Secondary Healing
After my husband died, I had an opportunity to return to college to finish up my degree. It was 1996 and I was an alternative student (that's what they call old people when they go back to school) at Lubbock Christian University. I had been having weekly Bible studies with college kids at my house and every Saturday, I fed them breakfast while they used my washer and dryer to do ltheir aundry. Sometimes, I made 100 pancakes and cooked 2 dozen eggs. We spent the morning singing and talking about God. It was wonderful! I developed some very close relationships with many of these kids. Some were baptized, some later came to visit with their boyfriends or girlfriends and after studying together were able to witness their baptism. They came at all hours of the day and night. When they were in need of someone to talk to and their parents and grandparents were far away, they knocked on my door. My boys stopped being surprised to wake up to a college kid or two sleeping on the floor, in the guest room or on the couch. (We were very blessed and in the three years I went to LCU, we joyously witnessed around 32 young college students put on the Lord in baptism. It was amazing!
If you have ever led someone to the Lord, you know what it feels like. You know that you tremble as you stand beside them, witnessing their confession. You know that once you see the flicker of spiritual recognition in their eyes, your heart begins to pound. And by the time they say they want to be baptized, it takes everything in your power to not jump up and down and scream, "Praise the Lord" so loudly that you scare them and the neighbors. You know that days later you are still feeling spiritually high and are still so excited you can barely sleep. You know that you can think about nothing else but bringing another to the Lord. It is truly the best feeling in the world!
I am very grateful for a Father who allows us to be His messengers, who allows us to witness the joyous new birth over and over again, who allows us to feel like we live on the top of the world. There are few things better than being instrumental in bringing someone spiritual healing. To watch the Word restore sight to one spiritually blind, to watch the Gospel of Love make a dead heart beat again, to watch one be completely healed from the sickness of satan is a feeling one will never, ever forget. The eternal impact on the soul once lost is awe-inspiring. But, the newly saved person is not the only one spiritually impacted. Yes, they are healed and they are reborn. But, when you have led them to Christ, when you have shared with them the Gospel of Encouragement, when you have plunged them into the waters of baptism and been the first to welcome them to new life in Christ, when you have done that, my friend, something happens to you, too. You experience a secondary healing of sorts.
No longer is courage lacking. No longer do we wonder about our purpose. No longer do we listen to the father of lies telling us we cannot save the world, because they are too far gone. No longer are we "too busy" to evangelize. " No longer are we content to live uninspired, unmotivated, unevangelistic, pew-sitting, merry go round riding, lives. We are also healed and with that healing comes the insipiration to go out and save the world-----one soul at a time!! And that is both addicting and awesome!!
Peace
Neva
If you have ever led someone to the Lord, you know what it feels like. You know that you tremble as you stand beside them, witnessing their confession. You know that once you see the flicker of spiritual recognition in their eyes, your heart begins to pound. And by the time they say they want to be baptized, it takes everything in your power to not jump up and down and scream, "Praise the Lord" so loudly that you scare them and the neighbors. You know that days later you are still feeling spiritually high and are still so excited you can barely sleep. You know that you can think about nothing else but bringing another to the Lord. It is truly the best feeling in the world!
I am very grateful for a Father who allows us to be His messengers, who allows us to witness the joyous new birth over and over again, who allows us to feel like we live on the top of the world. There are few things better than being instrumental in bringing someone spiritual healing. To watch the Word restore sight to one spiritually blind, to watch the Gospel of Love make a dead heart beat again, to watch one be completely healed from the sickness of satan is a feeling one will never, ever forget. The eternal impact on the soul once lost is awe-inspiring. But, the newly saved person is not the only one spiritually impacted. Yes, they are healed and they are reborn. But, when you have led them to Christ, when you have shared with them the Gospel of Encouragement, when you have plunged them into the waters of baptism and been the first to welcome them to new life in Christ, when you have done that, my friend, something happens to you, too. You experience a secondary healing of sorts.
