Hello Dear Readers,
True to the purpose of this email newsletter I want to tell a story. This is another story of a person having an encounter with a living Savior. I call it THE HOROSCOPE GIRL and it’s another chapter in a book I am developing now.
The Three Taverns is about story, culture, challenging the prevailing mindsets of religion, media, business, education, government. You know, just like you do in a tavern visiting together.
It has been a busy week for my household….grandbaby #16 arrived! We have kept two of our grandchildren at our house all week, which is a handful in the midst of an already life! But these beauties are incredible and we are thankful their new baby brother is healthy.
BAPTISMS: Sunday’s Easter holiday will be a very special one for us. We have been studying the Bible with a small group of people on Tuesday nights. Out of this group there are 5 people who have decided to be baptized into Christ, and at least 3 more in relationship with them are also joining in! So we are having 40-50 people out to a beautiful pond in Leiper’s Fork to celebrate their immersion into Jesus and then we celebrate with a little music, food, wine, cigars and a beautiful afternoon. I’ll probably have some photos or videos from this in another Three Taverns newsletter.
TAVERN TALKS: And finally, April 9th begins our “Tavern Talks” at The Mission Cigar and Social at 6:30am in Spring Hill, TN. Bring your Febreze if you need to go to work afterward! This is designed for stories, connection, challenge, re-centering on what’s important.
THE HOROSCOPE GIRL
I walked into a Citgo gas station in Nashville one day after filling the tank to buy a quart of oil to top up my car.
When I walked in, the girl at the register had a newspaper open on the counter-top and she was bent over reading it. She never looked up. I noticed it was open to the horoscopes section.
I asked her if she read the horoscopes often. Still not looking up she said, "Every day." I asked her, "Why, what do you like about it?"
She said, "I want to know something is with me every day."
This was a moment that I never planned and would not have been comfortable with if I thought about it (sometimes our brains stop us from acting in Spirit). I reached out to gently pat one of her hands laying there on the counter and said very softly so as not to sound cocky or intimidating: "I know SOMEONE who is with you every day."
Without raising her head, but lifting her eyes from the paper and looking straight at me she said, "Who?!" She was suddenly very riveted on what I had to say, whether it was going to be creepy or weird or....?
I spoke calmly to her: "Jesus Christ, the son of God. He died in your place to wipe away your imperfections and sins; He rose again to give you a brand new life," Then I added, "You need Him, don't you." This was more of a statement rather than a question. I remember as clear as a bell what I said to her because I knew I only had a short time.
Still with her head down but her eyes on me, she answered, "Yes." I replied, "Well, let's tell Him right now," and I prayed for her and then led her to thank Jesus Christ for saving her and to now come give her new life and be her Master. I remember the moment, unprompted by me, when after we prayed she just simply closed the newspaper.
Just as we ended this prayer another man walked in, went to the back coolers, got a beer (it was around 9am) and came up to the counter.
I said to my new sister, "Hey, why don't you tell him what just happened?" And she did! In such simple words with an obvious new joy. I then turned to this man and said, "You need Him too, don't you," and he said, "Yes I do, but just not right now!" and walked out. You win some and you wait for some. It was a good teachable moment for her.
All around us there are people looking for "something".
We can lead them to Someone.
Looking up (Luke 21:28),
Tod Bell
Chief Tavern Host
P.S. Please pass this along to someone you feel might benefit from joining us here in The Three Taverns by using the “share” button below.