Prayer Life Without Consistency? You Crazy?!

“The most powerful weapon we have is prayer. It is your connection to the living God,” says Vadim Mialik. Vadim shares that the key to a powerful prayer life is one that starts with consistency. He has not missed a day of prayer with the Lord since the age of 18 and his hope is that it would continue the same way. God used prayer to set his life on a trajectory of increasing intimacy with Jesus Christ, as a rudder to steer him away from sin, and transform the way he sees the world and loves humanity.

Early Life: Jesus, Holy Spirit, and Trying This Daily Prayer Thing

I was born in Belarus, into a Christian family and grew up with both a mother and a father. When I was nine years old, my parents, two brothers, one sister and I moved to the U.S. to be united with my uncles and aunts as well as pursue a better life in a country with many opportunities.

When we settled down in San Francisco, CA, our family joined a Russian American church community. To be honest, I might not have stayed in a church had it not been for the prayers of my family, my active involvement with the youth group, and being a drummer at the church from an early age, which kept me close to the church leadership during my early teens. Although I was a son in a Christian family and was active at church, I didn’t commit to following Christ until I was in my pre-teens. Around that time I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit during a service, an event which was a fundamental step to my future spiritual growth as it buttered up and eased my path to a spiritual life and the spirit realm, even though it did not seem like it at first.

From the time I was 13 to 18, my prayer life started to develop. Although I didn’t have any desire to pray initially, my parents would attend prayer events at Light of the Gospel Missionary Church in Sacramento. They would engage in full days of prayer and worship, putting aside all distractions to focus on God. When I started going, I wasn’t too excited, but I wasn’t resisting either.

We’d have incredible speakers come to our church and share their testimonies of God’s miracles and they would encourage us to read the Bible. Every time after a speaker came, I’d become inspired and passionate to start reading the Scriptures and doing daily devotions. However, after a week or two, after the excitement faded, and with no practical methods to keep me going, this daily attempt at spending time with Jesus would fail.

Where Consistent Prayer Life Began

When I was 18, my friend gave me Sergy’s CD with 12 one hour sessions teaching on prayer. It was one of the best trainings on prayer that I have ever received, for me the next closest resource would be the Secrets of the Secret Place . The teaching was so clear about the importance of consistency in praying and reading the Bible. I wasn’t happy with how I was doing in those areas. Sergy was a pastor who had been doing a lot of ministry for the Lord. He had such a hunger and fire in him, which drove him to read the Bible at any chance he got. As Sergy tried to squeeze in time with God where possible, God told him that actually He wanted private, intimate time with him rather than bits and pieces of his day. Answering God’s call to a private and secret time with Him, he wondered how he was going to fit this into his already busy schedule. He realized that spending time with the Lord was the most important thing that he could do. He decided that he must start his day with the most important – first, in his time with Jesus, and then he could build his schedule around that. He started to wake up early in the morning to pray and read the Scriptures even though he wasn’t a morning person. Jesus began to practically speak to Sergy and personally train him to develop his time with the Lord. As I started this daily journey, Jesus started to personally and practically train me as well.

The Day I Was Dunked into Water was the Day I Dunked into Daily Prayer

On the day of my water baptism at age 18, I decided that it was going to be the first day I would start reading my Bible and praying consistently. This time, I wanted to follow through because I had seen the fruits of Sergy’s life. Knowing how life changing this was going to be, Satan began to bombard me with discouraging thoughts of how I had tried so many times before and failed, only to make a fool of myself. But I knew that I had to try this one more time, despite failing before. The Lord also gave me a vision of a story from the Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 15:12-18 says, “Slaves who are being set free by their master after six years of service, could, if they loved and were loved by their master, choose to remain a slave to him. If they chose to remain a slave, the master was to place the slave’s ear against a door post, take an awl and push it through his ear lobe. This ear piercing was the visible sign of the slave’s lifelong servitude to his master. He was a love slave; one who willingly submitted to servitude in love for his master.” Wording by Ps. Gerry

I felt that in this moment, I was going to be that love slave, sown into a steady relationship with the Lord.

Practical Prayer Life: Start Small, Consistency, and Accountability

The vision gave me the encouragement for another shot at a consistent prayer life, and I was able to follow through because of the practicality of the Sergy’s teaching to choose consistency even if it means starting small. I thank God for training Sergy with wise practical things about prayer. I also found an accountability partner that was there with me to ensure that I was praying every morning until I developed my habit. It took me around two to three months to develop this habit of prayer and it was an intense uphill battle because I wasn’t a morning person. I had to stand up to pray because I’d fall asleep sitting down. I have never skipped a day since then and every morning as I get victory over my flesh to spend time with Jesus, I feel as if I have attained victory for the entire day.

Consistent Prayer Life: What Has Changed?

My life has been entirely transformed through my time and relationship with Jesus. One way is how he has set me free from bondage, enabling me to live in more joy, peace and righteousness. I used to struggle with lust and masturbation, but the Lord broke that off my life. Further, even though I never had extreme cases of depression, I had depression and bad days. Now, any level of depression and ungratefulness has just disappeared. Also, God was dealing with those small things that we culturally don’t consider sins, which are “way-too-small-to-be-sins” sins. He started changing things such as a lack of love for people, my bad reactions, and my incorrect motives for doing things.

Additionally, through intimacy with Christ, God dramatically altered the way I saw the world and people. I began to develop a love and a sense of awe for nature. My eyes became open to the complete beauty of his creation and I could not help but appreciate it. Moreover, God led me to pray this prayer, “God, break my heart for what breaks yours.” After praying that, I simply could not ignore people that were struggling. The Lord filled me with such compassion so that I would pray with strangers and for those that were suffering. Not only did God reshape the way I treated strangers, but he led me to humbly and honestly apologize to those I have wronged in the past, bringing reconciliation and restoration to relationships. Even the way I think of my family is different. He saturated my heart with such overflowing love for my family that I would just want to hug my parents and siblings to express my appreciation. I realized the importance of doing the small things to show people that I couldn’t live without them. Not only did my perspective change, but my heart was made new by God to more closely reflect the heart of Christ.