No longer is courage lacking. No longer do we wonder about our purpose. No longer do we listen to the father of lies telling us we cannot save the world, because they are too far gone. No longer are we "too busy" to evangelize. " No longer are we content to live uninspired, unmotivated, unevangelistic, pew-sitting, merry go round riding, lives. We are also healed and with that healing comes the insipiration to go out and save the world-----one soul at a time!! And that is both addicting and awesome!!
Peace
Neva
24 Comments:
You are an amazing person Neva. I love your enthusiasm!
-NB
I want to know that kind of healing, too. You have convicted me that I need to do better at sharing God's word.
Thank you friend
Pat
Neva,
You are so right--the thrill of bringing someone to the Lord is the thrill of a lifetime. I am like you, I start craving it.
Dan
What I find amazing is that you do it for God, not for recognition or glory for yourself, but for God. With the big push from women to be in the spot light, you are a woman that shows by your life that it is not about women pushing to the front, but about God and giving Him glory. Thank you for being an inspiration to myself and others! I love you!
Great post, great job. I know when I was in college, I could have sure used someone like you. Thank you for your encouragement.
Rachel
I heard about those bible studies and breakfasts when I was a student at LCU. I wished you had still been there. Several upper classmen remember you fondly, they said you had great food, great fun, silly string fights and awesome bible studies. You made a real impact on their lives without even knowing it.
Jane
Neva,
Those were great times. What I learned there I still carry with me. The bible studies helped me grow in the Lord. And watching the baptisms was exactly as you said, awesome! Some of my best memories happened at 3803 36th, in Lubbock TX (can you believe I remember the address?)
Thanks for the warm memories today and the inspiration.
Me too, Neva
I remember--Great times, great studies
blessings in Him,
Josh
Sounds like a really spiritual time. What a great experience for everyone. Thank you for sharing your excitement with us.
Lyndsay
Neva,
I will never forget what you did for me when I was struggling. Coming to your house on Tuesday nights was the very best part of my week. Because of you, Tony and I both found the Lord. Even though we didn't end up married, we stayed friends and both of us are very involved in our churches. You are such an example to me and I pray that I will be able to positively influence the spiritual lives of others like you did me.
I love you
Lacey
Wow! That sounds like quite a ministry.
Thanks for sharing,
Jean
Neva
I think that will be the most exciting experience in the world, leading someone esle to the lord.
I can hardly wait.
Kara
Judd says ditto
Exciting stuff. May God bless you for your devotion to spreading the Word.
Grace and peace,
Tim
Great post Neva
Very inspiring. I remember the first convert I helped, what a rush!
Carlos
Neva,
I once was young and now I am older, and still, I know of nothing as intoxicating and thrilling than helping bring someone to the Lord.
I love you
Mom
Me neither--bringing someone to the Lord is the best.
Loved the post
Dean
That had to be incredible.
I know we used to have small groups at our house and everytime we had a baptism, we all acted like we were high for weeks.
Great post, Neva
Eileen
This is a great post. I am excited by your adventures. inspired too.
Mary
You have a nice site here, God bless!
If you knew Neva's mom, you would know where she gets her evangelistic heart.
They are both amazing and yet very humble women.
I feel doubly blest to know both of them.
Yup. You described it so well.
I too wish you were around when I was in college - I am thankful for the people God sent to me like you. I also wish more church buildings had a washer and dryer. I think that would make a great ministry for women that stay at home. They could help the benevolent in the safety of the church building or they could fellowship the new mother who always needs help getting stuff done or just be able to assist the elderly. At any of these, I can see a great study/ devotional/ fellowship time taking place. Sometimes you just need an excuse like "get your laundry done" to get people to you. You had a great idea that was very well executed.
Kathy
What an awesome example and blessing you are and were to those college kids! May God continue to bless your journey. Blessings.
I just said a prayer for those you touched in those days. The seeds planted may yet sprout.
It is thrilling, yet it is possible for the mass around us to drag us down over time. Keep up the fight. Bringing souls to Jesus.
James
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