When Our Best Isn’t Good Enough

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:05.080 You can't change anyone's heart, no matter how wise you are, no matter 2 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:09.000 how long you've been doing this, no matter how whinsome you are in the 3 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:12.480 way that you talk. It's God that changes hearts and it's up to them, 4 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:16.199 the people that you're speaking to, to respond to what God is speaking 5 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:23.039 through you. I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours, and me, 6 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:29.559 Lord, I'm yours, I'm yours. I'm welcome to the Gospel centered pro 7 00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:35.039 life podcast, a podcast designed to equip, encourage and challenge you in pro 8 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:39.000 life ministry, and always with a focus on the Gospel. Stay tuned. 9 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:53.840 I felt your pastih touch your heart. Lord. Welcome back to the Gospel 10 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:58.640 centured pro life podcast. I'm Daniel Park's west coast regional shepherd for love life. 11 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:03.520 I'm joined, as always, about Vicky cassie organ everyone. Vicky is 12 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:10.640 our sidewalk training director. She oversees sidewalk training four our sidewalk teams across the 13 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:14.840 nation and is pouring into folks here in Charlotte, but also all across the 14 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:19.879 country and has taking a trip to Denver and some sometimes in the not too 15 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:22.599 distant future, a couple of weeks. Yeah, yeah, very excited to 16 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.079 help pour into the sidewalk teams that are beginning there, and so we're blessed 17 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.480 to bring you guys these episodes focused really on the sidewalk ministry, although we're 18 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.079 involved in a lot of other stuff as a ministry through love life, our 19 00:01:34.120 --> 00:01:38.680 heart with this podcast is to help equip and encourage those who are doing ministry 20 00:01:38.680 --> 00:01:41.920 on the sidewalk in particular. We talked about other subjects to that have to 21 00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:44.959 do with pro life ministry, always with a focus on the Gospel, like 22 00:01:45.480 --> 00:01:52.079 in the intro and Um, but really our expertise with air quotes is the 23 00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:53.840 sidewalk ministry. We've been doing that for a long time. So you guys 24 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:57.519 that might be new to this podcast. That's a little background on who we 25 00:01:57.560 --> 00:02:01.200 are. have been doing this stuff combined plus years. Right. I've been 26 00:02:01.239 --> 00:02:05.920 involved since two thousand and five. Vicky, you got started in, Oh 27 00:02:06.040 --> 00:02:09.080 Gosh, two thousand fourteen. I've been doing it ten years, so I 28 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:15.439 guess that would be so. Anyway, I've been doing this stuff for a 29 00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:20.360 long time, made some mistakes over the years and our hope is that when 30 00:02:20.360 --> 00:02:23.199 we do trainings and we do podcasts, whatever we might do along these lines, 31 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:27.120 is we're helping you, guests, to learn from our mistakes so you 32 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:29.759 don't have to make your own. Yeah, that sound good a man, 33 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:32.000 I think that's a noble purpose of ours. I think it is too. 34 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:38.879 So with that I want to get into our subject. And Vicky writes an 35 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:43.400 article, oftentimes with the subjects that we cover in these podcast episodes of these 36 00:02:43.479 --> 00:02:47.319 articles are always available at Um sidewalks for life, sidewalks, the number four 37 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:51.560 life dot com. If you go on that website, that's our training and 38 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:54.960 equipping website. At the top of the page is a tab that says equipping 39 00:02:55.080 --> 00:03:00.479 articles, and these articles are always there. Also linked them in the show 40 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:05.879 notes of the podcast as well. This article is called when my best is 41 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:10.199 not good enough. So you had an experience just last week or just yesterday, 42 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:14.840 yesterday, just happing yesterday. Yeah, that kind of spurred this article. 43 00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:16.879 You thought it would be an encouragement to those who are doing sidewalk ministry. 44 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.280 So why don't you kind of give us a little background on this article, 45 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:23.120 what your heart with this episode is, and then we'll jump into it. 46 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:27.759 Well, so this is something we are all going to face. If 47 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:30.960 you're in front of an abortion center, as a sidewalk counselor. Every one 48 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:36.439 of us will will face what is can be a great disappointment, which is 49 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:42.280 when mom chooses to abort, even after you've given everything you have. And 50 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:46.080 the reason that I think it will be an encouragement is this happened to me. 51 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:50.120 Didn't end the way that I had hoped and prayed it would end. 52 00:03:51.080 --> 00:03:54.400 But I've been doing this a long time. I mean ten years is a 53 00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.319 long time