Consistent Prayer Life: Dreams

With so much gradual, significant change in me over time, I began to really see the work that prayer has produced in me. Jesus started bringing incredible people into my life that was doing amazing things for him. I’m not completely sure why He started doing this after I started developing my daily time with Him, but maybe it’s that He saw the hunger in me for prayer and began connecting me with people that were focused on that too. Later, God also introduced me to the places and people that needed prayer. I am now connected and part of several groups that want to bring love, righteousness, restoration and reconciliation to this nation and world: San Francisco House of Prayer, The Awakening, One Voice Prayer Gathering , and International House of Prayer. God has spoken to me through prophetic words directly and through some great men and women of God about these dreams. He has planted great dreams for my life in my heart. There are two dreams that are closest to my heart. One is having a 24/7 prayer house in San Francisco. The second one is the dream of a new Korea with unification of South Korea and North Korea. I am excited to see the fruition of these dreams that were birthed through prayer and grateful to be a part of a journey with God through the privilege, gift and responsibility of prayer.

Vadim is one of the awesome technical gurus of the WitnessSF team and a member of Russian Gospel Temple, which meets at 11 am on Sundays at 2233 17th St., San Francisco. Feel free to share with him and us your struggles, victories and the practical things you do in your prayer life in the comments section below. 

Original Article

Next Stop: Freedom

On July 25th, I posted a story called  “Witness Forever” and in it referenced a reader of WitnessSF who was greatly impacted by the stories shared here. With that as the context, the following post was written by that reader. Read on to learn about the next steps for this reader as she steps out in faith.

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“The Answer for our culture today is not a faith that is ‘neatly bound’ but one that is rough and holy, a gospel that is ‘on the streets’. ” - Mark Ruffalo, Actor, Director, Christ-follower

Whether you know it or not, God is actively at work today. In our lives, and in the lives of people all over the world. I wanted to share with you how He’s been working in my life in the last few months that led me in a decision to go on the World Race.

Two months ago, I found myself on a mini vacation to New York City. I had been living in San Francisco and working the cushiony role of a Marketing Manager for a renewable energy company. Life has been good until this time, I was making decent money, traveling internationally for work, serving my church on sundays and co-leading a women’s connect group during the week. The only thing that seemed to be missing was a God-loving man by my side. But beside those visible measures of a comfortable Christian life, I was desiring something much deeper, a God given purpose for my life and a significant convergence in my job, this my current job did not offer.

Being in New York was a much needed break for my body and my mind. One day, I went to the famous Highline Park, an old converted railroad track-turned-viewing-deck for the City’s skylines. While taking in the glorious views of the City and breathing in the fresh air around me, a word popped up in my head that I could not ignore. Freedom.

For the next few days, the same word kept popping up in my head as I left my footprints over the various New York landmarks. The feeling was so overpowering. I felt God wanted me to desire freedom, and at that moment where I was standing, all alone in the middle of a bustling city center I felt truly set free, living exactly as God had made me- to enjoy life, to explore and discover His beauty.

Yet the thought of going back to work at my corporate 9 to 5 put a gloom in my heart that was beyond the usual post vacation dread. I didn’t understand what I was desiring, but prayed a sincere prayer for God’s sovereignty and goodness to go ahead of me.

“The former things have taken place the new things I declare. before they spring into being I announce them to you.” Isaiah 42:9

The morning I returned to my job after my vacation, I got a call from my supervisor to come in to her office. “Close the door.” She said. She proceeded to tell me that my position had been eliminated due to higher up financial decisions that had nothing to do with my performance.

She asked how I felt upon hearing the news: “Fine.” I answered in a calm and collected manner. Yes I was shocked, not from sheer disappointment, but from sheer joy that this was actually happening. Didn’t God put this desire in me for months now, didn’t God go ahead of me and allow me to dream of this moment in time? God takes a long time to move fast.

The next week I processed the layoff and basked in dreaming of what is to come. But what I never prepared for was the greatest trial of this season, choosing what I thought God may want for me versus what my flesh desired - a crush on a guy. One night after hanging out with him and having it go nowhere, I went home disappointed, that’s when I heard God say to me: “Jackie, it’s not time for you to be with this guy. I want you to love me with all your heart, and know that I am securely your first love.”

“God, are you serious? What kind of timing do you have? Why is it you do not let me have what I want?’ I cried out tearfully. My words to Him were raw but not ill-intentioned. I knew as a Father, God didn’t expect any less than realness from me, His daughter. Angry, hurt, sad, fearful, lonely. He wanted me to give it all to Him. I safely unleashed my emotions and wrestled with God.

The next week or two, I begin working with my mentor Cindy on seeking my purpose in life with earnesty. I was able to examine my heart and hear confirmation that my purpose is to Explore, Discover and Inspire Beauty. That’s when I “stumbled” upon a site called www.theworldrace.org, same one I saw at Urbana three-years prior. Like some of you now, I frantically searched for info on the website and read blog after blogs of stories of hope around the world. There in my office in San Leandro, California, this blog entry from a hostel manager in Malawi made me cry like a baby, and made me want to give up everything to be used by God to change the life of one young man in Africa.

I went on a fast to pray and hear from God to confirm my purpose and specifically ask him whether I should go on missions right now with the World Race. The answer came clearly through listening prayer and dialogue with God the Father. To my surprise, God not only showed up when I called out to Him, but He was also alot more gentle, direct, and humorous than I could’v ever imagined. He told me this:

“Jackie, I created you to be playful and I enjoy seeing you play and explore about.”

” Your mission now is to see the world and see the world reflecting my glory.”

“Go on my behalf for the nations, to preach the good news to those that need it, the hopeless.”

“Come away with me. I will show you the world. YOU will show beauty to the world and reflect my glory.”

So here I am now, communicating this windy and quick turn of events with my family and friends, preparing to go on training camp in Georgia, then come back and move out of my apartment, to sell my furniture, and get ready in all fronts to go off in September on a treasure hunt with God to see some of the most disolate places in the world.

I will be leaving for Guatemala, the first country in the 11-months mission in September 2012, and I will be needing YOUR prayer and financial support for this otherwise impossible feat.

Now It’s Your Turn to Respond

Will you partner with me by praying for me and giving financially for my World Race?

To see a list of the countries and details of my Race, go here.

Original Article

Ambassadors of Action: Witnessing a Movement

Editor’s Note: If you’ve ever wondered how WitnessSF came to be, you can check out the founding story here. But did you also know that WitnessSF is part of a larger family of blogs? The Witness family is also in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Toronto! Learn more in this interview with Dan Mark, founder of WitnessLA.org, on the blog’s beginnings, the spreading of the movement to other cities and the blessings and challenges of going public with your faith on social media.

As a sidenote: all of us at WitnessSF would like to emphasize that we exist to point our readers to Jesus and also get you connected with local resources and faith communities. You’ll find at the bottom of many of our stories links to local churches and ministries. We love and appreciate our readers, and would encourage all to be active members in their local churches and communities. All that activity and engagement is what makes good stories. Then come back and tell us about it!

