Every once in a while, someone stops to share a powerful spiritual story with me. Often the person doesn’t identify as Christian, or claim any religious tradition for that matter. But as far as I can tell, they are looking for an outlet to talk about God in their lives. They see me as someone receptive to their story, and they are right. Recently, a woman told me she’d just gotten an MRI. She said that in the past, she would need to take a Valium in order to handle the feeling of being in such a confined space as an MRI machine. Since becoming sober, however, all she needs is the Serenity Prayer. Another woman told me about her new tattoo. It was a colorful image of the Virgin Mary on her upper arm. The weather was finally warm enough for tank tops, and she was excited to show it off. She spoke of her infatuation with Mary ever since Catholic school. Her softball team would literally yell (pray?) the Hail Mary before every game. They’d be huddled in a circle, each with one hand in the middle, until they shot their hands into the air with a loud “Amen!” This is amazing stuff... and it’s what evangelism looks like. I’m standing in front of my church ready to share the love of God through the healing power of prayer. Then someone comes up and evangelizes to me about how God has moved in their lives. How awesome is that?
We all have spiritual stories, whether they be earth shattering mystical experiences or small everyday graces. Care to share one of yours? Better yet, care to ask someone about theirs? Your invitation just might be the open door they’re looking for. And chances are you’ll both find the Holy Spirit on the other side.
