All Sorts of Things!
Greetings sisters in Christ!
Praise the Lord for being busy, amen? Sometimes we are all busier than others as we know there are times and seasons for all things; let's read about it in God's Word.
We certainly see that in our lives, don't we sisters? Times that are triumphant and times that are troublesome. It rains on the righteous and the wicked, see Matthew 5:45. Times that we are busy and times when we can rest. Times to rejoice and times of sorrow.
Brother Jim and I experience a lot of that, sometimes so much in one day while out here on the streets. Lately we have been super busy, praise God. We stop in a town and sometimes within minutes someone is walking up to talk to us as a seeker or they are a worker of satan. I have a conglomeration of pictures and stories and for fear of falling behind I thought I'd toss them all on a 'catch up' post for you.
Check out what brother Jim came up with to block the sun from coming in our van door:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/07/umbrella-sun-blocker.html
Here's an interesting video I made of the mountains behind us as we traveled eastward.
We've had a lot of travel to get to this area that has several tourist towns and tourist sights that are working out for a lot of witnessing. Along the way we drove through several different states, witnessing along the way, praising God for the opportunity.
Here's a picture of something VERY valuable when out on the streets in the hot sun...can you guess what it is?
My keeper at home job never stops even in a tiny house so I'm always looking for water to wash clothes and healthy deals for nourishment. One such state has all the water spigots locked up because of the politics of the 'virus' issue but God provides in His own time, in His own way. We had just crossed the border into a new state and I quickly looked on the map for a wayside or rest stop (whatever you might call them) and just a few miles down the road was one so we stopped. Brother Jim went to see if they offered water and as I was just getting out of the van, a man approached me saying he liked our signs. I spoke a minute to him and was about to offer a gospel card when brother Jim walked up. Praise God it turned into a great witnessing opportunity and he seemed like a seeker.
After they were done we went to fill up water and brother Jim showed me how he has honed his water finding skills. Check out this sign...
Nope, it's not there. Brother Jim said to walk around the next corner and there it was!
This was great because I had been soaking a good sized load of clothes and needed a lot of water to rinse them. Once we filled up I finished my clothes and we hung them on the side of the van where nobody could see them and the hot dry wind almost dried them while we ate a quick lunch. Meanwhile a beggar walked by and after giving him some food brother Jim gave him the gospel and they talked for a few minutes about the difference between the god's of the Indians and the real God of the universe. (We are in an area with a lot of Indian reservations.) Just that one morning ended up in water, washing and witnessing. Down the road we went into a very popular tourist town called Deadwood in South Dakota. Here is a picture coming down in to the town from a very high hill. (We were almost at the bottom when I took this.)
We stood outside of a rodeo, holding our signs on a SUPER busy intersection where everyone had to stop so they all had a chance to read and hear brother Jim preaching. You can hear that here on his discernment blog:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/07/street-preaching-deadwood-south-dakota_25.html
And see a video here:
https://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/07/street-preaching-deadwood-south-dakota.html
We then walked to the downtown and stood among all the tourists walking up and down the streets. It was very busy and it wasn't long before the police were called and of course were perfectly fine within the law. Then they called them again and he asked brother Jim to avoid just one area so brother Jim, in keeping peace with all men, said he would honor that so as not to make his job harder. As we were walking away I heard the policeman say from behind me, "I appreciate what you are doing." We walked up and down the streets holding our signs, brother Jim preaching the truth of God's Word and we dealt with the masses of haters. (There were a couple potential sheep among all the wolves.) We passed 3 police officers walking down the street giving us thumbs up and right behind them were people cussing and cursing the name of the Lord. After a while you become almost immune to it all and simply go about the Lord's work. I praise God because once again He has proved that in my weakness He is strong. When we got back to the van after that long day, I smiled at brother Jim and said "God gave me what I needed and then some." He does that for us and we need to make sure we see it and give Him thanks. Too often we can get caught up in the moment and not see the blessing within the trials we have. Anyway we have plans to go back there again, Lord willing, very soon as they have some events coming up.
One thing about this state is that not many have masks on which was more than fine with us! I thought you might appreciate a picture brother Jim drew on it.
Anyway, we traveled down the road I snapped a couple nice pictures.
With our background of living in the country in Wisconsin, we have a great appreciation for farms and old barns. It brings to mind a slower and calmer life than the rat race we see going on all over today.
While I was in the store, brother Jim made a video for me. Look for the bee at the end...
Today while standing out on a busy corner with our signs, a man walked up to talk to us and it turns out he's a heretic that does not believe Jesus is God, believes you need to be baptized for salvation (it's to be done out of obedience, not as a requirement for salvation) and other false doctrines. While he was there, another man walked up and said he wants to fly signs like we were. Brother Jim shared the gospel with him and once he got to the point of forsaking all his sins, the man turned and walked away. Satan sends his workers in many different ways and in the strangest situations.
At one point when I was in the store, brother Jim almost got hit by a cellphone that slid off someone's vehicle while they were turning the corner. Thankfully he was able to get it back to them when they were leaving...they surely were thankful!
So that's just a simple update on what's been going on. I could write books on all the experiences but there's so many I don't have time:-)
Of course I always find time to admire the beautiful flowers from our Father who created them and all that there is.