This interview is reposted with permission from WitnessLA.org. http://witnessla.org/post/28488209248/ambassadors-of-action-witnessing-a-movement

If you would like to know how this great journey commenced, what it has grown into, and how you can be a part of it, just keep reading…

When and how did you feel God leading you to start WitnessLA?

We’ve been running WitnessLA.org for two and a half years now, and when it launched in January of 2010 we had no idea it was ever going to last this long, or spread so far across the world.  It’s truly been a God Adventure.  Originally at the end of 2009, God had put a conviction on my heart to start a blog to keep a running record of all the everyday miracles and answered prayers He had been working in my life.  I had just come back to the Lord about a year before, and was delivered and healed from my past life and struggles.  I brought the idea to my small group from NewsongLA, a local church here in Los Angeles, and it was such a “God moment.”  Two of my other friends’ jaws literally dropped.  God had been putting it on their hearts to start a blog as well, exactly at the same time.  We decided the coincidence was God bringing us together for a purpose, so we started it together.

Originally, it was just going to be the three of us sharing our thoughts and stories, and at the time, we thought it would be fun for our friends and family to read.  What we would have never guessed is that less than three years later, we’d have a growing network of four blogs in different international cities, reached nearly 150,000 unique readers around the world, and readers writing to us from places as far as Malaysia, the Philippines, South America, and Northern Europe.

It’s amazing how God was able to birth this out of the three of you! What was the initial reaction of your readers once the site was launched?

I think we had struck a chord – people wanted to hear the stories of everyday people in everyday life, walking with God.  It wasn’t just celebrities or big pastors whose stories mattered, but everyone’s story. Struggle and triumph now had the opportunity to literally reach around the world and change lives.  I would hear all the time that people were shocked and moved by how raw and real the stories were on our blog, and how by reading our stories, they finally felt like they weren’t alone.  Whatever the struggle, someone else had faced it and overcome it before through Christ.

I don’t think people had ever seen something like we were doing.  Actively using social media to get the word out about what God was doing, on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube.  It was relevant because it spoke to them – it was local to their cities, it was happening all around them. God was moving in other people’s lives, and people started to follow the lives of our writers as their stories continued over time.

Initially, was sharing such an intimate area of your life something you were comfortable doing?

For me personally, it was a huge challenge to be so public about my faith.  At the time the blog started, I had never posted anything about Jesus on Facebook – most of my friends probably didn’t even know I was Christian.  But God challenged me – He said, how can you expect to run this social media ministry if you aren’t willing to die to yourself, die to your reputation, for the Gospel.  Honestly, it was difficult at first, a lot of people thought I had gone off the deep end, some of my friends distanced themselves. I found out later that a lot of my non-Christian friends were actually curious about all the changes in me.  They were reading the blog every time I posted on Facebook, and they told me how it had encouraged them to pray, go back to church, or even consider accepting Christ.  I think that’s the power of what we’re doing – we’re socially relevant.  People have a natural interest in what’s happening in the lives of their friends, and never before in history has it been easier to broadcast to all your friends, your whole social network, how a relationship with God has changed your life.

The Lord is definitely using a time such as this to take over the internet with His stories. Now that it’s a well-oiled machine, how do you usually get your stories for the blog and continue to build your team?

We have a team of “Voices,” i.e. regular contributors, who submit once a month or more often, and it allows our readers to follow the walk of everyday believers as their stories play out over time.  We also have a lot of submissions from friends and the various churches our team is associated with.  But we’re also really blessed to get a lot of submissions from readers all around the world – people we would have never met had it not been for the blog, people whose stories might not have otherwise been told.  I always thought it was such a shame that all these people with powerful testimonies don’t get to share those incredibly inspiring and moving stories with the world.

Our team has grown organically as well.  We pray and God sends us people, each and every time He is faithful.  Sometimes from the most unexpected of places.  I remember really early on, a pastor prayed over the three of us, saying “you’re going to get a social media strategy.”  At the time, I didn’t even know what that meant.  A few days later, I got a message on Facebook from someone I had never met before.  I remember asking my roommate whether I should accept the friend request or not, but when I did, he said he loved the blog, it had helped him accept Christ for the first time, but we needed a social media strategy, and that was what he did for a living so he wanted to help.  He was one of our earliest editors for the first year we were running.

What forms of promoting your site do you use to get the word out there and keep people coming and getting inspired?

Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube, soon LiveStream, etc.  We want to be relevant – wherever the people are (increasingly online these days), we want to be there.  The Great Commission doesn’t say wait for people to come to you, it says “GO and make disciples.”  So we go and bring light with us wherever we are, wherever we live online, and wherever our community is.

There are some who wish to dodge the light or avoid it altogether, so tell us what resistance you might feel from those who are not believers in God.

I had some people on Facebook that thought I had become a weirdo Jesus freak.  But in general, I don’t think the response has really been negative at all.  We’re not condemning people, we’re not hateful, we avoid politics, we just stick to testimonies – no preaching.  We keep it old school, the first type of evangelism.  “I met this guy named Jesus and He changed my life, this is how.  Let me know if you want to meet Him.”  We let the words speak, and they’ve been touching people, even non-believers who have been reading the blog regularly for months but never told me how much it spoke to their spirit.

Speaking of the words touching people, what has been the greatest breakthrough you’ve experienced throughout this ministry?

We’ve had people accept Christ because of what they read on the blog.  Others have felt freedom and release by publicly taking a stand for Christ and saying “this is my story – I’m not ashamed, I’m forgiven.”  But more than the number of visitors, or the number of cities we start in, the thing I’m most proud of is when I see people virally sharing our stories on Facebook or Twitter, people I don’t know. Also reading their comments about how they really needed this encouragement today, or they tried praying like the story talked about and it changed their life, or how they had been through the same thing and thought they were alone before.

I hear there’s been a major personal change for you that’s happened through these sites as well. How is it managing a ministry and juggling that with your career and new marriage?

God’s grace is sufficient.  And my wife is an incredible woman of God. With those two you can do anything.  She’s actually the founder of WitnessHK our first sister site in Asia.  That’s actually how we met.  We’re a couple born completely out of serving the Lord obediently.  I always tell people, seek God all the way 100% and He will give you the things of your heart.  It was true for us.

How did the branches come about and how were they able to start a movement of their own?

All by divine appointments, i.e. unexpected coincidences.  WitnessHK was the first.  I went with my friend Jaeson Ma on a missions trip to Hong Kong, and I met Rachel there.  She was part of the local house church.  I shared about what we were doing with WitnessLA at the time, and when I left, she had an interest to start one for her city.  She launched it with her own very powerful testimony and the rest was history.  It’s now up and running, fully bilingual, with a readership all across Asia.

