skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
Please Let Us Find Them Again
San Jose, California
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. Luke 15:22
Our mall evangelizing day was amazing. We'd been in the mall about an hour and had led many to Jesus. We prayed with an entire family and two groups of teenagers. Two of the teenagers didn't speak English but I had Billy Graham's Spanish Track and we walked them through the Gospel using the tract. I wish you could have seen their faces when they read the prayer aloud together in Spanish.
"Where are you from originally?" I asked a husband and wife. Their lovely baby daughter had gotten our attention.
"We're from Viet Nam," the husband said in excellent English.
"Do you also understand my English?" I asked the wife. She did. I was relieved because I wasn't carrying any Vietnamese tracts.
"Was your family Buddhist or Catholic in Viet Nam?" I asked.
"Buddhist but we only go to the temple once a year for tradition. We don't really follow it," the husband answered.
"We're Christians," I said. "May we give you a gift?" They agreed and I gave each of them a Gospel bracelet. I took my time, making sure to tell the story of Jesus and use the convicting Gospel Scriptures. They were fascinated. They knew about Jesus but had assumed people were born into Christianity the way they were born into Buddhism. When I asked if they wanted to pray to meet Jesus, they both said yes and smiled throughout the prayer. All 5 of us were deeply moved by their interest and joy. We offered suggestions for what to do next, gave a tract, and a group member told them how to find a Vietnamese church.
As we walked away, a man in our group said, "I wish I had gotten his name. They may be neighbors and I'd like to stay in touch."
"I can't believe I forgot," I said, gasping. "I try to remember to always ask for contact information from adults. Not everyone says yes but many do. I just forgot. The reason you haven't seen me ask for contact information yet today is because our conversations have either been with teenagers under 18 or with people where there was a language barrier. In those cases, I trust God and the tracts I give them."
"They went that way," a group member said. "Let's try to catch them."
We walked quickly in that direction but were disappointed not to find them. I felt sick because I knew the couple would have welcomed the contact and the help getting started in their Christian walk.
"Please God, let us find them again," I prayed.
We continued evangelizing and eventually led 12 people to Jesus. "God always puts on a show when I'm training new people," I said. "It isn't always this way."
One of our group members began pointing and said excitedly, "Isn't that them? That couple we were looking for?"
Sure enough, God had answered my prayer and we found them. As I expected, they willingly gave their contact information. They were indeed a neighbor of a member of our group and appreciated the attention. That experience gave new meaning to the words "he was lost and now he is found."
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
Blessed by Our Past
Written in San Jose, California
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6:38
Some of you may not know that I taught piano for 38 years. My students were gifts from God that still bless me today. I had my first student at aged 16 and I taught until Bob moved me to Phoenix in 2006. I loved teaching piano. My piano teacher, Mrs. Warren, arranged for my first student and taught me that the role of a piano teacher was crucial because in most cases, piano teachers spend more individual time with a child than any other adult except their parents and possibly grandparents. I decided at 16, to accept the responsibility. In addition to teaching them piano, I committed to praying for them weekly on the day of their lessons, a practice I continue today. I also mentored them in their Christian walks, nursed them through broken hearts, challenged them when they needed it, and did my best to be present at important events. People might say I was a blessing to my students and I pray I was, but trust me, they blessed me more.
I may have stopped teaching but on this journey, I continued to be blessed by my past. Margo Bouchillon is what we in the biz call a good piano mom. A good piano parent shows up on time, doesn't force piano lessons but insists on practice, makes music fun, follows directions from and celebrates their piano teacher, and makes their piano teacher laugh. A good piano parent is why some students become good enough to fall in love with music and to be able to enjoy it for a lifetime.
Margo loved music and made it a priority. The result - her sons loved music and serve their churches through music as adults. I taught Margo's sons while they lived in Jacksonville, Florida and believe it or not, became reacquainted with her in State College when her youngest son attended Penn State, went to my church, and just happened to end up in the same Life Group as me.
Margo lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington and invited me to visit her. I go where I'm invited and spent a few days in her lovely home. I was totally blessed by Margo's love of Jesus, hospitality, and encouragement. The result of Margo hosting me was that 4 people came to know Jesus while I was there and I left refreshed and with clean clothes.
