Lifestyle Evangelism Part 1

In fact, we were in our trailer 9-11 in Canada, and they were calling for help in New York and Stan was retired police officer so we went. We were there on 9-12 and stood in that devastation in New York. Oh my God. Stan had seen enough. He had seen enough as a police officer who works out these San Diego. Everybody was so afraid of the Middle East and Muslims and we just thought, God, let us go and love on those people. Welcome to the Ignite with Barry Maguire podcast where Barry's book and passion for spreading God's love are guaranteed to ignite your life. Now listen in and prepare to have your life ignited. We have a very special lady with us right now, Ann Marie. She is a story you are not going to believe. This is outside the walls. This is revival outside the walls. You epitomize what that phrase means so much. So let's go back 10 years ago. Okay. Tell us where you were 10 years ago. My husband and I lived in San Diego. He was a police officer, two little children, five and eight years old. And he suffered a back injury and had to be retired and we just started seeking God. What did he want next? What did you want us to do? And he told us that he wanted us to sell out and go to a place he would show us. So we felt a little bit like Abraham was setting out somewhere unknown and we did exactly that. We sold out of our house. Not knowing where God was going to be. Not knowing there. No idea. This is like Abraham. It was stepping out. So we put our family in a very little with a five year old and an eight year old. So you set out. We set out a little 21 foot travel trailer, put our kids in there and just literally started driving across country. Wow. We didn't know where we prayed each day, turned to the right, turned to the left and thought, God, wherever you want us to go today, whoever you want us to talk to today, wherever you want to direct us. And he started speaking to our hearts and he showed me in my heart what I had always wanted, a little house in the country. That's where I could raise my kids, you know, do the canning and the whole, you know, a little town bit. And God said, you could have this. But if you come with me, you could have more. In resulted, you got your little place in the country, though. Oh, I know. That's true. All we're doing canning. But why don't we go get there again? So we eventually, God called us to go overseas. So we thought, all right, we can do that too. We can do this wherever you want us to go. So we will maybe actually go with the timing 9 11 heads and people were very afraid. This is right after 9 11. Yeah. People were, in fact, we were in our trailer 9 11 in Canada. And they were calling for help in New York. And Stan was retired police officer. So we went. We were there on 9 12. And stood in that devastation in New York. Oh my God. And Stan had seen enough. He had seen enough as a police officer who works out these San Diego. We stood there in New York and saw basically the carnage that had happened. And everybody was so afraid of the Middle East and Muslims. And we just thought, God, let us go and love on those people. So how does a family from San Diego get established in this Islamic country? How to tell him a slow peak into what happened in those early days? It's easier than you think. And easier than I thought. I mean, we do stand out. We're very fair, you know, obviously tall. And so you just stand above and it's just, you're not going to blend. But we just decided, hey, we're just going to pray about where we land and start praying about those people. And see what doors got open. And we just, from the first person we met, started making friends. So you were some practical things. But you land on the street. Do you think we need cell phones? Walk down to the shop and meet somebody that is loving and kind and says, hey, would you like cup tea? And you start sitting and talking and sharing. And you get your home and people start knocking. Women are lovely, especially. You know, there's that instant connection as a woman that they feel like, okay, you're one of us. And they'll come and knock and ask for tea. And you just start sitting and sharing life. No special, you know, requirements, no special training needed. You just go in to sit down and have tea. We can all be kind. We can all be loving. You have to take special training to do that. Life is life everywhere. The basics and the fundamentals are the same everywhere. Whether it's you have a roof over your head, you have food for your kids. Those are shared by every family across the world. Loving of people, you call it lifestyle. Is that your term? Lifestyle of engine. I love this term. Witnessing, there's all these turns has baggage. But lifestyle, just lifestyle of industry. You're just opening up your life. You're just opening up your life and loving on people and being transparent. You don't go out in the corner and shout. You know, that's how do you show the love of Christ that way? I love a pastor that's a friend of ours that always said, it's easier to speak into someone's life when you have permission. Wait for that. Wait till there's a relationship. You have to build a relationship. Absolutely. Our actions don't speak louder than our words, but our actions speak before our words. If you're seeing your life, if your life does not have something that's compelling them, you need to go back. Start again. How better can I love someone? How better can my life express the love of God and just having people in our home? To whom much is given, much is required. We're indebted to them, aren't we? Oh, God, and you've done that so well. We have to close this segment, but in the next segment, we'll talk more about this wonderful people group that's your ministry. Isn't she great? Her name is Anne Marie. We'll leave it at that. Thank you, Anne. Thank you. With Barry McGuire podcast.