The sky was the brightest, deepest shade of blue that morning. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, we wound our way up, up, up into a quaint neighborhood village.

The bus finally found a shady place to park near the school. Beautiful boys and girls peered through door openings and window ledges. I’m sure they were wondering who all the gringos were. And, what were we doing?

I confess, I was wondering much the same.

Having never done door-to-door ministry, I  was more than a bit nervous. This was completely out of my comfort zone.

As hard as it is at times to share my heart and my faith here, I realized that hiding behind a computer screen is much easier.

As we walked down the nearest road, the houses became smaller and the journey a bit rockier. Along the way, we met a few women. One of which said we could follow her to her house.

She was dressed in a beautiful red dress despite the heat and dust. Holding tightly to her daughter’s hand, she walked carefully to a steep, rocky path that led to her home. It was quite the hike.

When we realized we still had several hundred yards to go, we stopped her and asked if we could share some food with her and talk about why we were there that day.

By the grace of God she consented.

She stood patiently in the bright sun with the beautiful blue sky and mountains as a backdrop and listened quietly. And, honestly, her face and that sky are now forever etched into my mind.

You see, she told us that she knew very little about Jesus. I wonder now if that was really true, or if she was embarrassed to share that she knew nothing at all.

Bumbling nervously with my words, I don’t really remember what all I said.

Only the Holy Spirit could have been speaking.

I remember telling her that Jesus was God’s Son. That He came to earth to die for our sins. That God in heaven loves us that much. I also remember quoting John 3:16 as I talked of how through Him, we have an eternal hope in heaven if we believe. I tried very inadequately to describe the streets of gold and joy there. And, I do remember saying that whenever she felt discouraged or alone or hopeless, all she needed to do was say His name. Jesus.

However, with all of that, I never once asked if she wanted Him to be her Lord and Savior.

Really, how can you share all there is to know about Jesus in a brief moment like that?

I felt so ill-equipped and unworthy after we left.

I am not sure how much she learned about Jesus, but with great certainty I can tell you I learned much on that hill far away, thousands of miles from home.

So much that I pray my heart will never be the same.

I learned that no matter how much you think you know about Jesus, it will never be enough. There is always room to know more so you can share more.

I learned that no matter how much you may struggle with the thought of sharing the gospel, God’s word really is alive, living and does not return void.  Thankfully God knows better than to completely depend on us. That is why He gave us His Spirit to be our helper.

I learned that no matter how much time you spend preparing what you will pack, how you will travel or what you will do, until you share a moment with a lost soul and Jesus, you will never understand the things you should really worry about the most in life. The only thing to really prepare is your heart and you should be ready for it to be broken in a thousand pieces along the way.

I learned that there is no greater joy in this life than to share Jesus with someone else. Of all the ‘things’ this life offers none can compare to giving the gift of Him.

I learned that I should follow Him wherever He leads and not let the fear of a rocky hill and a steep path keep me from spending time with the one He has put in front of me. The enemy wants to hold us back. He wants us to miss that abundant joy Jesus has promised. And, if we truly want the blessings God has for us, we can’t let him get in the way.

I learned that the greatest gifts I can leave behind are prayers for those I encounter along the way. One single prayer can unleash power in heaven in ways we could never imagine.

I learned that our prayers matter, especially in the lives of others. Who knows, we could be the only person praying for that someone.

I learned that people I will encounter have been praying as well. That someone right now could be praying for help or hope or any little need and you might be the one God has chosen to deliver. Don’t miss out on divine appointments by being too busy or too whatever the enemy would have you believe.

I learned that the same God who loves me enough to send His Son is the same God who loves people all over this great big world enough. And, he could even choose to send a very inadequate me to help meet their needs.

So, when the God of the entire universe plants an idea or desire to follow Him, just go.

You will never be prepared enough.

You will never be brave enough.

You will never be enough of anything.

In our minds, there will always be an excuse.

Trust me; I have used them for years.

Thankfully, God did not give up on me.

What if I had missed that precious soul and her little girl surrounded by all those mountains?

God’s chosen one for me for that moment on that day on that hill far away.

Or, what if we miss that one He has right here surrounded by the comforts of home?

There will always be someone to share Jesus with. 

Remember, He is enough so we don’t have to be.

So, just go.

He’s got this.

I really believe, you, like me, will never ever be the same.

And, would you join me in praying for this precious lady and her family to come to truly accept Christ as their Lord and Savior? Believing that He will provide the way and the how as long as we pray. 

Muchas Gracias.

Isaiah 25 “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago (v.1) For You have been a stronghold for the poor, a stronghold for the needy person in his distress, a refuge from the rain, a shade from the heat. (v.4) On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces, he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. (v. 7,8)

‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaim peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” ~ Isaiah 52:7