It’s not every day that someone wants to see the tax man. But for Jan, she had more than just taxes on her mind. She had the message of salvation handy, in fact, right inside her pocket, or so she thought. What started out with good intentions took an interesting detour that the Lord used for good.
Hi Mark,
It’s Jan from NJ. I had one of those God moments that I wanted to share with you. Not long ago, I took my tax information to my accountant who works about 40 miles away. I wanted to bring him a One Heartbeat Away book because I knew he would read it if I gave it to him. I also knew he might not be able to see me with his busy schedule, so I wrote him a note explaining about the book and that when he finished reading it, we could have lunch and talk about it. I also thought about the receptionist there, so I wanted to take a book for her. I only had one book at home, so I went to the church and hurriedly reached into the box in our supply closet and grabbed a book and stuck it in my jacket pocket.
When I got to his office, it was dead quiet. It was just the receptionist and myself in the waiting area with no other activity, even in the back offices. Alyssa told me that my accountant was out of the office meeting with a client, but she would make sure he got the book. I felt God prodding me, so I said, “Can I ask you an interesting question? She didn’t answer, so I took that as a yes. I asked her if she had been brought up in church or with any spiritual belief, and did that mean more to her then or now? She said she had been raised Catholic, but it meant more to her when she was young. I then asked if she thought she would go to Heaven. She answered, “Yes. I asked why she thought so. She said, “Well, everyone’s spirit has to go someplace Heaven or maybe reincarnation. I said, “Since you were raised Catholic, you know who Jesus is, right? She said, “Yes, and I proceeded to tell her about the steps to salvation. Mark, this was a girl I had just met. The entire time I was speaking to her, no one came in the office, and the phone never rang. When I finished, I asked her if she liked to read. She said she loved to read. I asked her if she would like a copy of the book I left for Steve. She said, “Yes. When I pulled the book out of my pocket, my heart sank. I had accidentally pulled a Spanish version from the box at church. I looked at her and asked, “By any chance, do you read Spanish?” She said, “Yes. I am Columbian. My native language is Spanish!!
I am constantly amazed by how faithful God is to use us when we are intentional in our witnessing. I went back to the church and checked the box. There were about 14 English books in it and only one other Spanish copy! We need to pray for Alyssa that she comes to the truth about salvation. Oh, and I got a call from my accountant on Saturday. He said he would definitely read the book and meet me for lunch. We serve a great God.
Thank you for your hard work and intensity in sharing the gospel. May the Lord continue to bless your work.
Jan
__________
They say there are two things we can’t avoid in life: death and taxes. But with the Lord, we can turn tax-time into the chance of a lifetime by showing others how they can avoid eternal death and find lasting peace with God!
Everyday errands can turn into divine appointments that leave an impression on us and those we are trying to reach. We’re thankful for the encounter, the lost person’s curiosity is piqued, and maybe, just maybe, in the middle of it all, the Lord rejoices over our faithfulness.
Until the nets are full,
P.S. I was sent this picture about a student from Lake Havasu, NV. He is a fast reader and has has plenty of friends who need to hear the gospel in Spanish.
There are Spanish speaking people everywhere you go! Be sure to have Spanish materials on hand to reach them. Remember, we are currently offering One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven (Spanish) and One Heartbeat Away (Spanish) at a reduced suggested donation amount. Cases are now $200, bundles are now $80, and single books are at $5. Just click on the link below to check them out on our Specials page.
