and this is what he had to say about the book.
First email:
“I like the story of witnessing a 17-year-old lesbian girl that was lead to Christ of chapter 1 south beach.”
In the second email:
“Yes, I believe indeed that One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven is winning souls for Jesus Christ. The heart of Pastor Cahill is to strike the iron while it’s still hot. The opportunity of soul-winning must be done. We sow the seed, and God causes the growth of what we sown to the souls of men.”
As you can tell, he has broken English when he writes. I’m thankful that he is reading it and praying that it will encourage him in his work for the Lord.
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2 Corinthians 6:2
“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”
Today is the day to do some kingdom work. Go for it and don’t look back!!
Until the nets are full,
P.S. I like Mike! I hope I could have this kind of faith if my business was completely destroyed.
https://x.com/alexbruesewitz/status/1848397292602032557
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I have always enjoyed chatting with and listening to logical people. Sometimes, the arguments are really so simple. Elon knows.
https://x.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/1843399542252646567
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Sometimes seeing the non-public side of someone can give you a totally different viewpoint on who that person is.