Now let's talk about Kristen Givens Smith. I've known her most of her life. She took piano from me for 12 years and was my son's duet partner. Her parents were also good piano parents and I consider their entire family my family. Kristen and I formed a special bond early on. Kristen's Mom called me on Christmas night asking me if I would be Kristen's teacher and I've always told Kristen that she was my Christmas present. Kristen is a daughter of my heart. When she is happy, it makes my heart soar and when her heart is broken, mine is as well.
Kristen is all grown up now with a family of her own and I spent several days with that family in San Jose, California. Her husband, Charles, is a former employee of our software firm and was one of the brightest engineers we ever hired. They are Christians and love God and their church. It was a joy watching how much they enjoyed their 1-year-old son Piers.
During my time with Kristen, we had our nails done, where 2 people met Jesus. Then we went to lunch and our server met Jesus. Can you imagine the blessing of going evangelizing with a former piano student?
Sunday was a day tailor made for me. Charles and Kristen made it happen. It started with me speaking twice at their church on my favorite topic - evangelism. Kristen sang the solo in church and what a blessing it was to me to hear that sweet lovely voice I'd accompanied her when she was a child. We went to a picnic at her church and I got to witness first hand just how beloved they were in their church community. It was everything I'd ever prayed for on Kristen's behalf. After the picnic, a group of 5 of us from her church went evangelizing and 12 more people met Jesus.
The day ended with me getting to keep precious Piers while they went out. We "facetimed" with Bob. Here's another thing that you might not know. Bob supported my teaching in the same way he supports my ministry and he loves my students as much as I. We enjoyed Pier's playing with Rascal over the phone and showing Bob how he could throw a ball. We taught him to say GrandBobby and Gi Gi. Bob said, "You sure do have precious cargo there. Are you sure he is only 1?"
Those seeds we sowed into those young lives so many years ago have blessed us 10 times over.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
Looking For Comfort
Written in San Jose, California
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
I spent a few days with my former piano student, Kristen Givens, and we got our nails done. What a treat. They finished mine first so I took a seat up front. A young woman plopped down in the chair beside me and I noticed her sleeve - an arm covered with body art.
"I'm Cheryle. Tell me about your body art," I said. Her name was Stephanie. She explained each tattoo and as expected, it told a story of her life.
"I went in a tattoo parlor last week," I said.
"Really!" she replied, sounding delighted and surprised at the same time. "Did you get a tattoo?"
"No," I said. "Sorry. I travel the country ministering to people and I met a woman who asked me to visit her tattoo artist daughter. I do what I'm asked. How cool is it that I get to do my work while watching someone put on a tattoo?"
"Very cool," she said. "What kind of ministry?"
"I talk to people about Jesus. Do you go to church?"
"I didn't but I've been the last couple of weeks. I'm going through a hard divorce and I thought it might give me comfort."
"I'm so sorry you're going through a divorce. You're seeking the Great Comforter. The Holy Spirit comes to us after we call on the name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Church certainly seems like a logical place to start. Did you find comfort?"
"I felt something. I went back the next week."
"Stephanie, do you know where you are going in the next life?"
"I hope heaven but I don't really know."
"If when you get to heaven, God asks you why He should let you in, what would you say?"
"I'd say I've tried to be good." She paused for a second and looked down. The defeat in her eyes broke my heart. She continued, "I don't know if I've been good enough."
"We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. None of us are good enough. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. All who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. Can I lead you in a prayer calling on Jesus?"
She eagerly agreed to praying and letting me hold her hand. It was as if everyone disappeared and we were the only 2 people around. When she finished praying, she smiled excitedly, threw her arms around me, and hugged me tight.
"We're ready for you," the nail tech announced. Stephanie hugged me again and whispered, "Thank you."
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
It's Hard Not to Debate or Teach
Written In: Mount Shasta, California
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
Remind others about these things, and warn them before God not to argue over words. Arguing does not do any good but only destroys those who are listening. 2 Timothy 2:14
"If you debate with or teach the pre-saved, you're done," I say at every Gospel Conversation Workshop I lead. "You can't debate with or teach theology to someone who is pre-saved. The Bible says it is foolishness to them. Besides, your argument isn't with them, it's with the enemy. If you argue with the enemy, you've already lost."
I say it repeatedly because I know personally how hard it is not to argue or debate. No matter how many times I say it, I'll take a group out to observe Gospel Conversations and invariably, someone brings along a spirit of debate or a teacher voice. Trust me, in my flesh, I can have both.