to be a sidewalk counselor and there have been many, many women 54 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:06.479 who have chosen life after I've counseled but there are also women who choose abortion 55 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:14.560 and I really I felt like I kind of did everything right. I didn't 56 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:17.839 feel that way with with this discussion. It felt holy, Spirit led, 57 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:24.879 and yet it didn't end with her choosing life. So I thought it was 58 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:30.360 important for people to know, whether you're experienced or brand new on the sidewalk, 59 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:33.240 this is going to happen. There's going to be people that will not 60 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:41.720 choose life and I wanted to go through kind of what I experienced, what 61 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:46.319 the discussion was. Maybe you'll come up with some ideas of things that I 62 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:51.920 didn't touch on that I should have, but um and then maybe some just 63 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:59.199 general reminders for all of us when we face this situation that will help us 64 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:03.639 to deal with with the inevitable disappointment when it doesn't go as you had planned, 65 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:09.800 when you've done your best and it just wasn't good enough. Yeah, 66 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:13.639 it wasn't good enough to see the result that you wanted to see correct. 67 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.759 But, spoiler alert, the end result is in God's hands, right, 68 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:26.000 and the encouragement is you can't change anyone's heart, no matter how wise you 69 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:30.079 are, no matter how long you've been doing this, no matter how whensome 70 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:32.040 you are in the way that you talk. It's God that changes hearts and 71 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:35.879 it's up to them, the people that you're speaking to, to respawn to 72 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:40.720 what God is speaking through you to. Yeah, exactly, and that's probably 73 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:45.519 the absolute basic, most important takeaway from this. But so so let me 74 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:48.800 tell you this story. Um, I was standing up the street, away 75 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:54.639 from the craziness of the opposition, all the noise they make and everything that 76 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:59.279 happens, at the entry point into the parking lot of an abortion center and 77 00:05:59.319 --> 00:06:02.439 I had been Um, I'd talked to a lot of people, I'd given 78 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:05.360 out a lot of literature, I'd had a lot of what I felt were 79 00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:11.160 really good conversations. So I was feeling pretty good. I was feeling like 80 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:15.199 this is where God wants me. He's using me here today. And a 81 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.800 young couple stopped. They brought down their window right away. I did what 82 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:21.199 we train you all to do. I was extending my hand, already with 83 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:26.120 the literature in my hand, offered it to them. It was classic, 84 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:30.000 picture perfect. They stopped, rolled down the window, took the literature. 85 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:32.879 I introduced myself, Um, asked if they were on the way to the 86 00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:39.279 women's clinic, which they readily admitted they were. and Um, and then 87 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:43.920 I told them right away who we were, that were a ministry who loves 88 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:48.560 the Lord and we are there offering hope and help so that they would not 89 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:53.959 consider abortion as as their only choice. And then I point to with the 90 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:59.079 mobile ultrasound unit is right down the street, just very close to where they 91 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.680 had stopped. For me, pointing to it, said we have free ultrasound, 92 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:06.279 free pregnancy test. We can go over a whole bunch of resources that 93 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:10.800 we can share with you to help you no matter what you face. and 94 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:15.120 Um, the woman is already leafing through the pamphlet that I had handed her. 95 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:19.839 That's that's a positive thing, right. She's not just kind of thrown 96 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:24.040 it in the backseat or put it to a side. She's actually looking at 97 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:28.439 the brochure. So that's a positive that's right. That's the guy is looking 98 00:07:28.519 --> 00:07:33.160 stonily straight ahead. He's pretty looking at me at all. He's pretending to 99 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:39.079 not be paying attention at all. But and and she kind of starts giggling 100 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:43.120 a little as I'm talking with her. Yeah, which that's a pretty common 101 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:47.120 thing to people laugh off when people feel conviction, sometimes they laugh at off. 102 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:50.879 That's a weird reaction, but it's a very common reaction when you're when 103 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:55.959 you're giving people hard truth. Yeah, and she's she's kind of giving him 104 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.360 the eye, the guy the eye, and Um, so, you know, 105 00:07:59.399 --> 00:08:05.000 I I knew that there was UM, some hardness in their heart right 106 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:09.399 away from kind of their their body language. But when they started giggling, 107 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:13.720 uh, I asked them if they knew God, and I do try to 108 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:16.680 get to God right away, which I did. I was able to do 109 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.240 you know God. I don't remember if there was an opening other than that 110 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:24.959 they were giggling and and I said, Hey, are you guys believers? 