Sharing Your FaithSample

The Joy of Sharing with Each Other

Are you afraid to make eye contact when you find yourself sitting next to a stranger? Does the thought of striking up a conversation make you nervous or fidgety? It’s really not unusual to feel that way. The person next to you is probably having the same difficulty.

What would prevent you from turning to look at that person, putting out your hand as a friendly gesture, and introducing yourself? In turn, you could ask their name. It’s an icebreaker that may even lead to a story that could touch your heart.

That’s exactly what happened during one day at Character Quest. After we exchanged names, Cindy and I began talking about how many years we’d each served at CQ and how much we enjoyed watching the kids, especially if we had an opportunity to interact with them. We spoke about the hardships children face in today’s world and how grateful we were that there is a place where they can come and learn about Jesus. As our conversation continued, we turned to more serious things and somehow segued into the subject of miscarriages. Her story brought me to tears (of joy):

“It was a Mother’s Day I’ll never forget,” Cindy began. “At the time, I had a two-year-old daughter and was pregnant. Unfortunately, I had a miscarriage. The following Mother’s Day would have been more difficult had it not been for my now three-year-old, who came into my room with a package for me. When I opened it up, I could hardly believe it. I turned to my little girl and said, ‘Honey, this is your favorite doll!’

“Then she said something that startled me, as I didn’t even know she understood the impact of what had happened the year before.‘I know, mommy, but I wanted you to have it because this is a baby that won’t ever leave you.’”

I was tearing up, as was she, at the memory of such a beautiful gesture from her young daughter.

As we got up from the table and ended our conversation, I reached over to give Cindy a hug. “You know, it’s so special that perfect strangers can share such intimate details of their lives with one another, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she gleamed. “It certainly is. Only in Christ is it possible.”

And she is right. There’s something about the family of God that brings our spirits together in a way that we can share the most intimate details of our lives with a perfect stranger. But none of this would have happened without those first few words of introduction.

There were many more stories, most of which will go untold, but there’s one more I’ll share with you tomorrow.

Prayer:

Lord, help me be willing to share my heart with others so that, just like Cindy, I can lift someone else up because of my own personal triumphs and tragedies. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Do you want to go the extra mile?

• Next time you sit next to a stranger, introduce yourself. Ask what brings them to the event you are at. If the conversation falters, have a question or two ready to ask about their family, pet project, or what kind of work they do. We always like to talk about ourselves when someone asks!
• Make an effort to look them in the eye and be engaged so they know you are truly interested.
• Write about the experience in your journal, especially if the Lord gave you a special gift of encouragement from the conversation.