Twice this week, in separate encounters, I had women tell me that they grew up in church and believed in Jesus. They even believed in the resurrection. And yet, when I asked where they were going in the next life, both women told me they believed in reincarnation. Both woman preferred to return as an animal - one didn't care what kind and the other preferred being a pampered house cat. When I suggested that they pretend for a moment that they were standing at heaven's gate and got asked why God should let them into heaven, they both said that they would tell God they had been good.
The spirit of debate tried to use me to say, "If you believe in the resurrection of Jesus, how can you believe in reincarnation? What would be the point of Jesus being crucified for you and coming back from the dead if he was just going to send you back to earth as a dog or cat?" There is nothing to do with that spirit except to rebuke it. We are not to fight with weapons of the world and debate is a weapon of the world.
The teacher in me wanted to explain that being good would not get them into heaven and that only the grace of Jesus could get them into heaven. I bit my tongue. No one likes to be told they are wrong and the encounter would have ended badly.
In both cases, I reminded myself of the only point of asking the two important questions:
1. Where do you think you are going in the next life?
2. If God asks why He should let you into His heaven, how will you answer?
The point of asking those 2 questions is to find out if they are saved - not to correct their theology or debate their opinions. Neither of these women had met Jesus personally. They had grown up in church, learned about Jesus, but had never entered into a relationship with Jesus. The absence of the Holy Spirit testifying to Truth had allowed their active imaginations to run with the popular opinions of the culture.
Instead of debating or teaching, I joked with them for a minute and said that I hoped they got to come back as one of my pets because we spoiled them rotten. They laughed. Then, I turned serious and stuck to my training. "God loved you so much that He sent His only son that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The cost of that sin is death. However, the gift of God is eternal life. My favorite line in the entire Bible is that all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved. May I lead you in a prayer calling on Jesus?"
I was surprised in both cases when they eagerly said yes. Afterward, I told them that all of heaven was throwing a party and that there 'ain't no party like an angel party.' I broke the news to them that they wouldn't be coming back as an animal and neither woman argued or seemed disappointed. In fact, both seemed thrilled.
What is interesting is that after they were saved, they seemed to lean into my teaching voice. They listened intently when I explained that what they were feeling was the Holy Spirit and that I wanted them to memorize that feeling and walk towards it all of their life. They nodded at the suggestion of church and the Bible. Both women gave their email for future correspondence (teaching).
The spirit of debate is just that, an evil spirit. It never solves anything. I've never seen anyone win a debate with the person they are debating with. There is a time for a gentle loving teacher voice - just not with the pre-saved.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
It's All God
Written In: Seattle, Washington
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalms 28:7
"You are so good at this. I could never do what you do."
I hear those words often. People think they're complimenting me but they feel like daggers going through my heart. It means I've failed at communicating that everyone can successfully give the Gospel and that the only secret I have is that the power comes from God. Yes, I'm an evangelist but Biblically, that means I'm supposed to equip Christ's body to give the Gospel. It doesn't mean that people with similar gifting are the only ones who are supposed to lead others to Christ.
Also, I hear that "Cheryle has a great formula for giving the Gospel." The formula I use and teach is tried and true and has been used by evangelists for centuries. Billy Graham used it in his crusades. Evangelist Riley Stevenson with Kenneth Copland Ministries uses it to lead thousands to Jesus each year. Jacksonville Florida's amazing evangelist, Mrs. Lindsey, used it. I could go on and on but faith in words like "the harvest is ripe," "the word of God will not return void," and "I am always with you" frees everyone up to find out if someone is saved, give Gospel scriptures, and ask people to meet Jesus.
People are amazed that I seem to know "exactly what to say" in each situation when in fact, I depend on a process, the scripture, and the fact that the Holy Spirit will supply the exact right words. If you hear just the right words coming out of my mouth at exactly the right time, you can pretty much figure those words came from the Holy Spirit. In my flesh, I have no filter - just ask my kids.
One of the reasons I enjoy evangelizing with my friend Kathy Hollenberry is that she gets where the source of the power is. It's all God. She isn't in awe of my gifting as an evangelist. She knows God gives gifts and is respectful of the gifting but is in awe of the source of the gifting. Kathy and I are different personality-wise and a good example that any personality type can successfully give the Gospel. By her own words, she isn't naturally a "people person." I am. Kathy and I both understand that God has called everyone to the Great Commission and that He will supply our needs. Kathy and I get together several times a year to evangelize and when we do, God multiplies the harvest.