111 00:08:26.240 --> 00:08:30.240 And they said they were. and Um, and I said, well, 112 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:33.879 what do you think God would would say about you about to go in and 113 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:41.679 take your child's life in an abortion? and Um UH. Then I'm not 114 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.320 sure they even answered me right away. But then I took it a step 115 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:50.840 further from do you know God too, do you know Jesus. They said 116 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:56.279 yes, and then I said is Jesus? Do you love Jesus? They 117 00:08:56.279 --> 00:09:00.639 said yes. Would you consider Jesus the Lord of Your Life? And they 118 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:07.320 said yes. So now you have a whole new permission. Obviously, I 119 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:11.320 would say either they were raised in church or they're being exposed a church in 120 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:15.799 some capacity, so they had some knowledge of God and Jesus and his Lordship 121 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:18.279 of me. If they don't know what that means, that Jesus is Lord, 122 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:22.279 typically people aren't going to respond in the affirmative and say that he is 123 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:26.559 their Lord. They'll ask what do you mean by that? They've been well 124 00:09:26.679 --> 00:09:31.600 churched, well versed in Church Yanity at least. Yeah. And when I 125 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:33.440 said okay, well, if Jesus is your Lord, then what do you 126 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:39.039 make with Luke Sixty six, where Jesus himself says, why do you call 127 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.480 me Lord? Lord, and not do what I say. Yeah, so 128 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:46.440 letting the word of God have its place of conviction in their hearts. That 129 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:48.360 was the hope. That was the hope, and there was a very interesting 130 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:56.000 response. Um, the guy starts sweating, literally as I'm sitting there while 131 00:09:56.039 --> 00:10:00.480 standing there watching. It wasn't even all that hot today yet. Um, 132 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:05.120 and and he just breaks out in a sweat and I took that as okay, 133 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.480 the Holy Spirit is convicting this guy. He knows he's in the wrong 134 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:11.440 place, that he shouldn't be here. and Um, they insisted that that 135 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:18.320 Jesus was Lord. and Um, and then I said really, Jesus Lord 136 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:22.000 of Your Life? Well then, Um, what do you think about the 137 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:26.600 sixth commandment? What does he say about the sixth commandment? And she said, 138 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:28.720 well, what is the sixth commandment? And I said that shall not 139 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:35.519 murder, and both of them looked down but didn't answer. Um, and 140 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.039 UH. And then I said, well, is what you carry in your 141 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:43.519 room a human being? So pointing out the humanity of the baby brought I 142 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:46.960 brought God into the equations. I'm going along the three talking points. I 143 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:50.840 brought God in very quickly, scripture, very quickly. Now talking about the 144 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:56.480 humanity the baby, Um and Um, and she she said Yeah, they 145 00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:01.720 agreed it was human. And I said, well, is is it living? 146 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:03.360 Yes, it's living. Is it a little person? Yes, it's 147 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:07.600 a little person. Well, is it innocent? Yes, it's innocent. 148 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:13.600 Well then, what do you think you are doing here? If this is 149 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:18.799 you're considering taking the life of this little person? That that's the definition of 150 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:22.519 murder. I was pretty blunt and it was kind of surprising, though they 151 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:28.000 didn't make any attempt to drive away. Um, they were listening. So 152 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:31.840 Um, the man at that point said he knew it was wrong. He 153 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:37.039 even knew it was murder, but God will forgive me. Now we had 154 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:43.080 just had a training session with our national missionaries where we where we talked about 155 00:11:43.120 --> 00:11:46.759 this. This is one of the most common things, especially in the south, 156 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.440 but I would say I mean across the board, no matter whereof ministered, 157 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:52.639 you'll hear this commonly. I know what's wrong, but God will forgive 158 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:58.559 me for some some form of that right. And I went right into exactly 