Some towns around here have tons of flowers in pots, alongside the roads, hanging from the lights, in window boxes etc. It's nice to see His creation among all of man's inventions. Which of course man couldn't do unless God gave the building blocks for it, as a sister just recently mentioned.
We look forward to what tomorrow brings and Lord willing, I will be back here writing to you again. I love thinking about how Apostle Paul wrote to the beloved saints, and I get to do that here even if I can't see you and many I have no clue of but I know you are out there!
Love to you all in the name of Christ Jesus.
Sister Deb
Praise the Lord for being busy, amen? Sometimes we are all busier than others as we know there are times and seasons for all things; let's read about it in God's Word.
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-17We certainly see that in our lives, don't we sisters? Times that are triumphant and times that are troublesome. It rains on the righteous and the wicked, see Matthew 5:45. Times that we are busy and times when we can rest. Times to rejoice and times of sorrow.
Brother Jim and I experience a lot of that, sometimes so much in one day while out here on the streets. Lately we have been super busy, praise God. We stop in a town and sometimes within minutes someone is walking up to talk to us as a seeker or they are a worker of satan. I have a conglomeration of pictures and stories and for fear of falling behind I thought I'd toss them all on a 'catch up' post for you.
Check out what brother Jim came up with to block the sun from coming in our van door:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/07/umbrella-sun-blocker.html
Here's an interesting video I made of the mountains behind us as we traveled eastward.
We've had a lot of travel to get to this area that has several tourist towns and tourist sights that are working out for a lot of witnessing. Along the way we drove through several different states, witnessing along the way, praising God for the opportunity.
Here's a picture of something VERY valuable when out on the streets in the hot sun...can you guess what it is?
A little bit of shade:-)
After they were done we went to fill up water and brother Jim showed me how he has honed his water finding skills. Check out this sign...
Nope, it's not there. Brother Jim said to walk around the next corner and there it was!
This was great because I had been soaking a good sized load of clothes and needed a lot of water to rinse them. Once we filled up I finished my clothes and we hung them on the side of the van where nobody could see them and the hot dry wind almost dried them while we ate a quick lunch. Meanwhile a beggar walked by and after giving him some food brother Jim gave him the gospel and they talked for a few minutes about the difference between the god's of the Indians and the real God of the universe. (We are in an area with a lot of Indian reservations.) Just that one morning ended up in water, washing and witnessing. Down the road we went into a very popular tourist town called Deadwood in South Dakota. Here is a picture coming down in to the town from a very high hill. (We were almost at the bottom when I took this.)
We stood outside of a rodeo, holding our signs on a SUPER busy intersection where everyone had to stop so they all had a chance to read and hear brother Jim preaching. You can hear that here on his discernment blog:
http://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/07/street-preaching-deadwood-south-dakota_25.html
And see a video here:
https://spiritandtruthdiscernment.blogspot.com/2020/07/street-preaching-deadwood-south-dakota.html
We then walked to the downtown and stood among all the tourists walking up and down the streets. It was very busy and it wasn't long before the police were called and of course were perfectly fine within the law. Then they called them again and he asked brother Jim to avoid just one area so brother Jim, in keeping peace with all men, said he would honor that so as not to make his job harder. As we were walking away I heard the policeman say from behind me, "I appreciate what you are doing." We walked up and down the streets holding our signs, brother Jim preaching the truth of God's Word and we dealt with the masses of haters. (There were a couple potential sheep among all the wolves.) We passed 3 police officers walking down the street giving us thumbs up and right behind them were people cussing and cursing the name of the Lord. After a while you become almost immune to it all and simply go about the Lord's work. I praise God because once again He has proved that in my weakness He is strong. When we got back to the van after that long day, I smiled at brother Jim and said "God gave me what I needed and then some." He does that for us and we need to make sure we see it and give Him thanks. Too often we can get caught up in the moment and not see the blessing within the trials we have. Anyway we have plans to go back there again, Lord willing, very soon as they have some events coming up.
One thing about this state is that not many have masks on which was more than fine with us! I thought you might appreciate a picture brother Jim drew on it.
Anyway, we traveled down the road I snapped a couple nice pictures.
With our background of living in the country in Wisconsin, we have a great appreciation for farms and old barns. It brings to mind a slower and calmer life than the rat race we see going on all over today.
While I was in the store, brother Jim made a video for me. Look for the bee at the end...
Today while standing out on a busy corner with our signs, a man walked up to talk to us and it turns out he's a heretic that does not believe Jesus is God, believes you need to be baptized for salvation (it's to be done out of obedience, not as a requirement for salvation) and other false doctrines. While he was there, another man walked up and said he wants to fly signs like we were. Brother Jim shared the gospel with him and once he got to the point of forsaking all his sins, the man turned and walked away. Satan sends his workers in many different ways and in the strangest situations.
At one point when I was in the store, brother Jim almost got hit by a cellphone that slid off someone's vehicle while they were turning the corner. Thankfully he was able to get it back to them when they were leaving...they surely were thankful!
So that's just a simple update on what's been going on. I could write books on all the experiences but there's so many I don't have time:-)
Of course I always find time to admire the beautiful flowers from our Father who created them and all that there is.
We look forward to what tomorrow brings and Lord willing, I will be back here writing to you again. I love thinking about how Apostle Paul wrote to the beloved saints, and I get to do that here even if I can't see you and many I have no clue of but I know you are out there!
Love to you all in the name of Christ Jesus.
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...