If you were in church last Sunday, you heard Craig challenge us to put some money aside specifically to give to someone else this week. He asked us to pray about how much, and that God would show us who to give it to. Rin Foster took him up on the challenge, and was so moved by it that she emailed Craig to let him know. With her permission, I am posting her story here. We’d love to know how this challenge has affected you this week as well…
Craig,
I wanted to share a story with you, something that just happened this morning. After listening to your sermon on Sunday, I decided to take your advice and set aside $20 to give to a specific person in mind. I work downtown Little Rock and there is a lady that walks the streets and I see her most mornings on my way to work. She has always stood out to me as someone who really needed help. I never saw her beg and she always looked so sad. After reading the book “Same Kind of Different as Me” (a book about a Christian couple taking in a homeless man), she was really on my mind and my heart and I wanted to do something for her but I was too scared. Anyway, this morning I had my $20 in hand and I saw her walking on her normal route. I was nervous and part of me tried to drive on but God and I both knew what I needed to do. There happen to be a parking spot on the road and I pulled right in, got out of my car and walked across the street. She started to move away from me but I held out the $20 and said to her “I see you walk these streets and you have really stood out to me. We are doing this thing at our church where we are trying to help others. I hope that you will take this.” I was shaking like crazy! She didn’t look me in the eye, she just had her head turned away from me. She immediately took the money and mumbled “thank you, God bless you” and she walked on. I guess I expected more of an appreciation or something but that’s OK. I feel great about helping someone out. I used to be cautious about giving money to people downtown because I never knew what they would do with it. But, then in the book mentioned above, I read something to the fact “who are we to judge what they do with that money. All we can do is provide it.”. I really hope that I have made an impact on this woman’s life and that she will do what she feels best with that $20. God Bless her!
Craig, thank you for challenging us with that. I know it’s something that I always needed to do but I was always so scared to do it. I guess I like a challenge!
In Christ,
Rin Foster
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