159 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:01.480 what I trained our sational missionaries that we should say at that point. I 160 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:07.279 said if you're Um, well, you're right. God is a forgiving God, 161 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:11.720 but if you're about to expressly go and do what he has clearly told 162 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:16.120 you not to do, banking on his forgiveness. Are you asking His forgiveness 163 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:22.000 or permission to sin? And pointed out this was really a mockery of what 164 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:28.200 forgiveness, and particularly repentance, really really means. Um and then shared the 165 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:33.279 story that I often share when I hear this, where let's let's pretend you're 166 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:37.559 married and your your your husband. I'm talking to the woman. Now your 167 00:12:37.600 --> 00:12:43.120 husband tells you that he's going to go next door and and have sex with 168 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:46.600 his beautiful woman because he can't help himself. But but because you're a forgiving 169 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:50.720 woman, he will come right back and tell you I'm sorry, because he 170 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:54.240 knows you'll forgive him. D that be okay? And she neither of them 171 00:12:54.399 --> 00:13:00.600 answered. They just both looked down shaking their heads. No, it was 172 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:05.480 not okay. And I said, but that's that's what you're asking Um God 173 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:11.240 to do. and Um the guy's sweating more. That's fine. He takes 174 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:16.720 out his handkerchief and he's moping his face after he's pouring sweat. But he's 175 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:22.360 starting to look at me like I could tell maybe at that moment he's starting 176 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:28.840 to connect and be convicted in a way that even um she had had not 177 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.960 yet. And then I um. Then I asked them if they were married. 178 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.960 I figure, you know, as long as they're staying here, no 179 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:39.840 one, let's let's go for them. You already message as well. And 180 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:45.200 No, they were not married, but they were going to be married soon. 181 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.399 And I said, wow, marriage is a big commitment. And if 182 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:54.720 Um uh I, I assume that this baby you're thinking of getting married. 183 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:56.840 You love each other, right. They say yes. I said, well, 184 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:01.639 that's a big commitment to want to marry each other. I assume this 185 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:07.159 baby was conceived in love. You, you loved each other and Um, 186 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:11.679 and you know that sex can produce babies, right? They said yes, 187 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:16.039 and I said, well, well, you know you have a commitment to 188 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:24.039 that baby. When do you believe that the Um you should start honoring commitments? 189 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:31.320 Because marriage is a huge commitment and usually when we promise to remain committed, 190 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:37.039 it's when everything's going well and when things are good. It's easy to 191 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:41.559 maintain a commitment when things are easy. It's it's a whole lot harder when 192 00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:45.720 things are hard. So you've you made a commitment to each other in a 193 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:50.720 sense when, when you conceived this child, because that was certainly a possibility. 194 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:54.480 You have a commitment to that child, ass that child's parents. When 195 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:58.840 do you think would be a good time to start practicing commitment? And and 196 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:03.799 they they agreed. The amazing thing is, throughout this discussion which went on, 197 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:07.159 I'm not going to go through everything I said, but over there it 198 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.279 lasted about forty minutes. They agreed. Car Side, car side, minister 199 00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:13.840 into them. They were pulling down to the abortion center. They stopped in 200 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:20.279 the road and you talk with him thirty minutes, minutes in a minute itself 201 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:24.679 is miraculous. It is, it is, and you've heard what I'm saying. 202 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:28.799 This is not easy stuff for someone to listen to that doesn't have to. 203 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:31.480 I wasn't hanging onto the car, I wasn't leaning in. That was 204 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:37.679 in no way impeding their ability to to leave. and Um, and I 205 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:45.399 asked them Um, so you you know it's wrong. You know that you 206 00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:50.720 should um of that. You you're claiming Jesus's Lord. What do you think 207 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:56.759 would be honoring to God right now? Would would it be driving in to 208 00:15:56.919 --> 00:16:03.919 that abortion center? or how how could you honor God in in Your Life? 209 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:08.120 Right now. And they said going on the mobile ultrasound unit. They 210 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:11.120 agreed, it was. It was. It was not going into the they 211 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:15.639 said not. In fact, she said at that point, not going into 212 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:19.840 the abortion center. So I'm feeling like, praise God, they their hearts 213 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:26.000 are turning. Wouldn't you have thought that these with these responses? So Um, 214 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:29.360 I said, you know, you could die at any any moment. 