Stories from Brazil - 1

 Her name is Jessica. I didn't know her before that day, but God did. The Bible tells us that God has engraved us on the palms of His hands. (Isa. 49:16) He was already writing her story long before we ever arrived in Brazil. But, sometimes.....sometimes......God lets us be a part of His story......and it's beautiful. 

We knocked on her door on a sunny, Brazilian Saturday afternoon. She came out into the courtyard with a small girl and a baby. We introduced ourselves, and she told us her name was Jessica. We said we had come to share with her a message from God. (Isn't the story of salvation truly the BEST message from God ever??) We barely had the words out of our mouths when Jessica burst into tears. There were 6 or 7 of us standing there, and she's sobbing. The wonderful pastor we were with was interpreting for me, as she said, 

"I've had the worst week of my entire life, and I've been crying out to God every night, and I really, really need to hear from Him." 

She couldn't believe we were there - that we had come at this exact time! She told us that she had had the worst week of her life and was so discouraged. Her husband had left a couple of days ago and she didn't know where he was, or if he would come home. She had been in a bad car accident and is having some serious health problems. Her world is falling apart. She didn't know what to do, but she had been crying out every night to the One who she thought might help her. 

Coincidence that we show up at her door this week? Happenstance that this is when we chose to go to Brazil? 

Could God have spoken to Jessica through other circumstances? Of course, He could have! But, when we choose to live in obedience - to step out and do hard, uncomfortable things, we get to be a part of His wonderful, perfect story! And here we were.

We stopped right then, and I shared with her about a really hard time I had gone through, and how I read in my Bible that God will fight our battles for us when we trust Him, and that God would be there for her too.  I asked if I could pray for her. We prayed and hugged right there in that courtyard in a beautiful little town in a place far, far away.

Her crying calmed down after that, and we asked if we could share with her this message from God - how to be close to God, so she could take her problems to Him. She said, "Yes." We took the Evangecube and went through the pictures and told her the beautiful Gospel story. At the end we asked if she wanted to pray to receive Christ as her Savior. She is desperate. She has no hope. Christ is hope. She immediately wanted to ask God to be in her life. She prayed to receive Jesus right then. There was no hesitation. She had been asking God for an answer, and her heart was desperately ready for Him.

Jessica showed up at church the next evening. It is difficult for her to walk because of the car accident, but she had met Jesus yesterday and came anyway. She even brought a friend. We visited after the service, and she told me she now has peace. She wants to learn more about God, and before I had left Brazil had asked the church to start a Bible study in her home.....and they had. She had a smile on her face, and Jesus in her eyes.

Jessica's short story brought conviction into my life -

Are we desperate for God? Are we crying out to Him to be a part of our lives every day? Do we come to church even when it's difficult - do we know Jesus enough that He is worth a little sacrifice for us to show up? When's the last time we invited a friend to church? Do we make Bible study and getting to know God better a priority?

This visit to Jessica's home is a highlight of my trip to Brazil. And it was truly amazing. But, you know what? The rest of the trip didn't go like I wanted or envisioned. (Does life ever??) In fact, it turned out to be some of the toughest times I've been through. But....

That's a story for another day.......