My Powerful God Encounter and "Blessing" Today with Karyn, a FedExOffice Worker

Wow. So each week, I and others in our seekers group commit to trying to bless three people each week (for both Christians and non-Christian/seekers) in simple ways that show them the love of God.

So we try to think of and look for and pray for opportunities to bless people. And the fact that we come back together each week and share our "God stories" that comes from this helps ensure that we follow through with this commitment.

So today I was looking and praying for someone to bless. I had to go to FedExOffice to overnight a package. The FedExOffice is right down the street a couple of blocks from the church in the Greenbriar shopping center. As it is nearby, I go to this FedExOffice quite often.

 

And I also note a woman that works at this FedExOffice named Karyn. She is one of the friendliest, kindest, most helpful workers at one of these stores that I have ever seen. I actually hate mailing things--standing in line, getting the right package/envelope, etc. It takes forever, and it is a real pain.

But when Karyn is there, she all of a sudden makes this trip a joy. She smiles, greets me and everyone else warmly, will go and grab the right envelope/box, package it up, and speak to you in a way that makes you believe that she really wants to help you and would deliver the package herself if needed.

 I have seen Karyn numerous times over the last many months. The first time that she served me when I came in she mentioned about she could not "be there" on Sunday. Having never seen her before, I assumed that she was a member or guest at the church where I minister. Since I was new, perhaps she had seen me some other time at church and knew me from that. For months I thought that she was a church member.

So today, when talking with her, she mentioned how she used to live in the Dallas area. I asked where in Dallas, and she said, "Mesquite, TX." I said, "I used to live in the Dallas area too--McKinney, TX."

So I asked her, "Did you go to a church down there?" This was a natural question if she was a church member here. But she said, "No, I'm not very religious. That is fine if others are, but I had a really bad experience with churches growing up." She went on to tell me that she had gone to funeral school down in Texas, had worked in a funeral home for many years, but that then her own family started dying, and she got really sad and depressed and could not handle it any more.

I empathized with her, apologized for the bad church experiences that she had had and the loss of her family members, and I told her that I would be praying that she had some better God and church experiences. 

Then I left. 

And I thought--wow, this kind, helpful woman just shared some pretty important parts of her life and past with me. Clearly she had hurts--and yet, still a tender and helpful heart. How could I bless her and help her in some way overcome these experiences and reconnect with God and perhaps his people?

So, I went to the Hallmark store, picked out a card that spoke of gratitude for kindness, and wrote the above note in the card. And I bought a gift certificate to a restaurant nearby to the FedExOffice. I simply wanted to thank her for her helpfulness and kindness, and to offer to pray and be of help to her in any way (our church is just two blocks away).

So I came back in and handed her the card and told her what it was for and why. And tears came to her eyes. She said, "Oh, thank you so much," as her eyes watered. "That means the world to me."

The world is a hard place. Life is tough, and filled with worries, stress, and disappointments. Filled with pain and loss. It can be a lonely world, in which people feel disconnected from God, and unfortunately, those who ought to be of most help to them--Christ-followers--sometimes cause them the most pain.

But sometimes the simplest act of kindness/blessing in the name of Christ, thoughtfully and genuinely given, can lead a person back to God. Even bring tears to their eyes.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. But most everyone time he spoke and shared a message, he healed people. He touched people. He blessed them, humanized them, and showed that he cared. This, my friends, is the mission that we are called to. To bless others in the name of Christ, and to lead others to him.

Reggie McNeal, one of my teachers at Fuller, said, "We don't need an evangelism strategy. We need a blessing strategy." Start blessing people in the name of Christ--and the same people multiple times, out of genuine love and care, and see what God can do.

If we all just blessed three people like this every week, as a church, in every church across our country and in the world, how many people would change their view of Christ-followers, and of God, and come to know him? I suspect, millions. Let's do this. Let's bless people in the name of Christ and see what God will do!  

What stories do you have of how God has used a simple blessing to help impact a person for Christ/lead them to Christ? 

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Comment by Jayaraj.E on July 19, 2014 at 3:23am

Thank you Brother! I am always being inspired by your outreach tips and advises. Thank you once again for this great website through which i am learning more things to use in my Ministry .

Comment by James Nored on July 17, 2014 at 3:54pm

Jayaraj, it is always good to hear from you, my friend. I am glad that you have found this story helpful for your evangelism and ministry training. Please give my blessings to your fellow evangelists!

Comment by James Nored on July 17, 2014 at 3:53pm

Thank you, dad! It is a good environment for mission here!

Comment by James Nored on July 17, 2014 at 3:52pm

Peter, I am glad that you were able to use this story in your class. That is great. Using it for the story of the Parable of the Sower is a good application of this. Thanks for sharing!

Comment by James Nored on July 17, 2014 at 3:51pm

Thanks, David! Glad that you liked the story!

Comment by Jayaraj.E on July 16, 2014 at 11:29pm

wow Brother! so great story!   you are the model to every preacher and leader in world . that's great example to love others and bring them back to Christ !'  I will share this story in my School and to my co-preachers.Thanks for Sharing!

Comment by Lynn S. Nored on July 16, 2014 at 10:34pm
A great example to follow!! You are both in your element and in Christ's element. I could not be prouder of you. From your Father.
Comment by Peter Horne on July 16, 2014 at 9:23pm

I was able to use this story in a Bible class tonight to answer the question from the parable of the sowers, "How might God use us to soften hard soil?" Thanks for being a blessing!

Comment by David Burns on July 16, 2014 at 7:20pm

LOVE it!  Thanks for sharing.

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