215 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.559 I hope you don't, but this could be your last few moments on earth. 216 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:37.519 None of us know. And if our if you know what the next 217 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.320 step should be an honoring God, and that might be the only step you 218 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:47.600 have left before you stand before Jesus. You don't know. So what do 219 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:52.679 you think, then, you should do at at this point? Um, 220 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:59.639 and they they both said to Um, to go on the R V, 221 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:04.160 and I said great, I agree with you. Um, let me Um, 222 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:07.920 I and I told her about the resources, a very general overview of 223 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:11.720 all the resources that we could offer to help, which we would talk about 224 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:14.200 more in the R V. I said, I'll walk you over and she 225 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:18.559 said no, my mind is made up. This is forty minutes later, 226 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:22.759 forty minutes of him sweating tear, you know, he's sweating up a storm 227 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:29.359 because he's so convicted. She's saying Yes to everything. They agreed with everything. 228 00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:33.160 And I just looked at her and said, young lady, after all 229 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:38.920 that you're telling me, you're you still are going to go in there and 230 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:45.519 abort your baby. Um Oh, I did talk about the heartbeat, brain 231 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:48.480 waves, ten fingers and tent totes. I knew how far along she was 232 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:52.240 also, so I did everything I knew to do, quite honestly, and 233 00:17:53.680 --> 00:18:00.440 she was eight weeks. So ten fingers and Tintoes, brain waves, heartbeat, 234 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:03.519 every organ in place. told her all that, Um, and and 235 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:07.599 yet she said, but she did say, but listen, I'll Um, 236 00:18:07.880 --> 00:18:11.160 we'll, we'll hang on to this. I've got your name and number and 237 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:14.559 if we get in there and change our mind, I'll be right back, 238 00:18:14.599 --> 00:18:18.640 I promise you. And I said, is there anywhere in the Bible that 239 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:23.440 says when we know sin and we know temptation, we should step as close 240 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:27.720 to it as we can get to see if we can withstand temptation? Or 241 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:32.720 does the Bible say that we are to flee from up, from the devil 242 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:36.599 and or, you know, resist the devil and he will flee from us. 243 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:41.160 So resisting, you don't creep up as close as you can to temptation. 244 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:45.640 And at that moment, um I know I've kind of she's not back 245 00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:51.680 and down. I know I've kind of for whatever reason. Um, and 246 00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:56.079 I say can I pray with you, and they said yes, so I 247 00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:59.839 started praying. I prayed at them, as we've talked about another podcast. 248 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:04.480 We're kind of recounting everything that I'd gone through and as I'm finishing the prayer, 249 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:11.400 Um, who should drive up behind them but the the owner's daughter who 250 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:17.640 manages the abortion center, directs the Abortion Center here. And I tell you, 251 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:21.559 there was at least two car with beside this truck. They could have 252 00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:27.200 gone by easily. She could. You could have plenty of rooms, but 253 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:32.519 she laid on the Horn, just wouldn't take her hand off of the horn. 254 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:37.119 So the horns blaring and she rolls down her window and it's swearing and 255 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:41.319 screaming at me and at them to get out of the road. Um. 256 00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:47.559 And I had purposely not told them to pull over because as soon as I 257 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:53.319 say that of the time women keep driving and drive into the abortion center and 258 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:56.559 I knew they were not. Ever, in the conversation at a point where 259 00:19:56.599 --> 00:20:02.720 I felt confident they would pull over. At this point. I know I'm 260 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:07.279 kind of she's going to call the police and and, Um, the and 261 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.440 and the people were getting so frazzled. So I said would you pull over? 262 00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:15.920 At first I told them the reason she doesn't want to just go around 263 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:19.960 us, which we're all flagging her on, I said, is because the 264 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:23.960 she doesn't profit off