When I was a high school student, we spent our lunch break witnessing to fellow-students about Jesus.
One day I spoke with a fellow-student on the sports field beside the school hall.
Then he came to our weekly lunchtime Christian outreach meeting.
Our friend Les was on the roster to preach that day. Les gave an altar call, but our fellow-student didn't come forward, because he felt that he already was a Christian.
But I thought he needed a definite born-again experience. So to get him to come forward, I gave an invitation for people to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. He came forward.
I led him in a prayer for salvation first, then laid hands on him to receive the Holy Spirit. Instantly he was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with tongues.
He started coming to our weekend youth group and church.
Our youth leader, after meeting him for the first time, remarked, "What a good guy!"
At school he joined our praying, witnessing, and preaching activities. Pretty soon he started talking about feeling called to the mission-field.
After graduating from high school he became a plumber; and obtained an Associate Diploma in Construction Hydraulics.
People sometimes said to him, "Why don't you get a girl friend!"
But he always insisted he would wait for that one whom God had chosen.
One day he was introduced to a lovely girl who attended a church in a neighbouring town; and he felt, "She's the one".
He talked to her about a relationship, and they met a few times - but she decided not to go ahead with it.
Then the time finally came when he went as a missionary - to China.
During those days he likely had the opportunity to go out with any number of girls, I guess. But he wouldn't - he still believed she was the one. He just kept speaking it, and waiting.
He always made noble choices: always just kept following the pathway God had chosen for him.
After a long time he happened to see her again - in Hong Kong. In the meantime she'd completed a Degree in Asian studies, and ended-up in Hong Kong. It's like they'd always had the same destiny, so inevitably their paths met again!
So he arranged to meet-up with her again.
He talked to her about a relationship again - she accepted.
They got married in a beautiful wedding, in our home church in Ipswich.
Then they went back to China together again as missionaries.
Leading people to the Lord, discipling, leadership training, church-planting. Teams often went over to visit them.
They were blessed with four gorgeous children.
Back at home in Australia now, after some 20 years as missionaries, their children are admired in the church and community.
Together they are still seeing others coming to the Lord and growing in Him.
The Lord has also blessed them materially.
They are generous, and consider the poor.
They are fruitful in every way - in every good word and work!
Today he turns 50.
He is blessed, and his family are a blessing to all around them.
Everyone can see it - to the extent some even envy them!
"So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous" (Psalm 58:11).
One day I spoke with a fellow-student on the sports field beside the school hall.
Then he came to our weekly lunchtime Christian outreach meeting.
Our friend Les was on the roster to preach that day. Les gave an altar call, but our fellow-student didn't come forward, because he felt that he already was a Christian.
But I thought he needed a definite born-again experience. So to get him to come forward, I gave an invitation for people to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. He came forward.
I led him in a prayer for salvation first, then laid hands on him to receive the Holy Spirit. Instantly he was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with tongues.
He started coming to our weekend youth group and church.
Our youth leader, after meeting him for the first time, remarked, "What a good guy!"
At school he joined our praying, witnessing, and preaching activities. Pretty soon he started talking about feeling called to the mission-field.
After graduating from high school he became a plumber; and obtained an Associate Diploma in Construction Hydraulics.
People sometimes said to him, "Why don't you get a girl friend!"
But he always insisted he would wait for that one whom God had chosen.
One day he was introduced to a lovely girl who attended a church in a neighbouring town; and he felt, "She's the one".
He talked to her about a relationship, and they met a few times - but she decided not to go ahead with it.
Then the time finally came when he went as a missionary - to China.
During those days he likely had the opportunity to go out with any number of girls, I guess. But he wouldn't - he still believed she was the one. He just kept speaking it, and waiting.
He always made noble choices: always just kept following the pathway God had chosen for him.
After a long time he happened to see her again - in Hong Kong. In the meantime she'd completed a Degree in Asian studies, and ended-up in Hong Kong. It's like they'd always had the same destiny, so inevitably their paths met again!
So he arranged to meet-up with her again.
He talked to her about a relationship again - she accepted.
They got married in a beautiful wedding, in our home church in Ipswich.
Then they went back to China together again as missionaries.
Leading people to the Lord, discipling, leadership training, church-planting. Teams often went over to visit them.
They were blessed with four gorgeous children.
Back at home in Australia now, after some 20 years as missionaries, their children are admired in the church and community.
Together they are still seeing others coming to the Lord and growing in Him.
The Lord has also blessed them materially.
They are generous, and consider the poor.
They are fruitful in every way - in every good word and work!
Today he turns 50.
He is blessed, and his family are a blessing to all around them.
Everyone can see it - to the extent some even envy them!
"So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous" (Psalm 58:11).
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