Hey Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

So how was your day?  I hope you found something in it to remind you of God’s love and lift you up.  Two people prayed with me to receive Christ today who had not understood the Gospel before, Viviana and Austin.  Austinis Asian, goes to Church with his parents periodically at a nondenominational Church inNaperville, and Viviana is Latino and Roman Catholic.

Viviana was sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs at the top of the steps in the SRC where the revolving doors are.  She was just a nice, pleasant-looking girl, seemed a bit reserved and shy.  She was willing to talk, though, and after I had gone through the Gospel with her she said she would like to be forgiven.  I asked her if she had asked God to forgive her sins with the idea of Jesus dying on the Cross for her as the reason why she would be forgiven, or if when she prayed she hoped God would just be forgiving and was magnanimous.  She had not been able to tell me how God took away her sins.  She thought about it a bit and said that she had really just thought God would forgive her.  I read through the prayer with her, explaining that she should ask then to be forgiven because of what Jesus did, and asked her if she would like to pray and be sure God forgave her and lived inside her by faith.  She said she would and prayed.  She took a Bible and then remembered one she had at home.  She took a Bible study and I encouraged her to read in John and gave her some other passages to look up explaining the work of the Holy Spirit.  I told her I would pray for her.

Austinwas sitting on the window ledge in the hall out from the student services center lounge where we have Bible Study into the BIC building. He said he had five minutes, so I did a survey with him.  When I asked him one thing he wanted to do before he died, he said, “Have a 3 way” (meaning “ménage à trios'”).  So I was not very optimistic he would come to Christ.  (I had just had a pretty blue conversation with a mixed group of 4 or 5 African American kids and somehow God helped me to corner it with one guy to walk him through the Gospel.  But about a third of what they said I’d be sure you wouldn’t want me to print.  I think this had dimmed my optimism.)  ButAustinwas actually very receptive and was a caring guy deep down.  After I walked him through the prayer I said, “So is this the desire of your heart?”  He said it was and I said in all seriousness, “The 3 way is never gonna happen if you pray this.”  He kind of half-smiled like he had been kidding, and nodded and prayed to receive Christ.  So what do I know? He said he did not read, but He took a Bible study on the Deity of Christ and he and his friend rolled off.
So thank you so much for your prayers for the ministry and for evangelism today if you had a chance.  I’d covet them for Viviana and Austin if you would take a moment, that they might grow in Christ.

In Him,
Bob Bollow