As I traveled to Chicago this week, I tried to practice what I preach.
As I drove out to the airport, headed for the economy parking area, I decided to pray. "Lord I want to be open to your leading. Help me hear your voice and be sensitive to your promptings, and show me if you want me to talk with anyone about Jesus. I am open to pray with them or serve them or even speak with them." That last part made me nervous.
So, I am the only passenger on the shuttle at Houston Intercontinental airport and somehow a conversation ensues between me and the driver. We talk about a variety of things and then she asks where I am going and why. I tell her I am part of a national team helping churches become more multiethnic. She mentions church and how she freaks pastors out when ever she shows up at their church. I ask how and off we go about Jesus and church and at the end I tell her I am a pastor and I won't be freaked out if she visits our church.
I'm on the plane and seated next to a woman who I noticed has a Honduran passport. I want to say something but she won't look my direction and mostly keeps her eyes shut. I'm thinking I need to create an opening and finally without any natural opening, I just say loud enough to be heard, "Did your day start in Houston?" (She seems tired to me and a bit troubled and I'm thinking she started the day in Honduras.) And we talk for the next two hours, mostly in English and a little in Spanish. We end up talking about the importance of knowing Jesus and the need for community. From her experience Americans are cold toward foreigners and don't tolerate their struggle with English. I apologize on our behalf tell her how our church loves people from other countries and cultures and consider it our mission to help them feel welcomed and valued and we even sing in English and Spanish. In the end she introduces me to her husband in the next row, and gives me their contact information. Though she is Catholic she is intrigued and wants to know if there is a Vineyard in Honduras.
One thing that amazes me is that both conversation involved things of great interest to me that made me able to speak naturally and have something to offer to Mary and Georgiana. It seemed to me that God guided me to speak with people that I could relate to and as a result boosted my confidence and my desire to stay open for spiritual conversations.
Tell me your stories!
