One Plants, One Waters, But God Makes it Grow: An Incredible, Unbelievable Miracle

New Volunteer Mike Already a Bold and Fruitful Volunteer

One of our on-fire new volunteers, Mike, was on the sidewalks of the busy abortion center yesterday and stopped a guy leaving the parking lot carrying fishing poles. He was going fishing while the woman he brought aborted her baby. He said he was pro-choice and it was none of his business what she chose to do. Mike spoke to him with truth and God's word, but the guy said Mike was too aggressive and he walked away. Mike was frustrated, feeling he had been speaking to a brick wall. We Cities4Life counselors all know that feeling-- keep it in mind as I finish the story.

Mike had already left for home when the fisherman walked by me. I offered him our literature for post-abortive women since I knew the woman had probably already aborted by then. I told him she might need it and just in case she was grieving, it would be best for him to offer it to her. He agreed and took it.

Later, as everyone else was packing up, I was by the center's driveway when the fisherman had finished fishing and walked by me again. He thanked me for the literature, saying another friend with them had agreed the post-abortive woman might need it. His friend was grateful to us for the offer.

I can't quite remember how the conversation about God started, but the young man and I talked at least an hour. Everyone but the RV driver, Patrick, left. Patrick NEVER leaves me alone on the sidewalk. He is a veteran and I know would protect me to the death should any danger present itself.

The young man was an atheist. He said he was raised in a Christian home but at age 11 kept asking God for a sign to prove He was real. God never gave him a sign, so he decided God was not real.

From there, we spent an hour as I shared the Gospel and several of my own stories as an atheist when God was sending me signs and I didn't understand or see them. The guy had no trouble understanding sin, and agreed fully he was a sinner. He also understood the need for there to be a penalty for sin. He even understood that God, being perfectly just, would have no choice but to punish sin. What he had never quite understood was what Jesus did on the cross. He had an "ah-ha" moment when I asked him why Jesus HAD to rise from the grave...what was He overcoming?

"Death!!!" the young man said with a huge smile. I think for whatever reason, that clicked and a lot of things fell in place for him.

We talked alot about all our appetites and desires (thirst, hunger, fatigue...etc) and how in every case, the desire can be satisfied. Why would evolution OR God design us with a desire that could not be satisfied? I asked if he longed for eternity. He said, "Yes." I told him that desire could be satisfied as well... in Christ!

When I finished the full Gospel presentation, I asked, as I always do, if he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart right now, proclaim Him as Lord, and trust in Him from this moment forward. I was SHOCKED when he said yes. He prayed aloud and said, "Jesus is Lord, and I believe He died for my sins and rose from the dead..."

I honestly COULD NOT BELIEVE IT...except I was there.....

And get this: His name is Cristo...Greek for Christ.

I told him if he was looking for a sign from God, just look at his name!!!!! When we were praying, I said, "Lord, Cristo has been looking for a sign from you for years. I am making an AUDACIOUS request. I pray that you would send him an unmistakable sign that you are there."

YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED. You will have to read to the end to find out.

Anyway, I introduced him to Patrick then, we told Patrick what Cristo had just done and he agreed to let us take his photo and share it wherever we liked. He kept hugging us and shaking our hands. I have NEVER seen a transformation like that.

So encouraging on so many levels but here was the major take-away for me. Mike was sad and frustrated, feeling he had not seen fruit, though he had tried so hard with Cristo. And yet look, Mike and the other counselors who called out to Cristo were the ones who planted the seed which I watered, and God brought the harvest. We are out there as a team all of whom play such an integral part in everything that happens that brings souls to the Lord and to life.

So that is a long introduction to Mike, one of our new volunteers. Here is what he said when I asked: what compels you to be out on that sidewalk? 

The desire to minister to those at the abortion mill started initially when I walked with Love Life Charlotte back in December of 2016.  I felt a deep sadness and burden for the children whose lives are cut short because of the abortion industry.  I remember walking down Latrobe and seeing the Mill in the distance nearly surrounded on all sides by a combination of pro-life and pro-choice individuals.  Seeing the very real "war" for the lives of the innocent was very convicting to me.  It wasn't however until around May of 2017 that God directed me back to the sidewalk on Latrobe.  I was on my way to a meeting off Sardis road when it was suddenly canceled.  Almost immediately after getting the notice of the canceled meeting I felt the Holy Spirit tell me go to the abortion mill.

Since that day I have been out every week, mostly Wednesdays or Thursdays.  The Lord has placed the pro-choice escorts on my heart as my specific calling.  I truly believe the method to end abortion is to preach the gospel.  To simply try and convince someone that the life inside a woman's womb is a person is not going to save souls.  Once someone becomes a Christian there is no need of convincing, the Holy Spirit will move and convict.  As hard as it is to hear and see the things these pro-choice escorts do, I feel a true love for them and hope to see them come to Christ.  

The Rest of the Story....

 Later, in the evening, I received this text from Christo:

C: I just wanted to let you know I may have gotten that sign [from God]....

Me: Tell me the sign!!!!!

C: The clinic would not let my friend go through with the abortion because she was too emotional.

Me: WHAT!!!!!!! Will she call me????We can provide all kinds of help!

C: I will let her know.  I love and appreciate you for everything. It takes a special type of love to do what you do!

Me: Christ's love!


WOW. Pray with AUDACIOUS confidence. We serve an AUDACIOUS God.
**********
To volunteer, please email Vicky at vkaseorg@cities4life.com
***********
I Corinthians 3: 5-7
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, as the Lord has assigned to each his role. I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.…