Day 18 ~ My First No

           Wow! Day 18, I think this is the longest I've ever had a New Year's Resolution last!
So today was a special day.  I got my first adamant and powerful "No!"  It felt like someone had slapped me in the face.  It was so bizarre.  One of my biggest hang ups with praying for people in public was fear of that "N" word.  Questions like, "what am I going to do if they say no?" and "what if they think I am some kind of freak?" would fill my head and paralyze my feet and hands from moving where His hands and feet would have me go.  So I passed by a lot of people that I could see were hurting for the last several years.  The odd thing was about this "No!" today, I wasn't upset at all, my boat wasn't even rocked, not for a second.  In fact, I was almost joyful about it.  I cannot explain it, but I kid you not, I sang really loud (and most definitely off key) all the way to school this morning. 
                This is such an amazing thing that I know it had to be God's hand in it!  I used to worry so much about offending people that I forgot that I shouldn't be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Here I am actually delighting in the fact that I offered to pray and believe God in faith regardless of the outcome.  It really didn't matter if he got healed, it didn't even matter that he didn't want me to pray for his son.  All that mattered was that I felt God ask me if I would and I did it with only a minor hesitation! I know this seems redundant, but I used to over think EVERY single situation that I would be in, but this time God just took over!
                I was still so ecstatic over my "no" that I prayed and asked God to bring someone when I went out to lunch today.  I have a slight advantage here that I ought to note.  I used to own a business in the town I live in and so I see a LOT of people that I know out in restaurants and stores.  So far I haven't really been too moved to walk up to a complete stranger.  I know/hope the day is coming when I will be able to do it without a second thought, but thank God, He is letting me do it in baby steps!  I ran into an old client and friend at St. Louis Bread Co.  I went over and after talking with her for a few minutes, I knew she and I ran into each other for a reason.  We prayed together and God hit everything area she was needing breakthrough in.  Then we each finished our lunches and went our separate ways.  I will probably never know what kind of impact that made on her and it doesn't matter if I know it or not.  More importantly the people around her will know that God touched her life today.
               I love my Jesus.  I am so grateful to all the people who sowed seed into my life whether they saw the fruit that resulted or not I am grateful and they will be richly rewarded in heaven!