It Started With a Text...

My wife and I, along with the rest of the FCA leaders, had just returned to Cartersville from FCA Camp. We were pulling into the Target parking lot around 7:30pm on Sunday evening, and everyone was beyond ready to be in their own bed to rest. As we were pulling in, Lauren pointed over to Bruster's Ice Cream and saw some of my students from the high school enjoying ice cream. I saw one of my baseball players over there and decided to tease him a little about hanging out with some girls. I shot him a text and he text back. He asked where we were coming back from, so I told him we just got back from FCA Camp. He asked me if it was fun, and that is where it all started...

I had the choice to tell him that camp was fun and be done with the conversation, or I could apply what I learned at camp and show him that I cared about where he spent eternity. I waited for a few minutes before I text back and asked him, "If you died today, do you know where you would spend eternity?" Several minutes passed after I sent that text and I thought to myself, "Great! I lost him, but at least I tried." I decided to send another text, which said, "The reason I ask is because I actually care about where you spend eternity." As soon as I hit "Send" I received a lengthy reply back from him.

He said that he was happy with life, but not as happy as he could be if he were completely right with God. He believes in God and he knows that when life is over he has to come face to face with God. He told me that he is not sure where he will spend eternity when he died. He hangs around good people and makes very wise decisions, but he admits that he is not as spiritually active as he should be. He knows that he needes help, admits that he has messed up many times, and said that he knows he needs to repent, but doesn't know how. He knows what he should do, but doesn't know how to get there.

I was blown away by his honesty, but also by the thought he put into his response. I immediately asked if I could meet him somewhere for coffee so I could share how he could know where he would spend eternity, but he sent me a text back saying that he would love to sit down and talk with me face-to-face when he got back from playing baseball out of town on Friday. I was so thankful that he was willing to meet with me, so I told him to let me know when he got back in town.

I spent the next several days praying that God would prepare his heart and that He would keep him alive long enough to hear how he can be born again. I sent him a text Thursday reminding him about meeting with me and he assured me that he would be there. I contacted several prayer warriors and asked them to be praying that God's power would be present when we met.

Friday finally came, and Lauren and I were up early to take Price to get his 6-month shot. We did a little shopping while we were out, and while we were at Wal-Mart I got a text from him asking if we could meet after he worked out. We decided to meet at 1:00 at Applebee's, so all I could do now was pray. When Lauren and I got home, I rushed to help put up the groceries before my meeting. There were still groceries left on the counter, but it was time for my appointment. This was the first time I was not nervous about sharing Jesus with someone, but confident that God was going to change someone's life!

I arrived at Applebee's and we walked inside. We sat down and talked about what we have done this summer, baseball, and then Jesus. I asked him what his thoughts were about the question I asked him on Sunday and he said that he was ready to make an impact in the lives of the people around him for a better reason...Jesus. I shared with him how sin separates us from God, how Jesus came to be the sacrifice for our sins by dying on the cross, and how Jesus can forgive him of his sins. The scripture I shared with him was Romans 3:23 (we all have sinned), Romans 6:23 (because of our sin we deserve to spend an eternity in hell, but God's gift is eternal life through Jesus), 1 John 1:9 (God will forgive our sins if we confess them), Romans 10:9 (you will be saved if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart God raised Jesus from the dead), and John 14:6 (Jesus is the way, truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Jesus). I asked him if he had any questions and he said, "Coach, I am ready to give my life to Jesus."

On a Friday afternoon in a booth at Applebee's, one of my baseball players gave his life to Jesus! He confessed his sins to God, asked God to forgive him, and asked Jesus to take control of his life. Words cannot describe how I felt hearing him talk to Jesus, and words cannot describe the peace and excitement he felt giving his life to Jesus. I have a brand new brother in Christ! I asked him, "Who are you going to tell about your decision today?" He began to rattle off names to no end. I encouraged him to find a church to get plugged into, get plugged into FCA, and to read his Bible and talk to God daily. I assured him that many of his friends would be so excited to hear the news of his decision and that he would have many people praying for him and supporting him in his new walk with Christ. I explained that many people in the Bible died because of their faith and that being a born again believer is not always easy, but God promises that He is always with us!

God orchestrated this whole encounter over the course of this summer. In Africa I learned how to share my faith. At FCA Camp I was challenged to be bold about sharing my faith. Then God simply gave me the divine appointment and left it up to me to me to decide whether or not I cared about where this young man would spend eternity. All glory goes to God for giving me the boldness to share and for saving a precious soul today!!!