An Atmosphere Shifter

She’s an atmosphere shifter.

Because when you have the Spirit of the resurrected Jesus living inside of you, you cannot remain the same.  You have an assignment that cannot be ignored.  And you have the ability to change the atmosphere of every single situation you find yourself in.

And every day is an opportunity to BE Jesus… with skin on.  “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you re His dear children.”  (Eph 5:1)

Ahh, yes.  And although she's making her momma’s heart soar, I can only imagine how glad she’s making the heart of her Father.

She would call yesterday to share the news with her dad and me.  A God-sized story that would tell of her encounter with a homeless woman at a gas station where just earlier she would send me a photo of her pumping gas with the text included, “Here goes my bank account.”

Because we never really see the surprise attacks before they come.  And the one to our family this year would prove more of that reality than any other we’ve experienced so far.

Oh but He is good.  And faithful.  And provides for us even in the wilderness.

And upon filling her tank up she listened, again, to the words of a song that had been playing on repeat in her car.  The words would penetrate her heart once more, “Let me be filled with kindness and compassion for the one, the one for whom You loved and gave Your Son. For humanity increase my love, help me to love with open arms like You do. Oh that when they look in my eyes they would see You. From the homeless to the famous and in-between..”

And God answers the cry of our hearts.  Her heart.  To be Jesus with skin on. 

And just as she exited the station she saw her.  The homeless one in need.  And she felt it.  The tug of her heart to not only financially sacrifice… and it is a sacrifice… but also to share the love of Jesus with her.

Because isn’t that what it’s ultimately about anyway?  To share the love of Jesus with others who may not know?

And upon receipt of the only cash Chloe had in her wallet, the woman would ask her, “Do you go to Bethel?”

One question.  One simple question that started a dialogue between two perfect strangers.

And at the end?  One simple prayer that would forever connect Chloe to Crystal for the rest of her days. 

Because one encounter with Jesus changes everything.

And we may never know the result of our prayers or of the seeds we plant, but because of Chloe’s willingness to be inconvenienced on a Sunday afternoon for a woman who may never have known the gift of grace offered to her, too, she may get to see the harvest as early as next Sunday!

“I’ll be right here at this same time next Sunday,” she would say to Chloe.  “If you want to pick me up, I’d love to go to church with you!”

One encounter.
One yielded spirit.
One receptive heart.
One brief conversation.
One prayer.

It ALL matters.

Love God.  Love others.
And we complicate it so often.

Loving isn’t always easy… but it is always, always, always worth it.

Thank you, Chloe, for paving the way for others to encounter Jesus.  For bravely being Jesus with skin on.

Well DONE… WELL done!  <3