Jars of Wonderful: Start spreadin’ the news…

New York was challenging, uncomfortable, stretching, wonderful, and refining. My heart is broken for the people of this city. While we read our pastor’s book about how to most effectively relate to and share the Gospel with the Islam community, we encountered multiple religions.

And speaking of sharing the Gospel, aka evangelism (because the word “evangel” means “Good News” = the Gospel), I was, prior to this trip, very much against it. I thought the only way that I could and should share Christ was through long, deep friendships, hoping that my friends would eventually see something different in me and thus realize their sin, need for Jesus, and would accept Him as their Savior and Lord of their life. I had never experienced or participated in any sort of evangelical practice, and I had closed my mind to the idea that God could use it for His purposes.

But God does not let His children, if they thirst for Him, go thirsty. I desired Him and He revealed a little more of His power to me. Once again, the Father replaced my doubts by allowing me to fall deeper in love with Him. I so often try to limit Christ to my mind, my experiences, my comfort. Oh but He is SO much more than that. Dave Turner, the Summit College Pastor, who led our trip, frequently stated that God became bigger to Him that week, and I would have to agree.

Our group of 23 college students were split into triads (quarto trio!!!) to go out into various regions of the city to talk to people, ask questions, and to find hearts that were receptive to Christ. I was scared and just felt awkward (there was LOTS of awkward conversations on this trip, most of which was hilarious).

The first day we went out, Miles, Marissa and I were prayer walking when I saw two men (probably in their mid-forties/early fifties) coming toward us on the sidewalk. I asked them where we could find some chai tea (to hopefully engage in a conversation with someone at a restaurant/store) and they told us they were going to a place now and for us to join them. Long story short, the three of us spent about two hours with three Muslim men (one was very devout) who bought us chai tea and a Middle Eastern lunch. We talked about their children, their jobs, their mosque, and all about Islam and Christianity. We were able to share the Gospel with them over the course of the conversation and they politely declined. I know that Christ was overjoyed. Not in our words, but in the hearts of the three men. Those men are experiencing the Holy Spirit. They are incredibly humble, respectful—so much so that before we began to eat I asked if they wanted to pray over the food and asked if I could thank God for it, and they let me pray (they pray “five” (I say it in quotations because they told us themselves that they do not strictly follow this pillar of Islam) times a day so they do not pray over a meal).

I was so overwhelmed and grateful that Christ allowed me that opportunity to share the intimacy with Him that I have with those men. God’s faithfulness to me and to them is eternal.

Another long story short/an event worth mentioning (this is the exact spot where Brad taught me how to shag!)

...Tuesday night a group of 6 of us: Brian, Jen, Brad, myself, Nick, and Rebecca...

...were invited by a group of Christian adults who were members of Times Square Church (which we visited) to attend a celebration of the Jewish holiday called "Shavuot", or the giving of the Torah. The celebration, which was held at the Manhattan Jewish Community Center (crazy enough that we got to go...I had my Bible in my purse, ha!) lasted until 4am and had instructors leading sessions about various topics/arguments in the Jewish community all throughout the night. The six of us had comforting Christian fellowship by just having each other, as well as our new Christian friends, in the room as we mingled with other people there. God opened the door for me to have an insightful conversation with a Jewish woman, with whom I was able to share the Gospel.

After our session ended we left at around 12:30am and headed back to the subway to make our way back into Queens where we were staying. Needless to say, we got lost. For 2 hours. In the subways of New York. The boys were trying to be manly and assigned themselves to each of us to "watch." Brian was pretty much leading us that night through the subways, but it wasn't until Nick and I quickly prayed that God would just lead us home (we had to be up at 7am the next day, mind you) that we got on the right subway.

Even though we got 4 hours of sleep that night, the trip was wonderful. God has never shattered my doubts so quickly and I have never before felt so close to a group of people so quickly. They all are crazy about Jesus and furthering the Gospel and His Kingdom. I learn something from them everyday.

Now for the random New York pictures...

One of the last nights of the trip our CP group split up into our two teams (Dager's Dangerous Dozen and The Eleven). 3-D had a wonderful dinner and then ran around the streets of New York playing ninja, eyes/toes, and tag-no-tag-backs to and from Wendy's where we shagged:

The last day Shelley and I shared the biggest sandwich I have ever laid eyes on...

Seriously. I couldn't handle it.

What's one of the first things a dancer's gotta do when she walks onto the streets of New York? Dance of course! Beautiful Christa and I doing barre on 8th Avenue. No big deal.