WitnessSF was also totally God.  We were having a BBQ in LA for our readers to meet the people behind the website, and on a lark, a friend brought a guy named Jimmy to the BBQ.  He was in town for just a weekend to attend a wedding.  Jimmy had no idea what Witness was about, and yet God laid a heavy conviction on him that this was his calling – to bring this radical idea back to SF. Now a year and a half later, WitnessSF often has the most traffic of all three of our sites, and Jimmy has become a leader in his city.  It’s really amazing how the Lord works and connects people for his purposes.  Both the HK and SF teams are like family to me now, and they were people I didn’t know at all one year and a half ago.

WitnessTO is even more amazing because the fact that they even exist is proof to me that our mission on social media is succeeding.  No one on our team had a single Facebook friend in common with Tim or any of the other founders from WitnessTO when they first reached out to us, and to this day I’ve never met any of them in person.  But they had been following WitnessHK for almost a year and were so moved by what God was doing that they were passionate about bringing the movement to their home city of Toronto.  We now do Google+ hangouts with the teams in LA, SF, HK and Toronto regularly and we believe this is what the church of the future will look like - Church 2.0!

This is definitely a growing brand showcasing witnesses from around the globe. What new cities are currently in your field of vision?

We try not to be strategic and say “that’s a city we need to be in.” Because every time we’ve tried to do that, it doesn’t work.  Instead, we just follow the Lord wherever He opens the door.  God connects us, and we just go with Him.  He supplies the teams, we just go and be faithful and watch Him grow it. 2012 has been an exciting year for us. We launched WitnessTO this year, our first blog in Canada!

That’s amazing! How can our readers support the Witness movement?

1) “Like” our blogs on Facebook: WitnessLA, WitnessSF, WitnessTO and WitnessHK.

2) “Like” or Re-tweet our stories on the blogs, or post them on your Facebook Wall.

3) Send Us Your Story – there’s a link on each blog where you can upload your own story or testimony in text or video form.

4) Volunteer – we need writers, editors, videographers, graphic designers, social media marketers, or anyone with a heart to serve.  Anyone interested can contact:witnesslateam@gmail.com

5) Support us Financially – there’s a “Subscriber” box on the right hand side of WitnessLA.org.  You can sign up to be a monthly supporter to help our mission continue in LA and in all of our other cities.

God bless all of you, God has a plan for your story and your city!

Original Article

Sacred Waiting

Although we have a responsibility to do our part, we can’t always control the outcome of our ambitions and goals no matter how much we’ve tried. At times, all we can do is wait, but we can enjoy each season of life in the meantime and be thankful knowing that the time with Christ makes the journey worthwhile.

During the earlier part of this year, I went through a painful breakup. In the season that followed, I have been able to see with undeniable clarity the goodness of God at work in my life. God is sovereign, not in the sense that He forces and predestines horrible things to happen to us. That’s far from the truth. God’s sovereignty is based on the understanding of his supreme authority to take every situation and work it for our good in spite of the pain and suffering that exists in this world (Romans 8:28). There’s grief and misery on earth because the world is imperfect, we’re full of sin and there exist a spiritual realm that tries to war against the perfect things of Christ. Nonetheless, we are able to walk through these difficulties with Jesus and as Bill Johnson teaches, we are able usher in the realities of heaven to earth through the conduit of prayer.

Let me share with you about how God has transformed my character and reshaped my priorities in a way that I could have never envisioned.

A month after the breakup, I was still devastated and decided to find clarity by having a thorough conversation with him. After our phone conversation, in a split second, God miraculously took away all my romantic feelings for him as well as my pain and confusion. I literally felt a supernatural shift in my soul and my spirit. I don’t know how that happened, but it did and this has never happened to me before. I knew God was with me and brought me closure when I couldn’t find it myself. This was the first of many faith-building miracles to come.

Around this time, my friends and I had been apartment hunting for a while. Nonetheless, we had to turn down multiple opportunities because of the excessive cat dander that plagued every house we almost chose. The doctor advised that shampooing the carpet may not be enough for me to circumvent my horrid cat allergies. I felt like such a burden to my friends because we were all getting frustrated that we couldn’t move out to an apartment already. I actively tried to quit the team to better their chances of finding a spot. However, they simply told me that they were more committed to living with me than they were in finding a quick solution. I was overwhelmed by their love for me because I knew how much they wanted to move out of their current living situation. Because they modeled sacrifice and God’s value for relationships, this became a powerful lesson for me to prioritize relationships over my success, even in inconvenience. It has been over six months and we are still looking for a spot, but our friendship and commitment to journey together has been strengthened beyond measure.

God was straightening my priorities, first to give precedence to relationships and then to his work above my own ambitions. I long to maximize my potential, live a life of significance and leave a mark in this world. I especially wanted to dominate in the business sector and was studying for the GMAT in an attempt to further my qualifications. In the midst of my rigorous studying, I was confronted with the decision to either choose community or business school, now as well as in the next few years. Since I didn’t have enough time then to be actively engaged in both studying and volunteering, I had to pick. One of my pastors had submitted to God’s leading to be involved in college ministry even though he was passionate about business and later, God elevated him in the workplace. Likewise, my community group leader had turned down incredible job offers in another state to maintain her commitments to the church and she was richly reward with God’s blessing in her career. It was very clear to me that God has asked me in this season to serve him in two very specific ministries so studying was no longer an option. I really wrestled with that decision and yes, I did cry about it, but eventually, I had much peace because I knew that God was going to take care of my career.

Additionally, I wanted to date again. I asked my pastor with hopes to receive some advice on how to go about doing this in a way that was consistent with his teachings on dating. To my shock, he smiled at me and told me to do nothing! He gave me an explanation which I could not logically process. I actually started crying because I felt like his words were going to destine me for a life of singleness. The next day while I was driving my grandma to San Francisco, God started speaking to me about submission to my leaders and how He was asking for radical obedience in this area of my life because I need to learn unconditional trust. The Holy Spirit actually started to manifest while I was on the bay bridge and my body started to burn with heat. The decision to do nothing and perhaps meet someone one day still didn’t make any sense to me so I asked God once again whether this was from him. Later that day when I was meeting with my community group leader, I shared with her my thoughts that I didn’t believe that God would act on my behalf in this area if I did nothing. She basically told me that was precisely why I needed to do nothing and trust God to see how He will work. The very instance she said that, the Holy Spirit just came upon me really strongly and I began to manifest with a rush of heat sweeping over my body. I surrendered this area of my life to Jesus and have not been pursuing dating. God has been teaching me not to simply hope, but to just believe.