of the death of your baby. Lose money, right 265 00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:29.920 and and so she doesn't want me talking to you. Um. And as 266 00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:34.759 soon as I said, would you mind pulling over, he rolls forward slowly 267 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:42.559 and kept driving and drove right in to the abortion sid yeah, that's heavy 268 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:47.279 stuff. Dealt with that. If you do this ministry at any length of 269 00:20:47.319 --> 00:20:49.200 time, you'll deal with that, whether it's, you know, car side 270 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:53.960 or talking to him on the sidewalk or on the mobile ultrasound union. I 271 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:56.839 know my wife as a nurse and I know you've been on the mobile ultra 272 00:20:56.880 --> 00:21:00.240 sound unit a lot to you where you're pouring everything you can, everything you 273 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:04.400 can pour out until you can't pour out anymore and then, even though there's 274 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:07.759 agreement there, I agree, all you're saying is correct. I agree with 275 00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:12.880 that stuff. Yet I'm still going to have this abortion and on top of 276 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:17.000 it, in this case. I don't always feel this, but in this 277 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:21.640 case I felt Holy Spirit guided. I really felt like things were coming out 278 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:26.240 of my mouth that I've never said before but that I felt led by the 279 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:30.359 spirit to say. So I felt really good about it until she said no, 280 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:34.160 I've made made up my mind, and you pretty much figured it's a 281 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:37.400 done deal. Right there. They're sitting here listening for thirty minutes. That's 282 00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:41.279 a good indication that they're going to choose life if they're they're talking that long. 283 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:47.000 And none of the opposition came over to stop the conversation, which was 284 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:52.680 another miracle. So anyway, that you know, my first as they drive 285 00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:57.440 in, I felt like collapsing. That's the first kind of takeaway is, 286 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:06.079 I think, gets okay for the exhaustion and disappointment to hit you, because 287 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:12.400 it is disappointing. It is disappointing and and I thought it was very important 288 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:17.319 for you to know. I've been doing this ten years and it still happens, 289 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:21.480 and not infrequently either. Right. I mean, we can train you. 290 00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:23.200 This is what we've said often. We can train you. We have 291 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:27.240 three training modules. Now for the Sidewalk Ministry. We do this podcast. 292 00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:32.920 Um, we do a monthly meeting for all of our sidewalk folks to encourage 293 00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:37.359 them and answer questions. We can pour any kind of training and and kind 294 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:41.039 of here's what you do in this scenario into you and you can apply all 295 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:45.319 of that stuff, but at the end of the day, none of that 296 00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:47.039 stuff is bad, by the way, all that stuff is good. We 297 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:48.440 should learn, we should equip ourselves as much as we can, but at 298 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:52.640 the end of the day, the people that were ministering to have to decide 299 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:57.839 to yield to the Holy Spirit. They do have a freedom of their will 300 00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:03.559 to read jacked or to receive what they're hearing, and you can't force your 301 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:07.440 will on them. We're told that we we try to force our religion on 302 00:23:07.519 --> 00:23:12.559 people. No, we don't. We offer the truth, we offer alternatives. 303 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:17.279 God offers a way of escape to them, but it's up to them 304 00:23:17.319 --> 00:23:21.079 whether they receive it or reject it. And it is discouraging. I mean, 305 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:22.400 I know one of the things that can happen when you kind of pour 306 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:27.519 everything out is you know, once the situation is over, I remember a 307 00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:30.319 situation. I'm sure I've shared this a couple of times on the PODCAST. 308 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:34.559 But I remember on the mobiultrasound unit that we had a woman on board. 309 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:37.920 I wasn't on board, but the counselor maybe you were the counselor I can't 310 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:41.799 remember. It's been a while, but the mom of twins, eighteen week 311 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:45.720 twins, she was on the mob ultra sound unit and the nurse on board, 312 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:47.839 I think it might have been my wife. If not, it was 313 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:52.000 one of the nurses that is out there on a regular basis. Um, 314 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:57.839 they gave the ultrasound eighteen week twins. They showed her every resource that corresponded 315 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:02.160 with the needs that she had, gave her every reason to choose life, 316 00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:06.519 and she still stepped right off of that