Good morning! We are going to take a break from our Radical Relationships study to hear from my friend Loretta!! She has so many great stories to share and I am so excited for you to know God in a new way from this one!!

Take it away Loretta!!!------

The Holy Spirit gives different gifts to different members of the body; "Some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers".

And 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 states that; "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines."

Actually, I've learned that I'm still in the process of honing the skill of listening, or I should say "the art of listening", for it is indeed an art. And it's also a gift. As I'm listening, I'm also asking myself, "What does this person standing in front of me need to hear?" What have they been experiencing in their lives?

I remember an encounter I had as I was visiting Sanibel Island Florida. We had breakfast at one of my favorite little restaurants, "The Cracked Egg Cafe," and there were small gift shops lined in a row. ( I was picking up gifts for my girls back home).

As I entered one of the small little shops I noticed one of the shopkeepers appeared as if she had been crying. Throughout the time I was in the shop I kept getting glimpses of her. When I had finished selecting my gifts I walked to the register to check-out. As she proceeded to check me out the desire kept growing stronger to ask if she was ok. And, so I did.

She immediately began pouring out her story, the one that had her so agitated and downcast. Her young daughter had started seeing this man who was a drug user. And in the process got caught up in the life style.

She continued to tell me that she had received a call from the police stating that they had found her daughter, along with her friend in a parked car along the highway.

They had died from a drug overdose.

In that moment I felt such sorrow for this lady. I then introduced myself, telling her who I was and where I was from. I asked if I could pray for her. She immediately grabbed my hands and said yes.

She also told me that she AND her daughter knew Jesus. The gratitude she expressed was overwhelming.

We said our goodbyes and I promised to continue in prayer for her. As I walked away I knew, THIS, was what I was made for. ........allowing the gifts God had given me of "relational connecting" to share the most important gift of all with others......the love of Christ Jesus.

A peace, like no other, came over me, and I knew. I knew that I would continue and reenforce sharing this love with others. This love that had radically changed my own life.

Now, I don't know where this weeping momma ended up. But I do know I was obedient to what God's Spirit was calling me to. And I believe God was and is with her.

As I walked away I remember telling my husband that THIS, sharing Jesus in the mist of devastating circumstances, in the midst of ALL life, was what I was made for. 

-Loretta