fruit from scattered seeds

Catherine and I are fortunate to have traveled much. Often when we do we stay with friends or friends-of-friends. Of course we always try to be in good-houseguest mode, and we're both friendly folks, but sometimes a special connection gets made. In this case, it was made without our quite knowing how special.

Our friend M hung out with us, showed us around a bit, the usual. She and Catherine hit it off, with a couple of nice long boy talks. She and I hit it off, with a couple of nice long after-hours games and conversations when others had drifted off.

She knew we were religiously involved; she wasn't too religiously involved, although, like a lot of people, described herself as having spiritual interests. Certainly her lifestyle wasn't consistent with a traditional Christian faith — but, as ever, we had no desire to get into any debates or condemnations. Refreshingly, she didn't treat us like Goldilocks or Jerry Falwell, who seem to form the two usual choices for non-Christians when they meet people like Catherine and me. We didn't treat her like a heathen; ... actually, we did treat her just like a heathen or a Christian or any other human being should be treated: with friendliness and interest. Her sexual life was one that could be described as full buffet; she was fascinated that Catherine and I were each other's only one. We didn't really talk as much about sex or faith, though, as we did about beer and food and music and travel and books and movies. Just all the interesting stuff that people talk about when they hang out in the late-night-school-dorm atmosphere that you sometimes fall into when you travel.

After our trip we kept in touch a bit: a note here and there. We could tell she really liked us, and we really liked her. She disappeared from Facebook for a while. Then, just the other day, she reappeared, pictured next to a handsome guy, with a white veil on. Wow! Then we read the caption and realized she was wearing the veil as part of her baptism ceremony. Wow! I dropped a quick note asking how she was doing and expressing gladness to be back in touch. This is the response:

I think of you guys ALL the time! You two were a huge inspiration to me. When I moved I sought after God and wanted a Christian relationship like one you had. I saw how functional you two were and so badly wanted to turn my life around. I had never known a Christian couple before.

So... to make a long and exciting testimony short (for now) ... I met L at a restaurant and I loved him as soon as he smiled back at me. L's a God-fearing man, full of faith and gifted with evangelism, so it didn't take long before I found myself going to church every Sunday! It took some time and a miraculous healing over me at a Pentecostal church one evening to break me down and surrender myself to the Lord. The most incredible things started happening in my life... it'd take all day to tell you about them!

Then I was baptized and even more incredible things happened! I literally went into the water one person and came out another. I felt convictions I'd never felt before and true forgiveness for the first time.

I'm so thankful to have L understand the drastic changes that overcame me. Within a year of being baptized I started a new ministry at our church. We're in the process of starting it for the new school year in September. It's a community-based youth and creative arts program for 11-13 year olds that builds relationships through creative expression. Very exciting stuff! I could also go on about that for an entire day.

I can't even begin to explain how many different routes I've taken lately and all the things I've been doing through my faith!

Thanks so much for staying at our place when you were traveling. God works in the coolest ways, doesn't he!?

Short answer: Yes.

No doubt this whole situation owes much to Catherine. She has an effect on people. I've mentioned before that Catherine has always seemed to me one of the Pippas of the world: one of those living manifestations of the moral butterfly effect. I've often thought evangelism is the worst form of evangelism; but the corollary to that is even better: being yourself is the best sermon.