:)

Yesterday I got this email that was SUPER encouraging to me.  It's from this person that I've been talking to about Jesus for almost a year pretty much.  I've brought her to church a lot and we've had lots of deep talks about stuff.  We're reading a book together right now, and we've been discussing it almost every day.  She sent me an email with a bunch of questions.  I tried to answer them as best I could.  And then she sent THIS back to me:

(A few things have been minorly changed to keep anonymity!)

Kaytee--

I am going to print this email out and keep it for the rest of my life.  I know why we are reading this book (so I guess God must have planned it--hmph--he's showing me up).  You are helping me with Truth.  I am helping you fine tune the gift of evangelism.  You are not talking at me; lecturing off things you have memorized from church.  You are speaking from a much deeper place because you love me.  I can't tell you how many puzzle pieces were put together for me in one email.  Maybe God wants to teach you how to love all of His people because if you are to be an evangelist you have to love all God's people and speak to them from a love that wants to heal them. Getting to know you for the last couple of years has shown me that you are not just "my younger friend".  You have helped me tread water for a while.  I think you understand how I come to Jesus from a broken place and you want to free me as I wanted to free my brother, and that is a live example of Jesus's love through you.  That is true evangelism.  Remember when I had my "Cornerstone meltdown" and we talked in my apartment for a while.  I told you some examples of what I carry and you said, "I feel like I haven't been through anything that hard in my life."  You have been through hard times, but you are not shattered.  Remember that day I was furious at the pastor because he was speaking about church planting and evangelism and all the college kids in Iowa City they were helping.  I got angry because I didn't believe him.  I didn't think he knew about who needs evangelism.  I was angry that he was so focused on college kids. I kept thinking about Christ spending most of His time with the lepers, prostitutes, tax-collectors, and adulterers.  I know I got overly angry that day because of the journey I am on, but Kaytee--YOU are getting a sneak peek at a shattered heart; enslaved and scared by life, but that Jesus wants to put back together again.  If you looked for brokenness in other people and loved them as you love me you could unlock some of those chains on people.  You are learning how to speak from love and not lecture.  Some time in your life you may come across someone Jesus asks you to "save".  If you try to identify with the pain they are feeling you will know what NOT to say to them, to earn their trust, and then you can speak to them out of love.  You could go deeper with evangelism.  Find the women at the well or the leper.  Be brave enough to feel their pain that you have witnessed through me. So you know exactly what to say and what NOT to say.  You may be being groomed to have a gift similar to your older pastor's wife. Prepare for battle Kaytee it could get rough:)

Literally the day before I got this I was praying and being like "God have I ever helped someone see who you are?" Because I usually end up feeling like I've pushed people away after I talk to them about Jesus.  But seeing that Jesus worked through me to help just one person, makes everything worth it!  We really shouldn't be so afraid to share the gospel.  Yes, there will be a lot of people cutting you down for it and denying everything you're speaking about.  But every once in awhile, someone opens their heart and they get it!  God is crazy and sneaky.

Happy happy happy.