One More Opportunity

(This article was published by Free Will Baptist's Home Missions Department and copied by permission of its author Donna Crabtree, wife of Jeff Crabtree, pastor of the Free Will Baptist Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada http://web.mac.com/serenityfwb you may contact Donna at crabtree@nbnet.nb.ca )



ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY


Some time back my daughter-in-law Alexis and I attended an auction. It was an office equipment auction and I was looking for chairs for Jeff’s office. I found three that were perfect. I was sitting in one of them waiting for the auction to begin when a lady walked by. She stopped to look at the chairs I was sitting in. I said, “These are sold.” She looked at me and replied, “This is an auction and it hasn’t started yet.” We both laughed and thus began a friendship. We have met many Thursday nights at the auction. After talking with her for some time, Alexis and I became aware she was lost and needed the Lord. We are witnessing to her as much as possible. She has attended Serenity a couple of times but is not ready to turn her life over to God. Please pray for her.

This past school year this lady hosted a German exchange student. She brought her to the auction one night. We were introduced and we immediately connected. She has such a sweet personality. Let me tell you this, she speaks English a lot better than I speak German. (SMILE). I do not attend the auction every week but try too. I have met several people who attend weekly and it is a great place to meet people and witness. This girl told her host mother she wanted to visit Serenity FWB Church. So they came. She really enjoyed the service. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would not only work in her heart but the heart of her host mother. At the end of this summer it was time for the exchange student to return home to Germany. I was sad because I knew I would never see her again in this life. She brought a diary to the auction before she left. Everyone signed it. I wrote a note telling her to seek God with all her heart. I gave her my e-mail address and told her to write anytime. She would be missed.

You probably think this is the end of this story. Well it is not! I recently had the opportunity to spend a few days in Tennessee and Georgia visiting family. I was able to see our oldest son Ben through unforeseen circumstances who was home on leave from Afghanistan. It was so good to see him and his family. I had not seen Ben in over a year. God is so good. On my return flight home from Nashville, I flew through Toronto, Canada. I had a 3-½ hour layover before I flew to Fredericton. The airport had free Internet, so I answered e-mails and worked on this newsletter. I almost had the newsletter finished when they called for boarding. I boarded the flight and started to sit down. Someone tapped me on the shoulder. Can you guess who it was? Yes, it was the exchange student from Germany. I squealed with excitement. I said, “What are you doing on this flight?” She replied, “I am bringing my family to visit my host mother.” We chatted for a few minutes before the flight left. When we arrived in Fredericton, I was able to meet her father, mother, sister and brother. Her host mother invited Jeff, Eric, Alexis and me for Thanksgiving dinner on Monday. (Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving the second Monday in October.) Jeff and I had already made plans, so Eric and Alexis went. This was one more opportunity to witness to this girl and her family. I hope to see her at the auction next week, and am praying she will bring her family to church. By the time you get this newsletter, this family will be back in Germany. You may recall that I wrote in a recent newsletter, ”KINGDOM WORK MAY NOT MEAN LOCAL CHURCH GROWTH.” This is definitely Kingdom work, but how exciting is that? I am amazed how God brings people into our lives that need Jesus. And this time God has given me one more opportunity to witness to a sweet German girl and her family. I do not think that was a coincidence. By the way, I had the best bid on the office chairs and I got all three of them. J Another note, this is not the newsletter I wrote in the airport. This situation happened after the fact. You will read that newsletter next month, unless God does something amazing again. That is what I am praying for, one more opportunity to witness!