Lady in distress

[Boaz]

When I got to the shop this morning a beat up old clunker was parked in the lot . A lady was sitting in it , I got the shop open and she came in . She said she had trouble , said she was sick of people doing her wrong and tormenting her . I sat and listened .
I told her maybe she needed to find new friends , there are places where better people were . She said she wanted to get back in church but didn't know where to go . I figured out by description of her past churchs that she was most likely Southern Baptist. Recommended several small ones .
Now will she go ...Who knows .

We have to witness , we have to spread to word . Do you agree ?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I do agree, and "Bravo!" for your good deed.

[USMC87]

Yes Sir, We are to be a witness whenever we can and looks like the shop was the perfect opportunity.

[Boaz]

The lost are everywhere . They honestly need our help . Victims of popular society ? Trendy thinking , social media , the internet , families gone astray , seemingly uncaring Christians that hang to their kind and don't reach out ? If we don't help them who will ? Seems everyone is waiting for someone else to do it and that 'system' has failed .

Witnessing doesn't have to be a full blown throw down discussion on GOD . Witnessing can simply be mentioning his name in daily conversation to bring awareness he exists . Witnessing can be small things , we as Christians need to witness and be witnessed to as reinforcement .

[w5pv]

I am slack on witnessing

[buckwheatpaul]

Charlie, You did what we are suppose to do....minister to those in distress. You planted the seeds and God will provide the water if she listens....hope she comes back in to let you know what direction she took.......AMEN

[Pine Baron]

Paul, Exactly what I was thinking.
Boaz, good job!!

[Boaz]

I thank you for the praise but that's not the intention of the thread .

These type folks are everywhere you look . We have to work harder at getting the 'word' out , GOD's word . It's a situation that will never heal itself . Most times you don't have to quote scripture or get all biblical , only share and offer help through conviction using his name in the process .

[Blackwater]

You gave her good advice, and showed her the path. Now, it's up to her whether and how far she'll take it. You've done all you really could do at the time, I think. Salvation for some, tends to be a process rather than an event. You've laid some groundwork for her. At that point, it's likely all you could possibly have done, and you did it.

I know you'd like to do more, but that would take away the other person's free will, and God won't let us do that. It has to be each individual and God himself who determines what each individual decides for themselves, and there will always be those who respond, and those who turn away. It may be sad when people turn away, but some (many?) do. And God will do NOTHING to take away any of our free wills. We all HAVE to come to him of our own volition, or it's probably not fitting for a God as wonderful as the God we worship!

A lifelong friend came over last night and we had a drink and some good conversation. Got most of the world's problems solved! (HAR!) He told me about a mutual friend's son who is now coming up for trial. He's wasted his life in the pursuit of "happiness" through drugs. Last incident, the one he's coming to trial for, he was sitting on a table outside in the cold, naked, high on drugs with a .22 rifle.

When the deputies came, he pointed the gun at them. They'd have been perfectly innocent if they'd blown him away right then and there, but the deputy knew of this kid's past. He didn't even draw his gun. I guess he figured any bullet would likely hit his vest? For whatever reason, he talked the gun out of the kid's hands, and got him in the patrol car, and got him to jail.

He's facing several felony charges and his Dad is now at the point he's not going to try to help him any more. He's given the kid so many, many chances, and done everything he knows to do, and he's now actually afraid the kid might kill him or some of the other family members, or some innocent! So he's written a letter my friend read, telling the judge that he doesn't want him at home any more, and that he needs to be in jail.

Only a fool would try to fight this offense, and the young idiot is claiming he is totally innocent and the event never happened, and that it's just that the cops "have it out for him." This time, I think he's going to the "big house." Whether he'll learn anything there or not will always remain to be seen. But the public will have a reprieve of the constant threat he's become.

These are the times that really try men's souls, and I've seen many such instances in my time. My friend's wife wants to help him and hire a lawyer, but the boy's Dad isn't going to lift a finger this time. He's finally realized there's just no future in sending good money after bad, and simply enabling the boy to continue doing just was he pleases. Nobody knows where these things will eventually lead. Maybe good. Maybe bad. Maybe horrible.

This is where real faith is truly, completely and direly tested. Pray for my friend and his family, guys. He really, truly needs them. And pray for the boy, Jason. He's tried to kill off all the good within himself, but nobody has ever been able to do that completely, and where there's a seed, there's always hope. Maybe not a great deal, but God only requires the smallest scintilla of Hope and goodness to achieve His will in the end.

We can never know how things will work out, even though we like to think we can. We just can't. And if and when Jason decides to change his ways, his Dad will do just like the story of the Prodigal Son in the Bible, and welcome him back with open arms and great celebrating. I just pray this is how it all ends. And thanks for any prayers you can send their way! It matters.