Looking back on these past six months, I see how God has been teaching me the spiritual discipline of sacred waiting. In each area of my life, from finding an apartment and pursuing my career goals to dating, God has told me not yet. It’s not a matter of will they happen or not, but when they do, I know that they will be a testament to the miracles of God. I had considered myself one of the most impatient individuals ever, but that has been changing. Waiting is no longer a painful period between two destinations as it initially was. It’s still tough at times, but it’s good for me! I’m living with increased faith by the grace of God alone and I have found myself with greater peace and joy as well. Waiting has been a tremendous opportunity for growth in my character and intimacy with Jesus for which I am grateful.

Original Article

Witness Forever

WitnessSF launched with an emphatic boom. When WitnessSF first began in 2011, we really felt the Holy Spirit carrying our team forward. There was a lot of momentum behind the WitnessSF team from our citywide launch event and the initial high traffic we experienced. The WitnessSF staff also became extremely close, like a family put together by God. All of the Witness team members felt a euphoric high that we were not only doing God’s work, but we were living up to our calling. However, as time wore on, that enthusiasm began to fade. Getting weekly stories onto the website became a chore. We had to set rules and guidelines in place to keep team members accountable for their responsibilities. New team members joined and left. Content from regular contributors started disappearing. The team began squabbling with each other regarding the direction of WitnessSF and the lack of performance that we were seeing. Fresh ideas dissipated. As the leader, I was lost.

In 2012, WitnessSF hit rock bottom when one of our founding members decided it was best for her to step away. She was not only a core content contributor, but it was her presence and her heart for the city of SF that we miss. Her departure also greatly impacted our team culture. Without her presence, we stopped bonding like a family and we began operating like an organization. The heart was missing in our interactions. I tried everything I could to right our ship and push onward. I prayed. I prayed harder. I prayed some more. I went to my community for help. I looked outside my community and talked to many believers about joining the Witness team. I exhausted my entire contact list with no results to show. I was pushed to the edge. It was then that I decided that it might be best for WitnessSF to call it quits. I even apologized to God that I felt so incapable and for Him to forgive me for not being able to live up to the commitment I made regarding WitnessSF.

And then I received the following note from a reader:

“Hey Jimmy, do you have any idea why you may have chosen today to have posted a story on WitnessSF about self worth? If you don’t, I think God does. God knows the timing and I just happened to catch it and read it. Why…I walked into work from my NYC vacation this morning, still on my post-holiday high and happy as a bird…just to get a “welcome back, close the door” from my boss - as she proceeded to inform me of my layoff, a job that I’ve lost passion in a long time ago but could not free myself from. I know I don’t know you well yet, but I feel like everything you wrote about yourself in the post I can relate to at this moment, so here I am - indulge me and allow me to share with you via this format, and as I’m just starting to process the new turn of events today. Somehow as I’m typing this, I don’t feel as alone or helpless as I could’ve otherwise felt, because of what you wrote, and because I know God has and always takes care of me. So thank you for writing, thank you for posting on witnessSF on today of all days. I’m still amazed at how God uses the written word to comfort pain and change hearts, in such a timely way (which makes me realize that I must hustle and keep writing and allow my writing to be shared). Please pray for me as I process things and trust that He really has a lifelong plan even if I can only see from day to day.”

After I read the note, uncontrollable tears streamed down my face. I know I may have made a positive impact in this reader’s life, but she has no idea how her words of affirmation came to me at a time when I personally needed it the most. WitnessSF is making an impact! Our stories are being read and being shared. Our transparency and trials are being used by God to serve His purpose. Our love for the city has not gone wasted. My tears are tears of joy, because I know I am worthy to do my Father’s work and that God is using WitnessSF to make a difference.

My God has not forsaken me. I realized my love for WitnessSF had everything to do with how good it made me feel and the accolades that came with the ministry. God revealed to me that He is not interested in my feelings but He is jealous for my commitment that stems from my love. The foundation of WitnessSF needs to be built upon my obedience and commitment to Him. Commitment is love. Commitment is strength. Commitment is what God gave us through His grace and kindness. I am committed to WitnessSF because He committed to me first.

With that in mind, I pushed forward. A couple of months later, I received a phone call.

On the morning of 6/27, I was sound asleep at 6:46 am. Then, my phone rang and I saw that it was my dad calling. I picked up the phone half asleep and I asked him what is going on. My dad, in a voice of panic, asked:

Dad: Is everything ok in San Francisco?
Me: Of course, why would it be otherwise?
Dad: Because I haven’t seen a WitnessSF post go up this week! I checked yesterday morning and then last night and usually there is a new post every Tuesday!
Me: Dad, you’ve been reading WitnessSF articles?
Dad: Yes! The stories are great and I am feeling I am getting closer to God with every story I read on Witness.

My parents are atheists. I’ve been praying for their salvation for years. I was floored when I heard my dad’s words. I had no idea that my family even took an interest in WitnessSF and I cannot believe God is using something I created to minister to them. To my Witness family, THANK YOU!!! Thank you for keeping me going in this season of trial. Thank you for your faith and for sticking by me when things were tough. Thank you for your help in ministering to not only my family but to the awesome city of San Francisco. Thank you for giving so much of your time, efforts, and heart so willingly and selflessly. At this moment, all I have is gratitude in my heart.

Witness Forever

Original Article

A Song for Every Tear

It was a quiet Thursday afternoon. Just an ordinary day until my friend who volunteers at SF City Impact invited me to celebrate Donny’s 50th birthday.

Donny is one of 25,160 residents of the Tenderloin district, which is San Francisco’s most outwardly broken and impoverished districts. 35 blocks. 0.35 square miles. 48 liquor stores. 14 porn shops. 10,000 homeless people passing through these crime-ridden streets. There are over 4 times as many people per square mile in the Tenderloin as there are on average in the city of San Francisco.

When I first saw Donny’s face, I saw pain. Pain that made him look older than age. I saw a man with dying faith. It appeared as though he had forgotten how to smile, as though his face was only dry because after a thousand tears there were no more tears to cry.

Donny has had a life-long struggle with drugs and alcohol. When I met him, he was confined to a hospital bed due to a head injury he sustained. When I think of what my 50th birthday might be like, I think about being at home with my husband and children, celebrating with family and friends, reminiscing about our past, anticipating our future plans. I picture excitement, laughter, singing, cake and ice cream. God forbid I find myself in a hospital bed, I can’t imagine finding myself there alone, with no one to hold my hand.