Trust me, it isn't that Kathy and I always agree on evangelism processes. Over the years, we've had our struggles with working out joint processes. What makes us a strong team is that we both trust prayer and the scriptures. That allows us the humility and the confidence to challenge each other, seek truth together, work out conflict using scripture, and become better individually and at working together. What has developed over the years is a strong Gospel Team and a deep friendship.
I love it that Kathy isn't so in awe of my evangelism gift that she hangs back in my shadow. I love it that she doesn't try to compete with my gifting. I love it that she knows her value to the team and walks up right beside me and confidently joins the conversation. I love it that she is almost always right when she feels led to talk to a particular person. I love it that if I'm doing something else, she goes off and gives the Gospel by herself. I love it that when she takes the lead, she doesn't mind if I interject. I love it when she says, "Cheryle, don't you want to tell them..." I love it that she lets me use my evangelism gifting to teach her and when she is sure that what I'm saying lines up with the word of God, she applies it. I love it that I learned another evangelism technique from her just this week. I love it that she cares so much about people meeting Jesus.
I particularly love that I have had the privilege of watching her grow into an evangelist herself. Since she became a Christian, she has cared about and given the Gospel. Now she is growing in her ability to "equip the body of Christ." When we take groups out, she keeps evangelism going while I stop to teach. She encourages the timid (and occasionally the lazy) to step up and give the Gospel. She takes the lead in training certain individuals and adds to my teaching if I leave something out.
Kathy and I evangelized together for 3 days in Seattle. 27 people met Jesus in a city where people have said that evangelism doesn't work. We'll be doing the same thing in Phoenix in a couple of weeks. We would love for you to join us any time we go out. If you join us, don't try to tell us that you can't give the Gospel like we do. We know better. The Lord is our strength and our shield. Our hearts trust in Him. He helps us and He will help you. We'll pass on a process that if you stick to and trust God, you will lead people to Jesus. Our hearts will leap for joy and we will praise Him when you lead people to Jesus. Your only limitation will be your willingness and your faith in God.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
High and Lifted Up
Written In: Enumclaw, Washington
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8
"I don't have time for a massage."
"Cheryle!" Bob said. "You haven't had one in weeks. You know what happens if you go too long. Your credits are stacking up at Massage Envy so it won't even cost you anything. It is literally 10 minutes from your campground. Call them and make an appointment."
It was Monday and I was trying to get a Monday Ministry Moment out. I was hoping they didn't have an appointment because I had so much to do. I know many think of massages as a relaxing treat. For me, they are therapeutic. My muscles tend to get painful knots or what they call "trigger points." The pain gets worse and eventually stops me if I don't get them worked our regularly. The longer I wait, the harder they are to work out. Working them out takes deep pressure that I literally have to breathe through the pain to get results. Massages have always hurt but my life is rugged and Bob and I decided years ago that they are essential to performing my job. Bob keeps up with the schedule way better than I do. After all, he has to live with me when I've waited too long.
But alas, they had a morning appointment. It was an exercise to pack up the camper and get there on time. I kept losing and dropping things and had to wait for the shower. I muttered, "What is the point of a massage if it stresses me out to get there?" Shiloh didn't answer.
Also, I was meeting my host for the 2 events I was doing the next day and knew that I'd arrive at lunch with greasy skin and hair and smell like peppermint. By the time I arrived at my massage, my fruits of the spirit were rotting and plopping to the ground, one by one.
In the Bible Study I had attended the day before, they had asked the question, "If you're having a bad day, are you more or less likely to share your faith."
I'd glibly answered, "If you pray for opportunities and depend on a process and the scripture, how our day is going isn't relevant."
Someone had asked the question, "Isn't God better able to use you if you are peaceful and feeling close to Him?"
I had already spoken to the first question and decided to let others answer it but my answer would have been, "He will use me either way. I just enjoy it more when the fruits are blooming in my life." I would have also added, "Letting God use us and seeing the Holy Spirit at work is the quickest way I know to allow the Fruits of the Spirit to begin blooming again."
Apparently, that was true. I undressed, laid face down on the table, and wasn't 60 seconds into the massage before I realized it was a Divine Appointment. Because I named where I was, I'm not going to go into the personal details of the encounter but trust me when I say that we both knew the encounter was orchestrated by God. My massage therapist had actually been seeking the answers to the questions she was asking. When it was time for her to pray and invite Jesus into her life, we both agreed that we should wait until the end and I had clothes on. I was relieved but have prayed with people while lying under a sheet on a massage table.
