Be Visionary

Today was another exciting day. We spent the majority of our day with YWAM London again and were so blessed and encouraged and affirmed again in where God is leading us. We have been sitting in the morning lectures with the students and the past few days they have gone over YWAM's core values. I will probably have them all set up in a blog eventually because I think they are so relevant and true to how we are suppossed to live as Christians. Its basically a heart attitude. Being a Christian is not a theology...its a WAY OF LIFE. One of the values is to be visionary, which is what I titled this blog. Because for the year and a half that Ben and I have been married....we have been nothing but visionary! We are always looking for the next step God wants us to take. And now God is amazing us with these new possibilities and visions of coming here to London to know the Lord and make Him known.

Today we talked more with Christian, who is an artist in the YWAM Taboo Art Ministry. He really encouraged us and welcomed us. The ministry (which is within YWAM) actually could use some photographers. This was such exciting news to Ben and I! Christian can really see (like we do) how the Lord can use a gift such as Photography, Painting, Dance, etc....and use it to bring people to Him. So that was really exciting.

This afternoon we served at Earls Court Community Project which was AMAZING. We helped out with the coffee bar which occurs every tuesday and wednesday at a local church here in London (Earls Court area). Its basically a place for the homeless, for the lonely, or for someone who just wants some tea or coffee and a light lunch and someone to talk to. Its a great example of how we are suppossed to walk with people where they are in life....and not just preach down at them. There's a Bible Study afterwards that everyone is invited to join.

Well...I was at the art table today. So I basically just sat down and starting drawing (I'm quite proud of my picture and am bringing it back as a Souveneir). One older man in particular, lets call him Bob. Bob sat down with me because he heard my American accent when he first walked in. Then he found out I was a Psychology major and starting talking about Freud, Bolby, etc. etc. It was like a mini refresher course for me...hearing Bob go on. From what I could gather, Bob was very manic. Talking a million miles a minute and just spouting off a TON of information. He is extremely intelligent. He asked me straight out if I am a Christian. I said yes. He said, "Why?". And I of course was taken aback and just hoped God would speak through me in that moment. Well....Bob has a degree. Two degrees actually. One of them is in theology. But Bob in a downright atheist. He kept trying to reason with me and give me logical and educationally based reasons why God doesn't make sense. Why an afterlife doesn't make sense. It was so sad. I felt so oppressed by the enemy, really. Not by Bob. It just felt like the enemy was poking fun at me saying...see, here Tara! See how much this man is mine! You can't do anything about it! You know what Satan....I can't. But God can. I had to keep telling that truth to myself. I had to keep telling myself that Bob's soil just isn't ready. But I'm here to listen to him. To try and refine his soil. To plant seeds when the soil is ready.

The end of my story with Bob isn't miraculous. In fact it ended like this, "Bob..it was great to meet you today and I hope we will be able to talk more in the future during coffee bar. I am going to be praying for you and for God to reveal himself to you in a brilliant way". Bob: "Well....I'm not a Christian." And after 45 minutes of conversation...that was it. And Bob walked away. But I won't be discouraged. I will continue to pray for Bob. And if its Gods will that we move here and do the DTS in September...you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be seeking Bob out at the coffee bar. Bob has been through years.....through decades...of hurt. Of who knows what that has made his heart hard for the Lord. And I'm not here to save him. That's not my job. My job is to walk with him. Encourage him. Speak truth to his life (Gods truth). And pray for him. Whew. Today has been a shaking day. In a good way, I guess.

Anyway...its really late and I need to go to bed! A lot more to do tomorrow with YWAM again!