But there Donny was on his birthday with no friends and no family to celebrate. No birthday balloons or get well soon cards. No presents. No laughter. No singing. No cake and ice cream. Just the sounds of a distant city and his heart monitor beeping. That is, until City Impact threw him a party. Maybe the world had forgotten him, but God hadn’t.

Donny loves music, especially live music. Bob Dylan is his favorite. My church partners with City Impact, and our worship leaders gave Donny the gift of music for his birthday. Live music. Bob Dylon!

Staff and volunteers from City Impact wrote him cards, brought him balloons and party hats and silly “50” glasses, and the room was filled with laughter. Someone brought him a birthday donut. He barely had teeth, but he ate that donut like his life depended on it. Someone prayed for him. Someone read him a Psalm. Someone bought him a present. And someone held his hand.

On his 50th birthday, Donny was surrounded by family and friends afterall. My favorite moment was when Tim Ritter, missionary to the Tenderloin with City Impact, gave Donny his own Ipod with a thousand songs on it, including Bob Dylan. Donny had never seen an Ipod before, but he couldn’t stop smiling to himself the moment he heard the music. For the first time I saw peace on his face. Though he’s known pain, he felt grace. God gave him a song for every tear.

Donny’s 50th birthday party is one of the many beautiful stories written because of Jesus’ ministry to the Tenderloin through City Impact. The staff and volunteers of City Impact are educating the children of the Tenderloin, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, clothing the naked, visiting the lonely, and making disciples. (To find out how visit sfcityimpact.com)

Their vision is also to plant a church in each apartment building through “Adopt a Building.” My church has adopted a building called the New Grand, where we are seeking needs to meet and making friends and disciples along the way.

My personal vision is to serve as a resident storyteller. With their permission I will be sharing their stories on witnessSF.org, which is a collection of testimonies told by residents of San Francisco (soon to include residents of the Tenderloin). I am hopeful that through friends made and stories shared, the greater story of the Gospel will be told, and people who have known great pain will know even greater grace.

Leah blogs at her personal blog: http://leahnicoleblatt.wordpress.com/ We are so excited and blessed that she is going to be our resident storyteller and partner in the Tenderloin, bringing us stories of transformation, hope, and the gospel realized.

Original Article

Towed Back to Faith

Does God answer our prayers? Does He respond to our questions, our pleas, and the cries of our heart? Lia Marshall sincerely asked God if He existed and He spoke to her through a divine appointment with a tow truck driver. That incident radically changed her life, bringing her back to faith in Jesus Christ.

It’s been almost seven years since the tow truck driver told me, “Young lady, you need to have a lot more faith in God.” It was a Sunday afternoon, and I was driving back to work from a weekend road trip when my car began to smoke and broke down. By the time AAA arrived a few hours later, anxiety had set in. This was the final episode in a downward spiral of events that led me to turn to God.

Still worrying about how I was going to get home, I truly prayed for the first time in my life. I asked, “Lord I don’t know if you exist, but if you do, I need to talk to you.” At that moment, something inside of me burst open. The hardness and hopelessness began to melt away with the flow of tears, which were springs of living water quenching my thirst.

I don’t know whether I was expecting a booming voice from heaven or perhaps nothing, but that day I learned that the Lord is so awesomely human. On the way home, the tow truck driver started talking about Jesus. For the first time I thought, “Oh yeah, what about Jesus?” I had gotten so used to seeing Him dead on the cross that I was blind to the fact that Jesus also resurrected, ascended, and is alive today, ruling on the throne of God.

Through his simple statements and questions, the words that the tow truck driver spoke struck and exposed me. When I told him that I had been going through a “questioning period”, wondering whether God existed or not, he said bluntly, “You lost faith.” Next, when I told him that I wanted to believe in God with my whole heart but could not, he stated, “You either have faith or you do not. There is no in-between.”

Finally, he asked me, “What did you do after leaving the Catholic Church?” I proudly told him that to avoid the hypocrisies of listening to the gospel without practicing it, I led community service projects. In response, he said, “How could you be so selfish?” Ouch. I was humbled to see that in the process of doing God’s work, I had completely forgotten about God.

At the end, when I was thanking the tow truck driver for all his words of wisdom, he boldly stated, “You still don’t get it, do you?” Somewhat bewildered, I listened as he spelled it out for me, “It was not me speaking. It was God speaking through me, to you.” That’s when it clicked. Earlier I had earnestly pleaded, “God, I need to talk to you.” He answered my prayer.

As I got out of the truck, the last thing he said to me was, “You don’t have to worry about your car. It’s fine.” Still somewhat skeptical, I took the car into the shop. A few days later I received a call, “Ma’am we’ve checked everything, and there is nothing wrong with your car.” That’s when it hit me, it was not the car that needed towing, it was me. That day, the Lord saved me by towing me back to faith.

Lia can be found at the Ark Ministries which meets Saturday evenings at 2138 Cedar Street at 6:30 pm at Christ Church Berkeley. The Ark culture is simple: they want to meet God. Every meeting, their goal is to welcome His amazing presence and encounter the living God. Please join them for worship some time, they would love to host you!

Original Article

Saved by His Grace

Our friend Gina shares her broken past and how a desperate prayer changed her life

It’s been a year and half since I went back to the place I left before finding God.  Eighteen months to be exact. At the time I felt as if I was living and operating out of a prison. My mind and my heart were trapped by my hopelessness. Outwardly this manifested in disobedience to my parents, immoral sexual relationships, lust, lying, long nights crying, and a constant state of hopelessness. This cycle continued daily and I lived with an overarching sense of helplessness to change it.

I traced the beginning of this descent to the start of high school, where my fun-loving innocence gradually transformed into isolation and shattered confidence.  At the end of this transformation I had little motivation to even get out of bed…all this within the four years inside of chain-link walls.

I came from a home that valued education above material things, which meant we spent more on soccer lessons and books than we did on cell phones and luxury cars. But that also meant that we stood out like a sore thumb against the ritzy LA neighborhood where we lived, which put material goods above all else. Everyone around me had the latest gadgets and the best designer clothes that fitted seamlessly on their perfect bodies; it seemed as if all anyone cared about was their outward appearance. I always felt like an outsider in this world because those were not things that I desired; yet I still tried to fit in for fear of loneliness. I felt like a fraud when I tried to fit in, yet I envied those who were able to do it. By the end of my senior year, I had stopped going to half of my classes, attended only a few social events, was more guarded than I would ever admit, and saw bliss in the certainty that very soon high school would be over.