I called an apologized to Bob. I thanked him for playing the "Head of household" card and insisting I go. The massage had indeed hurt but she had found the exact points that were causing the shoulder pain I'd been having. I write this today having use of my right and left arm - so much more convenient. I left that massage feeling like the song says, "High and lifted up."
I had a delightful lunch with Valerie McKay from my publishing house, Redemption Press. I didn't worry at all about how I looked or smelled but it wouldn't have mattered anyway because she is a certified Massage Therapist and understood completely. I finished the Monday Ministry Moment, wrote a blog post, answered dozens of emails and messages, coordinated other upcoming events, and washed laundry. I did get in bed a little late but everything got done. It was a great day.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
The Call
Written In: Black Diamond, Washington
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:12
"You travel alone?" It's the most common thing I hear. Some imply I'm exercising poor judgment. Others say it in admiration. Many are just afraid for me. I understand the risks and most of the time, I'm careful. For example, I don't camp in places that aren't crowded or lit. I stay aware of my surroundings. I try to stop before dark but that doesn't always work out. My life on the road in Corporate America prepared me for much of what I do and made traveling alone comfortably within my personal paradigm. .
I will say that life on the road isn't easy. Right now, I have another blinker light out. I have clothes in the washing machine that I have to rush to a quarter a mile away in the dark and put them in the dryer in time to get them dry before it closes at 10:00 PM. My camper bathroom has a small clean water leak which I'm pretending isn't there. My holding tank needs to be emptied and I dread that. There is always a list and seemingly, never enough time. I love it when I get a list complete because I briefly allow myself the fantasy that finally, everything is fixed and I can just do my work.
This last week, I traveled across part of the Oregon Trail. I stopped at museums, Interpretative Centers, and signs. I watched a movie and listened to a cowboy concert that told the story of life on the trail. It struck me how difficult and lonely traveling for them was.
We don't know exactly how many died on the trail but it is estimated that about 10% didn't make it. People died of all kinds of things - accidental gun shots, being run over by wagon wheels, hypothermia, cholera, snake bites, human and animal attacks, and on it goes. It is said that there are graves every few feet along the trail. They often buried people in the middle of the trail and drove the wagons over the graves to disguise and protect them from animal and human grave robbers. I thought about how sick my last dog, Belle, got on a trip a few years back and how scared I was. Can you imagine what it would have been like to lose a child on a trail and have to drive off and leave them there buried in the dirt?
Why did they go? Some were missionaries and like me, the travel was a calling. Others sought religious freedom. Some hoped to strike it rich or just to make a better life for their families. Some were running from and others towards something. Some just craved adventure.
I wondered about their spiritual state as they traveled. Did they cry out to God when a wagon wheel broke, someone got sick, or flaming arrows came at them? Did they get discouraged and wonder if God heard them when things didn't end the way they wanted? How was their faith at the end of the journey? I suspect for most, it was deeper.
I studied the wagon wheels. The times I've had flat tires on remote roads disturbed me even though I have a spare tire and AAA that will run to my rescue. Did these weary travelers wonder if they would be able to fix the wagon? Did some get left behind because the wagon wheel couldn't be fixed? This is why Bob immediately answers my (surprisingly frequent) question of “Why would someone put a town here?” with “That’s where the wagon wheel broke.”
I thought about how tired I get from spending so much time in my tiny camper. I visited the National Interpretative Center and studied the wagons, often called Prairie Schooners. Mostly they had a wooden base, wooden wheels, with curved metal bars over the tops and canvas roofs. Sometimes I complain that I can't get the camper temperature to remain constant. I have air conditioning plus electric and gas heat. What did these wagons have? Besides, the wagons were mostly for cargo, the elderly, the infirm, or children. Many walked and slept outside by campfires. Can you imagine how long and uncomfortable the trip must have felt?
Buying groceries is stressful for me. I don't eat like most people and sometimes I have trouble finding what I need. It seems like I am always planning for my food supply. They couldn't worry about things like organic food, balanced diets, or bottled water. They ate and drank what they could find and often suffered for it. Some packed eggs and butter in barrels, which quickly ran out. In the mid 1800's, canning technology helped. Most of what they ate came from hunting and fishing - things like American Bison, deer, antelope, trout, and catfish. They also had to resort to coyote, jack rabbit, rattle snake - nicknamed bush fish, and prairie dog. Maybe I should worry less when I can't find a Whole Foods store.
