Unfathomable Joy

Let me just tell you how the Holy Spirit has been rocking my world the past few days.

Hannah, Kirsten, and myself were doing street evangelism. We took a break to warm up at a coffee shop. After we encouraged one another in our gifting a we hit the streets. Look out, Satan! The women of God are on the move!

As we talked, Hannah and I both felt lead to go to the Orthodox Church in the square. We really wanted to talk to someone and every time I’ve gone they only speak Romanian so the conversation remains surface level.

I lead the charge and go up to the first person I see. “Do you speak English?”

Nope. They didn’t. I quickly turned around and there sat a young girl on a chair. Immediately I zoned in out her and struck up a conversation.

Do you speak English? What’s your name? Do you have Instagram? Do you believe in God? Do you believe in Jesus? What do you believe about Jesus? How can we pray for you?

We went back and forth and it felt like the most natural conversation in the world. She shared that she came to the Orthodox Church because she was searching for peace. 

Hello, God!

Also, let the record show that (I found this out tonight) that it was her first time EVER in that church. She literally went there on a whim. If I didn’t believe in divine appointments before I certainly do now!

She shared about her chaotic home life and that we could pray for her. We encouraged her with our testimonies and right there in the foyer of this dead church we prayed life and peace into her.

I asked her how she felt even though it was obvious from her face she had so much joy and excitement at meeting us. Perhaps because she had been praying for us and didn’t know it…

I could leave it at that and call that a success in ministry. BUT GOD…

Fast Forward Today

Every morning we take time at the church to pray for the people we met. She was someone I was praying for so I reached out to her on Instagram and let her know I was praying for her.

She responded and we had a conversation for awhile, then I invited her to coffee. She said she had free time so we made a plan to meet up at 3pm. I went to the cafe she mentioned and waited for her there.

However, this place did not have wifi. Without wifi I couldn’t communicate with her so I felt like a sitting duck.

As I waited for her though I struck up a conversation with the barista. I asked her questions about her life, Craiova, family, and then I asked if she had Instagram. She gave me her phone and as I was adding my name guess who’s name I saw? 

MEGAN SCHNEIDER!

This chick keeps showing up on my blogs. 😛

Turns out Megan had been there before and had a conversation with her. I told her we were friends. Then the conversation took a deep turn.

“You and Megan are different…I’ve had people come in this shop twice a day for the past year and you both know more about me than any of them do.”

OKAY, Holy Spirit! I see you!

Then I got the opportunity to share about Jesus. That is what makes us different. It’s not our personalities. It’s not because we are friendly Americans. It’s all because we love God and love people and want to share His love with the world.

God has given me such incredible boldness in this season it’s been amazing to challenge myself in it and walk it out. 

I was worried about my other friend because she hadn’t shown up. So I ran two blocks to a place where I knew I could poach their wifi. Turns out she was at another coffee shop of the SAME name! I have her the address and she said she would meet me there. I let her know I didn’t have wifi.

Ran back to the coffeeshop and talked to my barista friend for another hour and just continued to minister to her in conversation. Then towards the end she even let me use her phone as a hotspot so I could call my friend.

Long story short: she connected with Hannah and Kirsten! She connected with them on Instagram and met up with her. So even though my plan was to meet with her originally, Holy Spirit ended up letting me plant more of His seeds in my barista friend’s life.

I told her I’d be back. I really want to pray for her.

There so much else I could say. Life here in Romania has been sorrowful, discouraging, and dispiriting at times, but the Bible says:

Psalm 126:5-6

“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.”

This is me coming back with joy to share with you. It’s hard and uncomfortable, but God has been blessing me in the midst of it all with unfathomable joy in a joyless nation.