God calls us to “Go.” You can go to a nation across the sea or go to your neighbor down the street. God places no limitations or restrictions. He simply commands that you go.
Our most recent guest on the Ask About My Faith podcast, Lisabeth Rebney, joins us for a lovely conversation about how God has moved in and through her life.
Lisabeth grew up in a Christian home, attending church with her family her entire life. Even though her faith and belief in God never wavered, it wasn’t until college that her relationship with God became personal. God gripped her heart and instilled a deep love for His word and a longing to display her love for Him.
God gave her a heart for the nation of Jamaica, which led to multiple ministry trips over the years. When the pandemic hit and travel became impossible, God reminded her that just because she can’t go abroad doesn’t mean she can’t go. Instead, she started treating her neighborhood as her mission field.
Serving Starts Within You
For most of Lisabeth’s young life, she knew God was real and looking out for her, but His presence felt distant and removed. She tried to fulfill her longing for connection through partying in college, but nothing filled the void.
She’d recently moved to Texas and was far away from everyone and everything she knew. That physical relocation was precisely what she needed. It created the space for God to grab her attention.
While at a church conference, waiting for the event to start, God broke through the noise and got her attention. Nothing was happening, no worship or teaching, but suddenly, she was overcome by a realization that God likes her. After that, she went to the people in her life and asked them to help her learn more about God.
“I always knew God loved me, but I never knew He liked me.”
Your Mission Field is Wherever You Are
When the pandemic hit, opportunities to minister abroad disappeared, and Lisabeth was eager to find a way to share God's love. God directed her attention to her neighborhood.
She started passing cookies out to her neighbors to open the door to building relationships. It worked with most people, but a few required more intentional effort. Lisabeth shares a charming story of one of those neighbors.
One couple never seemed interested in her cookies, so she had to get creative. She eventually found a baked good they liked, allowing her to start making conversation and build a relationship with them.
Through their conversations, she discovered that the man needed a life-saving surgery. Lisabeth offered to pray for him, but he needed a little clarification before he agreed. He wasn’t sure what she meant by “pray.” Lisabeth explained prayer in simple terms, and his wife insisted he let her try.
When she was done, the man asked her why she looked so severe when she prayed. Lisabeth told him it was because God is real and alive. There is a genuine enemy who is actively working against her, so when she prays, she asks God, our healer, to heal, but she also tells the enemy to back off.
The man was intrigued and opened up for conversation. The surgery went well, and now, when things are happening in the neighborhood, he joins in. His testimony has inspired multiple faith conversations within their small community.
Related Post: 5 Simple Ways to Show God’s Love to Others
Simple Prayer is All You Need
The common theme throughout Lisabeth’s incredible story is the astonishing power of a simple, heartfelt prayer. You don’t need complex faith dialogue to speak God’s love and truth into someone’s life. Often, prayer is all you need.
Lisabeth prayed for a friend of a friend who was in a coma. She had been in a terrible, life-threatening accident and was fighting for her life. She found out through the grapevine that the woman had recovered and was thrilled. A few years later, while attending a Christian conference, Lisabeth saw the women at a convention booth. She approached her, expecting the woman to have no clue who she was, but she did. She said to Lisabeth, “I’ve seen you.” It is worth mentioning that the woman is blind.
Related Post: 8 Ways to Pray Throughout the Day
Ministering Through Relationships
Let your life be your ministry. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Simply let God’s love radiate through your relationships. You can minister by encouraging your peers to remain hopeful and trust God through stressful times, sharing your struggles and how God is helping you through them, or mentoring those in need.
Lisabeth shares multiple incredible stories where she does just that and is blessed to witness God move in the lives of her friends and peers.
Advice from Lisabeth
Lisabeth’s advice is simple:
Just Go.
Go into the world. Go to your neighbors. Go to your coworkers. Go to your family members. Go to that stranger on the street.
God commands us to go, so He will be there when we do. Don’t worry about knowing what to say or how to say it. God will give you the words you need. He’ll tell you what to do when you get there. Trust that God knows how to show up for that person.
If you don’t have a personal relationship with Christ, start there. He wants to have that personal relationship with you. He loves you! The Holy Spirit living inside you is the key you need to go. Turn towards Him and let his love wash over you.
Related Post: 3 Reasons Why Sharing Your Faith Story Matters
Author
