While driving the other day on a rare car ride alone (I’m the Mama to three children ages five and under), I told the Lord something that shocked even me.
Ever since I got that first license in my hand at 16, I’ve always loved praying in the car. Driving while pouring my heart out to God comes naturally to me. But, typically, I know what I’m going to say to God before I say it. You know? I usually don’t surprise myself in this way.
The words that gushed from my mouth left me slightly dumbfounded and with no option but to just laugh at myself.
“Lord,” I told Him, “you know I just LOVE sharing your Gospel!”
Oh man. If you would have known me even five years ago, you could have straight-up labeled me a liar. And five years ago, if you would have heard me say that? You would’ve been absolutely right.
My love and affection for sharing the Gospel has truly grown over the past several years. Flipped on its head, my view of evangelism has forever been changed through the power of the Holy Spirit, my patient husband and the logical, compassionate trainings I’ve received through Dare 2 Share.
I was once the girl who HATED sharing my faith. Inviting people to church? Totally. Sharing an inspirational, feel-good Bible verse? You betcha. But actually uttering the words to explain who Jesus is and how to enter into a relationship with Him? Yeah, no.
When my bearded mountain man (aka my husband Jason who was slightly less bearded back then) and I got married, he was the youth director at a church and I co-led the junior high and senior high groups with him. Jason had been trained in how to share his faith from his youth pastor, and understood its merit and God’s call on all believers’ lives to evangelize. I, on the other hand, was entirely turned off to evangelism. What I had SEEN of it was nothing short of disgusting: shady characters yelling that people we’re going to hell through a megaphone, their podium a rickety milk crate. Even once on a mission trip, we were told we were going to “share our faith” and then were given tracts to pass out, with no instruction to enter into conversation or love on the people we met.
My nose was turned entirely up at this whole proselyte business, and quite frankly, I wasn’t having any part of it. Deep down, I was completely freaked out at the idea of opening my mouth and talking about Jesus. Fear had gripped me, and as a result, I hid behind the guise of “I’ll just stay back and pray for everyone” when our groups would go out sharing their faith.
T
he defining moment for me? The moment when I bought into this whole sharing the Gospel thing? It was when I actually DID it. Me. Laura Loewen. I opened my mouth and shared the Gospel.
Game. Over.
Game over, because God was with me.
Game over, because my words didn’t need to be perfect, but perfect strangers now knew that I loved and cared for them, and infinitely more important, they knew that a perfect and holy God loved them.
Game over, mainly because, well, I knew I was being obedient to God and sharing the most amazing free gift that’s even been offered.
So trembling, little, young + newlywed Laura continued to pray for courage to share her faith.
And want to know the CRAZY thing? Once you’re in the habit of sharing your faith, you want to do it more!
When you open your mouth and tell others of the Creator of the universe who came down and took upon their sins, YOUR sins, so that we all could have eternal + abundant life…you become hooked.
Call me cheesy, corny, or a cliché, but sharing the Gospel becomes part of you. Once you do it and just step out in faith, however awful of a train wreck it may be, you can’t go back to your old, complacent self.
I wish we were face to face, sharing coffee together. I wish I could look you in the eyes and plead with you as I tell you that sharing a clear Gospel with love + joy in your heart and on your lips is the best way to go.
I wish you could see the sincerity in my expression that I’ve messed it up SO many times. I’ve totally bombed. But the more I open my mouth, the more I give way to the Voice of Courage instead of the whispers of fear…the better it’s gotten.
There are amazing tools on how to share your faith, and on what a clear Gospel is. If you haven’t already, check out one of the amazing resources Dare 2 Share has to offer on this.
But the easiest, surefire way to share your faith? Just. Keep. Doing. It.
You guys. I went from the fearful, scaredy pants little 22-year-old to the woman who proclaims Jesus to the guy next to me on the airplane and carpet salesperson in my home.
This isn’t because I’ve matured or gotten older. Hands down, it’s because I decided to let people in on the One who changed my life + broke my chains.
Step out in faith and tell that co-worker, friend or family member just who Jesus is and how He’s transformed your life. I promise that you won’t regret it – you’re giving them the opportunity to have unspeakable joy, a God who is with them + life eternal.
Friends, we’ve got everything to gain.
Go get your sharing on.
(Greg Stier here…what an excellent writer Laura is! I encourage you to follow her on Instagram @laurloewen and follow her blog on www.lifeasaloewen.com)
