I had a great conversation with Mya, my waitress, at a restaurant I went to.
I also had a good talk with Campbell, the hostess at the same restaurant. I gave her some books and a blessing as I was leaving. She said she loved to read.
I noticed a lady walking out to the smoking area, but I hadn’t blessed her. I had given materials to all of the kitchen staff and waitresses, but not to this lady. Campbell told me her name was Frankie. So, I gave Campbell a copy of Paradise and a blessing for her to give Frankie.
As I walked out of the restaurant, I noticed a guy standing over by a car. I gave him a tract, which opened up a discussion. He liked to read, so he walked over to my car with me to get some materials. We talked for a bit. Then Frankie walked out of the restaurant and over to my car. I should have been gone by then, but I wasn’t.
We got into an amazing conversation. She was so intrigued that I would just give out books and bless people. She had no clue I had written the book I was handing out. She grew up Jewish and even had a Bah Mitzvah, but she was more spiritual now. She was in the “universe loves us” lane of life. She loved to read and took a couple of books and booklets. She asked, “What religion are you?” That is a great opener to go right to Jesus.
As we were talking, another lady walked out of the restaurant and came up to my car. I should have been long gone by then, but I wasn’t. She said, “I saw you in the restaurant. I knew that I knew you from somewhere. Then I saw the book in your hand and knew it was you. You won’t remember me.”
I love it when people say that. They don’t realize I have a photographic memory. Or, as one of my students told me back in the day, “Yes, Mr. Cahill, you have photographic memory, but your film is a little underdeveloped!” I should have failed that child!
Then Latrice reminded me, “You met me at a QT gas station a year ago. It was pretty late at night. I was counting quarters so I could pay for some gas. You had a nice chat with me and gave me your book, Paradise. You also blessed me with $100. I just want to let you know that I made it through that tough time, am back on my feet and serving God, and am financially stable. And I just wanted to come over and tell you, ‘Thank you.’”
Well, Frankie is about to flip out! She is listening to this whole encounter. I mentioned to both of them that when we are going through a rough patch, we just need a little hope. That is all. If I am in a financial bind, I don’t need a bank. I just need a little hope. Remember that when you are talking with folks. You don’t have to solve all of their problems. Just give them a little hope.
Titus 2:13
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Jesus is called the Blessed Hope for a reason.
I let Latrice know, “You just made my day.” And she responded, “You made my life!”
Go give someone a little hope today. It will be good for both you and them!
P.P.S. Summer is a great time to catch up on your reading and encourage others to read as well. Whether it is going on vacation, sitting on a beach, lounging poolside, or just reading a book at a coffee shop, novels can be a great escape. But what if that novel is realistic and teaches you things about God and gets people to really ponder the bigger questions in life? Paradise, Reunion, and The Last Ride do just that. How do I know that to be true? We have heard from you and many others who said these books got them thinking.
To help your summer reading and to help equip you to reach the lost at the same time, we are offering our three fictional novels for $20! These would be $45 if picked up separately, but now they are $20 for all three books! That means you can pick some up for the people you know and for those you’ll be running into while witnessing. And once you’ve finished reading them, pass them along to someone who needs to read them as well! You can find them by clicking on the link below!
