Encounter #3

One short afternoon.....and we had not one but three encounters where we were able to share about Jesus in unconventional areas.

The last place was in the lobby of Captain Jim's Seafood Buffet.

The four of us ate dinner there, where we stuffed our faces with some of the best crab legs you've ever eaten.  Smile.

As the guys were paying......the little marketing man that stands off to the side and tries to sell you "tickets and time shares"....looked up and me and asked what did our shirts mean.  To make it easy, I said..........it means Give HIM (and I pointed up) Tennessee.  He asked if we were part of a group. 

I told him that we just left the Tennessee Baptist Bi-Vo Pastors and Wives Conference and a year ago when we were at the same conference and her Dr. Randy Davis share about the millions who do not know Christ and has no church affiliation.........six of us got under conviction and the GiveHIM Tennessee Ministry was began.  In this past year, we have reached out to the community in many, many ways.....which we shared with him.

He pulled all four of us over and began to share his story.  He is from Tennessee.....in fact, the Harriman area, but has lived most of his life in Texas.  Him and his wife just moved to the area two years ago.

They were one of the many, many that lost their homes in the Smokey Mountain fires a few months ago.  He showed us pictures on his phone.  He showed us his two vehicles before the fires and then after the fires.

The day of the fire.....he and his wife left.  He took $8,000 cash and gave it to his wife who put it in her purse.  Part of the way down the mountain, there was a huge burning tree across the road so they had to get out and walk.........falling and tripping along the way.  They finally got to an area where a shuttle picked them up and took them down to a shelter.

At the shelter, they discovered that in the mist of trying to find safety, his wife lost the money.

He was upset.......angry........and torn to pieces....................
Until a man came into the shelter crying and sobbing uncontrollable.  He soon discovered that the man was the one they showed on the news later...............he had lost his wife and two children in the fires.

Our marketing man said he had to stop right there and ask forgiveness to God because he had so much to be thankful for.  The money no longer meant anything.

He said coming off those mountains that day....there were lots of praying atheists......who in the mist of the storms found God.

He said that the local folks in and around the area are just poor folks..........but they have pulled together and opened their homes and given all they have.  He was praising God for the Christian Love that had been shown to them.

He also sang Dolly Parton's praises.  He said that he and his wife were some of the lucky ones...............they had insurance.

But because of the many, many claims, it may be months before they receive their money.  Dolly is giving everyone who lost their home $1,000 a month for six months.  He and his wife had just received their second check. 

We stopped right there............joined hands and the five of us PRAYED and thanked God for taking care of Richard and his wife and the others in the area..............and we prayed for the GiveHIM Tennessee Ministry.

What a blessing it was to meet Richard.

The GiveHIM Tennessee shirts have opened the doors.  We all look forward to the day that we get to share about the shirt with a lost person............and hopefully lead them to Christ. 

Please keep praying for us and for the GiveHIM Tennessee Ministry.  Our ministry supports all of the expenses of the activities outside of the four walls of the church.........but our church and church family help support the ministry with their :man-power".  Our church is a very big part of this ministry.