mobile ultrasound unit and went into that 317 00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:10.440 abortion center and killed both of those baby. It feels like you've been punched 318 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:12.839 in the gut when, when that happens, you've poured everything into that. 319 00:24:12.960 --> 00:24:17.680 And then, especially it's worse that I don't think it was me that that 320 00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:21.920 day. It was a long time before I saw twins on the mobile sound 321 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.480 unit. But Um uh, but when you've seen the baby on top of 322 00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:30.720 it, it's a double whammy, a double punch. It really her. 323 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:33.680 Yeah, and one of the things. Kind of where I was getting with 324 00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:38.119 that is you poured everything out that you could, but the devil is still 325 00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:42.000 going to be an accuser of the brethren. The devil is still going to 326 00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:45.799 say, Oh, you should have said this, you should have done that, 327 00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:48.160 should have, could have, would have? All that second guessing exactly. 328 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:52.200 That's one of our points in the enemy will get you and he will 329 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:57.519 neutralize you because could you always say things better or differently, or could you 330 00:24:57.559 --> 00:25:00.960 have said more stuff? Sure, you can always say things differently. You 331 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:04.920 but you don't know the end from the beginning. You don't know who you're 332 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.799 you're not God, you don't see all the things that are going on in 333 00:25:07.839 --> 00:25:11.079 their hearts. You have to do the best you can and that's the best 334 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:15.279 you can do. The best you can do is the best you can do 335 00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:19.240 right in the moment, and so it's in the Lord's hands. You've got 336 00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:23.440 to trust God and it's between them and the Lord. Like when that couple, 337 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:27.759 when they stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment, they're not 338 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:32.359 gonna be able to accuse Vicki of not having told them the truth. Right 339 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:36.319 there. God's gonna Bring Out. I believe the Bible says the books are 340 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:38.039 going to be opened when we stand before the Lord. It's gonna be the 341 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:42.160 book of of the law. Bible says there's this book called the Book of 342 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:48.720 Remembrance, and it's quite possible that book of Remembrance is God showing you all 343 00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:52.640 the chances that he gave you to repent, all the opportunities, and this 344 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:55.240 is gonna be played back, whether it's read back to them in the book 345 00:25:55.240 --> 00:25:57.759 of remembrance or however that works out, they're gonna see that day, in 346 00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:02.559 that time and they're not going to be able to accuse you or God of 347 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.599 having not told them the truth or not given them an opportunity to repent in 348 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:10.359 a wave escape. Right. Um, so many good points. One one 349 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:14.279 of the things, even when I wrote the title of this Um Uh, 350 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.920 if this is my when I give my best and my best isn't good enough, 351 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:21.799 I knew that that title was a false title. Um, in terms 352 00:26:21.799 --> 00:26:23.519 of I think you said it earlier, maybe it was before the podcast actually 353 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:26.680 even started, but that I did give my best, it was the best 354 00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:32.000 I had to give at that moment, but it was in the sense of 355 00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:36.599 that we're ever good enough. It was all I had to give and I 356 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:41.720 will never be up to the task, but God always will be. I 357 00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:44.680 I can only give what I'm able to give, and then I've got to 358 00:26:44.799 --> 00:26:49.720 trust and know that it's it's really God's best that that takes over. It's 359 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:55.000 not. It's not us, it's not up to us. Yeah, this 360 00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:57.000 is the thought I want to leave you guys with, and I've given this 361 00:26:57.119 --> 00:27:00.119 encouragement a couple of times, but I don't think I can give it enough. 362 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:07.279 That what we're doing is we are planting seeds and we are watering seeds, 363 00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:11.799 and God is the one that gives the increase. This passage here in 364 00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:15.839 First Corinthians chapter three, starting in verse six, this is Paul talking about 365 00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:18.480 his ministry and the Ministry of Apolos and how they ministered to the church in 366 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:22.319 Corinth and he says in Verse Six of First Corinthians Chapter Three, says I 367 00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:26.680 planted a policy, watered, but God gave the increase. So neither he 368 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:30.000 who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the 369 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:34.839 increase. We're we're just vessels, right. It's