Make Witnessing a Lifestyle

After church today we had a great family meal at Golden Coral before I had to head to the airport for a one day business trip. We had the new girl as our waitress and so Flora, the kind Asian waitress in next area over from us started picking up the slack for the new girl. At the end of the meal, I took out cash for the tip and divided it in half. I put one of Sumner Wemp's new tract's with each set of cash, left one set on the table for the new girl that didn't do so well, and I stopped Flora as she walked by the table and handed her half of the tip. She wasn't expecting it and I pray she reads the tract. So, the good news went to two waitresses instead of one.

I then headed for the airport, landed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, settled into my hotel, and went for a late dinner at Red Lobster. The restaurant was almost empty. This time the young waitress' name was Holly. As I nibbled on my last few bites, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Heaven booklet with page 54 marked, the section entitled "How to know for sure you're going to Heaven." Reading at the table serves two purposes. It's a conversation starter, and it keeps the gospel fresh on my mind. If you read different tracts and see the different ways in which the one gospel message is presented, it helps you learn, and you get exposed to different gospel verses to use. Back to my story . . . Holly comes over to make sure I have everything I need. I have my head buried in my booklet. I replied, "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just reading this great book on Heaven. It has this section that tells you how to know for sure you're going to heaven. Holly, are you a Christian? Do you know you're going to heaven." Holly said "well no, when I was younger I went to church . . .". I said, "Here, please take this and read it". She took the book and thanked me. Later as she came back to the table to help with the check I said to her, "Holly, I've helped show people in several different countries how to have eternal life. I can tell that this information is true. I really hope you'll read the book." Holly replied, "Oh I will, I've already started. Thank you." As I was walking out of the now empty restaurant, I saw Holly sitting at one of the tables reading her book, and she said good night to me." People all along your path every day are in desperate need of the good news in your head. Let's make witnessing a lifestyle. It gets easier with practice. It really really does.

Dan Hobson, I know you have a great story you need to post about a new resident visit.

By the way, you can buy the tracts I used at lunch at http://www.sumnerwemp.com/witnessing/ They are called "Your Ticket to Heaven". My good friend Barbara Johnson put me on to Sumner Wemp's site at our first KnowAndTell meeting. She is already sharpening me as we become more effective witnesses together.

I have also recently added a website called http://knowandtell.org/ (it has a ways to go, but it's a start). I highly recommend listening to the eight MP3 lessons you'll find there.

- Michael Cooper