An Unexpected Blessing

I received a wonderful phone call yesterday that blessed me. It made my week.

Maurice is a former inmate originally from Jamaica. I had the privilege of ministering to him over the course of many months during his incarceration. I baptized him and watched him grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Following his incarceration, Maurice was deported back to the tiny island nation he called home. I lost track of him. That was about four years ago.

Yesterday my phone rang. It was Maurice. He'd been trying to get me for some time. He just wanted me to know that he's doing well. The Lord has been good to him and he continues to serve God with his whole heart. I could sense the joy in his voice as he shared how he's leading the youth group and singing in the choir in the church he attends. God is using him.
Then Maurice told me something that stirred me. He said, "Chaplain, your ministry changed my life. I'll never forget all those services hearing you preach. You made God's Word real to me. Thank you. And I want you to know, chaplain, I pray for you often."

W-O-W! What a blessing. To know that God has used me to be a blessing to someone. And to know that someone who's been touched by our ministry is now doing the work of ministry in Jamaica. And that same someone is praying for me.
That's the power of this thing called 'Christianity'. That's the power of the gospel message. "It is the power of God unto salvation."

Oh yeah. I almost forgot. I now have a standing invitation to come and preach in Jamaica. Can't wait to see what the Lord does with that.