Amazing story

So today Jill Briscoe spoke at church. She is an amazing story teller and I love it when she comes to speak. If you ever get the opportunity to hear her--try and get there. Anyway-she was talking about people's "silent years". In Jesus' life, the ages from 12-30 are often spoken of as the "silent years" because there is nothing in scripture to talk about really what he was doing during this time. Jill made interesting point that he was probably being prepared for what he was to do...and by the statement he made in the temple at age 12 (why were you looking for me? didn't you know that I would be in my Father's house?) it would appear that he knew he was the Messiah. So she shared about a time in her life when she felt like she was in her "silent years". Her husband Stuart, had just started this worldwide ministry and would travel for months at a time. She was home with three little ones and had been pulled from a ministry when they moved. As she was feeling sorry for herself, she prayed and felt God telling her that she was to be out and LOVING people. Everyone she came in contact with and she was also supposed to be drawn to God's heart to know him more. She started getting a sitter at night and would go to the streets and love on the street youth. One summer a boy named Charles who was about 16 was sent to be her helper--doing yard work and such. He was complaining about being bored and hating where they lived. Because God had changed her heart, instead of agreeing him...she told him about this street ministry and invited him to come. So he did. And he was very afraid-but she didn't know that because he kept coming. After a time he was comfortable and one night she looked for him and he was with a 14 year old leading them to Christ. Of course that was decades ago and after that summer she really didn't give it much thought. Awhile back she was in Canada for a Just Give Me Jesus conference with Billy Grahams daughter and the Pastor of the church asked Jill to stay and teach afterwards. She did. When the Pastor went to introduce her...she was amazed to hear him say, "Many, many years ago...when I was 16 I met Jill and she taught me how to love people." Can you believe it? Charles had gone on to be a great man of God and Pastor of this church in Canada!! Of course she had tears in her eyes as she said...so you never know how God is going to use your "silent years", I almost missed that opportunity...
Oh, I wept. I wept because I so often relate to Jill. I wept because how kind is God that he would give her the gift of meeting this man again. I wept because it's so easy to be an ambassador for God and so often we do miss it. How glorious it is when He allows us the privilege of knowing someone whose life we affected, because of HIM...not because of us.
It makes me even more excited for next weekend. I will be at the JBU Ministry Wives Conference where Jill is one of the keynote speakers. This will be my 3rd year attending and I always have such a wonderfully relaxing and challenging time. There is something about being together with all of those women whose husbands are Pastors and ministers and missionaries...although we are all soooo different-there is a bond that it difficult to explain to others. I learn so much from the speakers and more seasoned women who've been in ministry often times longer than I've been alive!
Today was a fun day even if we did miss Marlon (his long prison day-from 9:30am-11:00pm) It was my sister's birthday so after church we went to Applebee's and then back to my parent's house for cupcakes and sugar free cookies for my sister, mom and I (we're really gonna lose that weight this time--besides if I might climb Aconcagua I have no choice...lol) Jordyn went to friends then and the boys and I rented some movies off of In Demand. Now the house is quiet and I have an hour and a half before my honey comes home.
Have a good night!!