This past Christmas break, at our Western Canada Winter Conference Randy Newman came to speak. Randy is many things: a father, a fellow staff member, my mother's childhood friend, author of two books and, in a way, my spiritual Grandfather. You may be wondering what I'm talking about. Pause a moment and think about the person who shared the love of God with you, who first taught you about His grace, and who invited you to accept Him. In a way, that person is the father or mother of your new birth in Christ. It's amazing when we begin to share stories that we can see the myriad ways God works in so many situations to bring us to Himself. Our belief today is a result of some telling us, and that someone was told by someone....all the way back to Paul, Peter and the apostles. What a heritage!
Growing up, my parents often read us Bible stories and taught us to pray in all situations. I remember the day my mom and I were in the car (where most of our good conversations happened) when she shared with me how I could pray and ask Jesus to come into my heart. And so my mother is also the one who led me to new birth in Christ. My mom, who grew up going to Church, was not interested in God until tragedy struck and she began to ask God "why". Randy, her long time friend who had just become a Christian at Temple university, began to share his faith with her. And so, with time, my mom placed her faith in Jesus.
This is more than an interesting story; this is the spiritual lineage that God ordained to lead me home to Him. It's true that each of our stories is unique, and this is what occurred to me in a Korean BBQ restaurant with Randy, Varun and a friend, Berman, one evening during winter conference. Berman has been on staff for several years and was integral in leading Varun to faith. And there we all were, eating sushi and talking about life in Vancouver. Who would have imagined the impact a testimony of God's greatness could make? How many lives have been touched through Varun by Berman sharing his faith with Varun? Would I know God personally if my mom hadn't told me about Him? If Randy hadn't told her?
It's amazing to look back and marvel at how God works. Were the students who shared their faith with Randy years ago nervous that he might reject them? Probably! Did Berman doubt that Varun would care about Jesus? I'm sure! Do I hesitate to declare God's amazingness? Too often. But I learned that evening at supper that God works in powerful and intricate ways to bring us to Himself...A chinese canadian leading an Indian to Christ who would marry an American who was led to Christ by a mother who met Jesus by a former Jew.
{If that's not inspiring I don't know what is}