I left high school with a low sense of worth and self esteem and moved on to college where I was promptly lost among the thousands of students on campus and in a university system that I did not know how to navigate.  Out of desperation, I turned to a high school friend for community.  She became a negative influence that catapulted the next six years of lost identity, pulling me into a lifestyle of lust and sexual sin and further widening the chasm between my family and me. I was getting sucked deeper and deeper into this vortex and I felt like I had lost all strength to pull myself out.  My life was spinning out of control.

There is an old story that if you place a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will jump out immediately, but if you place a frog in cold water and gradually raise the temperature, it will not notice until it’s too late to get out. For me, the breaking point came when I realized that I was in boiling water. I could sense that everything around me was falling apart - fights and chaos were commonplace. My relationships fell apart. I ran low on money to the point where I wasn’t sure where my next meal would come from and I was facing eviction on a monthly basis. I was running out of options and out of desperation, I prayed to God for the first time in a long time. I don’t even remember what I prayed – probably for help, and only at the suggestion of that high school friend, who had recently started dating the son of a preacher. But I prayed.

I woke up the next morning and found 20 cents in my bag for food that day.  It was more than I had expected, so I went to the Trader Joe’s across the street and bought a 19 cent banana, and thanked God the whole way to class. I came home and hoped fervently that my roommates weren’t there to collect rent.  Imagine my surprise when I went to my bed to find a check from my parents! My mom had “randomly” sent me $500, and I received it just then, when I needed it most. I broke down and tears streamed down my face.  We hadn’t spoken for quite some time after our most recent fight. It was after that fight where I had moved out of my house and my parents had cut off all financial support, aside from tuition. But God had heard my prayer. That night I fell asleep with tears of thankfulness still streaming down my face.  That was the beginning of His intervention.

Shortly thereafter, God began to strip away the negative influences in my life. Through his will, He ended the friendships and relationships that were holding me back and He instilled in me a desire to seek Him as the foundation in my life. I moved back home to a family that graciously accepted me despite our broken relationship. I truly felt God’s love through my family’s grace. About a year later, I felt God calling me to move to San Francisco. I had no idea why I had been called to move nor did I know what my purpose of moving would be, but I knew that I had to do it – and quickly. I had but one friend that I knew in San Francisco and showed up unannounced at her doorstep one Sunday afternoon. That very night, she took me to church with her. My life has never been the same since. Shortly after joining the C3 community, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. It was the beginning of the end of my old life.

Original Article

Jason

Editor Jason shares his testimony and how God utilized a broken relationship with his birth father to bring him closer to God.

“How capable are you?”

I was chatting with a co-worker the other day and when she casually mentioned the “capabilities of others”, it caught me off-guard.  Once I heard those few words, I couldn’t hear anything else she was saying. This little phrase resonated with me.  It made me think about what I am REALLY capable of. What is it about me that gives me value in the workplace, among friends, at church, or even with my family? I thought about how much I was able to do and to what extent could I accomplish anything. In turn, that led me to look back at all I have done in my life. “How did I measure up?” This was a bit drastic, but I felt compelled to briefly look inward to see what had been the purpose of my life these past 30 years. Where was I to begin? I believe that a lot of who I am today stems from my parents.

Growing up, I always had a chip on my shoulder. My father was rarely present, so I had no one to look to or guide me. The missing male figure in my life was not there to ground me or instill the confidence that I so desperately needed. I had so many insecurities and issues with “self worth”. What I missed was a father that cared enough to simply be around and just love me.

My father’s name was Jenkin. He came to the States when he was a young kid. When he grew up, he served in the U.S. Army. In the early 70’s, he was stationed in Seattle where he met my mother. They fell in love and against her mother’s wishes, married and started a family.  Before I was born, the stability of our family was beginning to falter. My parents, from as far back as I can remember, had always been divorced. He was a “deadbeat dad” and didn’t help my mother much in child support.  He gambled a lot and rarely came around. My dad started another family and his farming business. He tried to include me in this new life but I never felt a part of it. My two older sisters and I barely saw him, but when we did I would get so excited! There would be nights I couldn’t sleep because I knew he was coming to visit. I desperately wanted a role model in my life. I loved my biological father, but couldn’t be sure if it was just the longing in my heart. I really didn’t know him that well.

One summer he wanted me to come work for him in Pescadero, where he had a mushroom farm. This meant giving up my vacation to do manual labor. Growing up in the City, I wasn’t used to hard work and waking up at the crack of dawn. Plus, mushrooms didn’t seem all that “thrilling” to a young kid. I would be missing my friends and all the fun going on in San Francisco without me. Reluctantly, I went and spent a little over a month there waking up late and doing barely any work. I was such a brat. To get out of working that summer I convinced my Mom to bring me home to SF so that I could go to my orthodontist checkup. That appointment wasn’t for another month. So, I lied to get out of working and spending time with my dad. Now that he was available and I had the chance to be with him, I cowardly ran away because of my selfishness. It is one of the most regretful things I have ever done.  Sometimes I wish I could turn back time to see how my future would have turned out. Would things have been different?

Years went by and then he was diagnosed with cancer.  It spread quickly and within the year I had lost him for the second time.  He passed away on August 20th, 1997: the same day as my 17th birthday. I have no idea why out of all the days of the year it had to be that day. Maybe someday I will find out that reason. What I do know is that my father on earth was only human.

What I know now, I wish I had known then. I would have liked to show my earthly father grace and to know that he didn’t have to be perfect. Even though the memories and lack of parenting still hurt and have left scars, I have grown to forgive him and I am still learning to let go. The only way I am able to forgive him and say that “I love him” is by the grace and love shown to me by my Heavenly Father. My “capabilities” don’t even matter anymore. What I can do or accomplish weigh less and less on me as I realize that my plan is nothing compared to what my Heavenly Father has planned for me. There is a reason that I longed so much for a father. The emptiness in me was a God-shaped hole that only Christ could’ve filled.

The father that I always dreamt of was there all along.  Even though God wasn’t physically there, there was something very familiar during those moments. This verse reminds me of that feeling.

“When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:4

He has always guided me and tended to me and my family. We definitely went through rough times but always had each other to rely on and turn to. There was always just enough to get by. Through it all, I can honestly say that God has held me so much through my life.  In times that I was too weak, He carried me.