not our responsibility to change 370 00:27:34.839 --> 00:27:40.920 hearts. It's our responsibility to be vessels that are willing to either water seeds 371 00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:45.440 or tosso seeds, and it's in God's hands. Now I'm not saying that 372 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:48.640 it's not because God didn't want them to choose life. It's between them and 373 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:52.200 the Lord. You've given them the truth, you've you've planted a seed or 374 00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:56.839 you've I think you probably watered seeds that were already planted, because these people 375 00:27:56.880 --> 00:28:02.920 obviously knew something about God and God gives the increase, but people have to 376 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:06.640 yield to his truth. People have to yield to when they're convicted by the 377 00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:10.160 Holy Spirit. The Bible says don't resist the Holy Spirit. People have to 378 00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:14.319 yield to the to the call and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and 379 00:28:14.359 --> 00:28:18.559 they apparently didn't. Yeah, so I was talking with the counselor today, 380 00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:22.680 who knew about this experience that I had yesterday, and she said, and 381 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:23.720 I told her we were going to do a podcast about it, and she 382 00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:29.000 said, I hope that you will tell us um what to do that helps 383 00:28:29.079 --> 00:28:32.799 us to to get through the discouragement. And My last point in the article, 384 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:34.839 I think, does address that. I think everything you said, Daniel, 385 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:40.839 we have to keep in our heart that that that is first that you 386 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:44.720 have to keep the knowledge that it is truly up to God, not us. 387 00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:48.160 But something that did help me is, as I thought back on it, 388 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:52.359 the natural inclination is to say what did I do wrong, but I 389 00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:56.359 think a helpful thing for you to do following something like this happening is to 390 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:02.880 think what did I do right? Well, was an optimistic thing that came 391 00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:04.440 out of this, so I listed some of them as I was thinking about 392 00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:08.839 that. Biblical truth was presented, no doubt, lots of scripture, lots 393 00:29:08.839 --> 00:29:12.599 of truth. Um. I would not say I presented the Gospel, Um, 394 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:17.319 because I really didn't go into Jesus, death and resurrection or anything like 395 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:21.440 that. I was really just citing biblical truth about the baby, about Um 396 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:26.559 killing an innocent human being. Um. But the truth about fetal development was 397 00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:32.200 presented. They could not go in there without picturing that baby because I drew 398 00:29:32.240 --> 00:29:36.279 a picture for them. So they went in with full knowledge. They will 399 00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:38.400 not be able to stand before God someday saying I didn't know it was a 400 00:29:38.400 --> 00:29:42.000 baby. They knew it was a baby. Um. Thirdly, the truth 401 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:48.799 about the grievous and dangerous sin that they are engaging in was clearly presented and 402 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:52.759 and I don't think we should ever gloss over that. Do it gently, 403 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:57.400 do it kindly, and then, Um, finally that it was clear the 404 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:02.599 Holy Spirit was convicting their heart and I got to enter into that. So 405 00:30:02.680 --> 00:30:07.359 I think that's a really important way to help you get through is to think 406 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:11.240 what went right, what did I do wrong, correct what went right and 407 00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:15.880 just the fact that you were there. That's a big thing that went right. 408 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:19.680 So, Um, I hope this was encouraging to you guys. Hope 409 00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:25.920 you guys were Um challenge but also encouraged. I mean, you guys have 410 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:29.400 had these these encounters with people. You've poured out your heart to people and 411 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:32.880 they've went into the abortion center and it can be heavy. But know that 412 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:36.839 it doesn't happen to just you. It happens to everybody, something that's part 413 00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:40.759 of this ministry. It stinks, but remember the Lord is with us in 414 00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:44.519 it. He shares our grief and, uh, he gives us comfort right 415 00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:47.640 and so, hopefully again you guys are encouraged by this. If you want 416 00:30:47.640 --> 00:30:49.119 to reach out to me, you can reach me Daniel at Love Life Dot 417 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:52.039 Org, and reach out to Vicky. Vicky with a Y, I love 418 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:56.720 life dot Org. We'd love to hear suggestions for future podcasts from you guys. 419 00:30:56.119 --> 00:31:00.160 We loved for you guys to put a review out on whatever podcast as 420 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:03.799 service that you use to listen to this podcast. So leave us a review. 421 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:07.160 Five stars would be great. And Yeah, until next time, God 422 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:11.000 bless God, bless you all. H