Answered Prayer on the Doors

About a week after attending the D'Sozo camp, I went canvassing with a couple of friends in our home town. As we canvassed, I prayed for God's blessing and leading that we might reach some soul in need.  I had been canvassing for about three hours and had many closed doors. But I continued to pray. As I walked to the next door I was met with two dogs, but they looked quite friendly, so I entered the yard and walked up the stairs with the dogs following behind. I knocked and a middle aged lady came to the door. I canvassed her, and seeing a rather hardened look on her face I shared with her Peace Above the Storm. When she saw the title, she said, "Oh yes, I'd be happy to take a read of that; it looks good." So she gave a donation and took the book - stating that she would be sitting down to take a read as the heat restricted a lot of other activities. Strengthened from this experience, and with another prayer I ventured to the next door.

I prayed for blessing, and after knocking a couple of times with no answer I started to leave. But just as I was walking across the front yard, a car drove in the driveway. While I was canvassing them I asked, "What do you enjoy reading?" The man replied, "I read a lot of history." So I said, "Well, I've got the perfect book for you," and showed him The Great Controversy. He took a brief look, and said, "Yep, looks good. I'll get that." I smiled, and praised God for yet another answer to prayer.

Two doors later I knocked, and a lady came to the door. I canvassed her Bountiful Health, The Great Controversy, and Peace Above the Storm, but she wasn't really interested. So I started up a conversation with her, asking about her religion and background. She was a Christian, and she told me that she had many reasons to be. I asked about her grandchildren and herself, seeking to find an avenue for which to share a message book. She told me that she studies her Bible and says her prayers - so I seized the opportunity and showed her Lessons of Love, the book we particularly like to share with Christians. She was quite interested and after taking a look, she gave us a donation and took the book. Then I said something like, "It's such a blessing to be Christians; we have such an amazing life in the future (eternity) to look forward to!"She said, "Well yes, but you're still young. You've got a long way to go; I'm counting down now." I smiled and replied,"Yes, but eternity in comparison with this life is worth it! - don't you think?" She agreed. As we were talking, she mentioned a number of times that fact that she knew without a doubt Christianity was definitely not a mistake, and she had many real reasons to be Christian. So we continued talking and then it all came out. "I'm one of fourteen children of whom I am the only girl," she began. "When I was very young my great-grandmother would have to come at night to try to pacify me at because my father would be abusing my mother and I would be terrified. All, except one, of my brothers - of whom I have thirteen - died or were killed in infancy. Only one is now living. And because of all this I hold on to my religion; it is what keeps me going." I couldn't help but say a hearty amen! As I said goodbye and left the door I said, "I'll be praying for you, and I'm sure you'll gain a great blessing from that book! God bless you!"

That experience really got me thinking: if someone out there who I might have passed by as being of the world has truly found in Christianity her strength - how much more ought we to be living out Christianity despite hardship and temptations! 

-Ash