So, how did I become involved with WitnessSF?  Not by coincidence or knowing the right people. God chose me.  He wants to use me in this city.  It’s just a matter of “Will I step up and out for His Kingdom?”  I definitely have no entitlement to anything and I am a wretched sinner, but He loves me not regardless or despite those things, but all-inclusive of them. His love is truly unconditional. I sin and backstab the One who gave His life for me. And as soon as I turn back toward Him, He is right there with open arms. Who can be like this?  It is beyond my knowledge and anyone else’s, for that matter. I’m so amazed by the overwhelming love of Christ. I hope that if you know this Love, and feel it inside of you, then you will do something about it.  If you feel that you can’t contain it, be bold and share it. This overwhelming Love shouldn’t be contained.  It’s our joy and responsibility to let it shine.

I am only capable if I surrender my hopes, my dreams, and my life so that His life is lived through me.

This is only part of my story.  I will be posting more as time goes on.  If you would like to chat or visit my church (Lifehouse Church located on 4th and Cabrillo, San Francisco), I would be happy to meet you! You can contact me @ WitnessSF@gmail.com.

Original Article

Say Yes and Help

Editor’s note: The mission of WitnessSF is to provide a platform for our communities to share their stories. You were created for a purpose, and we hope that this story encourages you to pursue your God-given purpose with all your heart. How are YOU pursuing your purpose? Share in the comments!

“I am in ministry.”

Even a year ago, I would’ve hardly believed those words coming out of my mouth. Now, I live in and breathe for ministry. My transformation from a promiscuous gal with low self-esteem to a secular Christian, and now to a Kingdom-builder had been slow but enduring. My story of coming to know Jesus isn’t one of revival or experiencing a bright light at the end of a tunnel. Rather, my story is the sum of snippets of daily life and the grace of a Savior.

I grew up in a large, extended family and despite an otherwise normal childhood, I seldom felt loved and pretty. By my teenage years, I had turned my attention to boys, constantly seeking approval from guys I didn’t even particularly care for. Though I accepted Christ during a summer camp when I was fourteen, I let my rebellious and sinful self take over my life. By my late teens, I had moved out of my family home and was living with a boyfriend. That relationship was rough and at best, unhealthy. It was unsatisfying and not loving. It was the wrong guy, for all the wrong reasons. Often times, I would cry in the shower, so the water would wash my tears away. I distinctly remembered I once cried out to God to save me from this relationship during one of my shower moments.

After three plus years of this unhealthy relationship, I got out and met my now husband, David. In one of our very first conversations. I found out David was a Christian. I made a mental note of that, because even though my relationship with Christ was far away at that point, I knew there was something special about it. I began a gradual process of reconciling with God, attending churches with David and his family when we visited them. After I got married, I attended church more consistently and got baptized a year later. At that point, I considered myself a Christian, but was more or less a “cultural” Christian. This meant that while I believed in the Bible, shared friendship with other fellow Christians, knew Christian songs and tithed to our local church… my life still wasn’t surrendered to God. My life may not even have looked that different from people who didn’t call themselves “Christians.” I scarcely served at church and my attention was still centered around my career, my next vacation plans, or the next social outing with friends. The day-to-day “stuff” of life often intruded on my relationship with God, making me worried and anxious.

My life hit a turning point when I decided to move to Santa Clara in preparation of the birth of my first-born. In searching for a new home church, David and I came across South Bay Church. We would receive their fliers in the mail, but I kept throwing them away. Eventually, something inside nudged me to check out this “start-up” church. We loved the church service and I just knew God wanted my family to be there. After I committed to call South Bay Church our home church, I went from being a guest, to a small group participant, to a volunteer, to a small group leader in a matter of about six months. My faith grew exponentially every Sunday as I absorbed the words of God at “Ground Zero” with many people who did not know Christ before, having moved to the Bay Area from different parts of the country and world. Together, we were experiencing the love of Christ in a non-judgmental way.

After a year of attending South Bay Church, I was approached to help with organizing life groups (small group gatherings throughout the week). I said “yes” right away because I love my church and life groups were where I personally experienced life-changing relationships, as people in my life group had walked with me through a difficult time when my second son was born with a genetic blood disorder. They had been there to pray for, love and encourage me. Every four months, new life groups would start. Every four months, I was asked to help. Every fourth months, I said “yes.” As I said “yes” to the call to help, God would provide the time, the mental capacity, the strength, the wisdom, the discipline and above all, the abundance of joy to me. And then it hit me. “I am in ministry”.

In the past, when I thought about ministry, I thought it was about a whole family foregoing all their dreams and desires of the world, moving to the Amazon jungle to share the gospel with the natives. Or taking on a pastoral position in a small church while the family tries to make ends meet. I had my preconceived notions and just didn’t know any better. I’m not a missionary in the Amazon jungle, nor the small town pastor, but I, too, am in ministry. I am in ministry, right where I’m at. Being in ministry isn’t about how much money I forego in a career, how much time I spent preparing a sermon or how many mission trips I have taken. “Being in ministry” is that email I send to our church leaders thanking them for their hard work, the phone call I make to connect a new guest to a small group, or the text I send to a friend who may need encouragement. All these seeds I have sown, big or small create a ripple effect that may last for a lifetime. I am part of the Body that works to build for the King of all kings. I serve alongside with these other wonderful humbled Kingdom builders to make disciplines of all nations and take the message of Christ’s love to the ends of the earth. Normal people, just like me. I am serving with joy from the bottom of my heart that overflows to others. Even the Negative Nancy in me turns into the Faithful Faye.

This paradigm shift energizes me and enables me to think beyond who I am, and towards what I have been created for. I am created for the Purpose of God. The truth is, YOU can be in ministry. YOU can minister to your friend who is in need. YOU can reach out and give a hug to a friend who is going through a divorce. YOU can serve at your church or a local organization you have been called to. YOU can serve alongside many others who don’t have a seminary degree. The only requirement of a ministry worker is brokenness in the past, redemption and restoration for good, and a reconciled relationship with God.

To borrow my pastor’s words – one day when you die and you get to heaven, God will ask you two questions, The first question is “Did you believe in my Son?” The second question is “What did you do with your life?”

So, what are you doing with your life? My encouragement and prayer for you is that you realize the best gift God has given you is his Son, Jesus Christ, who died for you. And also the next best gift: that God has a Purpose for you. Find a local church or organization who’s vision you believe in and partner with them. Be intentional and be missional. You will also find yourself one day in ministry. Just say yes and help.

Vivian and her husband David attend South Bay Church, which meets at Don Callejon School in Santa Clara, CA. In addition to her role as mother of two young boys, Karl and Connor, Vivian is on staff at South Bay as Life Group Director in parallel with her role as a finance manager at a local high tech company. Vivian is passionate about connecting people so they can form lasting, meaningful relationships in a comfortable group environment. Visit South Bay Church in person or online at southbaychurch.org

Original Article