I had to laugh when I thought about how inconvenienced I was when one of my stove top burners wouldn't work. Trail travelers cooked over open fires and when they couldn't find firewood, they resorted to burning smelly buffalo chips, which the tiny children gathered. They didn't even have hand sanitizer.
My final point is about bathrooms. As mentioned, my camper bathroom has a small leak but is still usable. The condition of campground bathrooms is always a conversation point. I'm pretty OK with dirt and bugs in the shower but am not happy when showers don't have hot water or a mouse tries to shower with me. Just today, I complained about the lack of privacy in the shower house at this campground. Think for moment about bathroom and shower conditions on the trail. Is my life on the road really that hard?
Here's the true answer to that question. My life is harder on the road than it is at home. Yet, my camping life is much easier than camping life was for those traveling the Oregon Trail. Everything is relative. I'm just not sure how relevant easy or hard and safe or risky is when you feel called to do something or driven to do something to make a better life for your family.
If we spend our life catering to convenience and safety, we miss the great adventure of what some might call the "call of the wild" but I call "the call of God." We pray for wisdom and listen. We pray for courage and strength and then act. The world opens before us in a splendor that is beyond our wildest imaginations. Like my Daddy used to say, "I'm not afraid of dying but I am afraid of not living."
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
She Was Listening
In Twin Falls, Idaho
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6
"Be careful not to slip! They don't have a rug in there and when I bent over to dry my feet, I slipped right down on the floor. Be careful."
"I'm so sorry you slipped. Are you hurt?" I asked. I had just walked into the KOA bathroom with my shower supplies.
"I will be tomorrow. I think I'm going to tell the office."
"Good idea," I said as she walked out. I was surprised that it didn't turn into an encounter after that lead in but oh well. What do I know? God's ways are mysterious.
I carefully stepped in and out of the shower, noticing that the shower curtains were too short so all of the floors were wet. I dried off and dressed. When I came out of the shower stall to put on my makeup, the same woman said, "You were fast! It doesn't look like you slipped."
"I didn't. I was careful. Thanks for the tip. I thought you left."
"I did but I forgot my blow-dryer." We began talking. You can probably guess that it did indeed turn into an encounter. She was pretty sure she was going to heaven because she'd been good - not perfect - but good. She went to church occasionally. I spoke Gospel scripture to her about salvation by grace and not by works. She got it instantly and wanted to pray for forgiveness and salvation.
The entire time we'd been talking, I was aware of a young woman standing behind me. She was slowly putting on her makeup and using a curling iron while listening carefully. I kept glancing at her in the mirror out of the corner of my eye as I talked to the other woman but hadn't spoken a word to her yet. When I saw that she was getting emotional, I turned to her and said, "Would you like to pray with us?"
"Yes," she said gratefully.
"May we hold hands?" I asked both women. There in the bathroom, standing in a circle, both women prayed to receive Jesus. I got their contact information and the first woman left.
"Where are you from?" I asked, deciding that I needed to know more about this lovely, tattooed, thin woman who had met Jesus so quickly.
"I'm from all over," she wept. "I can't seem to settle down. I'm here with my boyfriend but I don't think it is going to work out."
"How long have you been with him?" I asked.
"A year," she said, continuing to cry. "He is rude to me. I think he wants me to leave. This keeps happening to me."
"It isn't going to happen anymore," I said firmly. "You are leaving this room changed from the inside out. You are a princess of the King of Kings and deserve to be treated accordingly. I can't tell you what to do but I know who can. The Bible promises us wisdom. It is in the book of James. It says that if you ask for wisdom, you will get it. There is a catch however. It also says that if you don't act on that wisdom, you will feel like you are being tossed about in the waves - you will feel seasick. The Bible also promises strength and courage. May I pray for your wisdom, strength, and courage?"
"Yes," she whispered.
I put my arms around her and could feel her trembling. I asked God to grant her the wisdom to know what to do about the boyfriend and the strength and courage to act. After I prayed, I encouraged her to act immediately on the wisdom she received.
"If you decide to leave, do you have somewhere safe to go?" I asked.
"I do," she said. "I could go home to my mother." I have a feeling that will be one happy mother. I have her contact information and can't wait to find out what she did.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
Pay Attention to Your Thoughts and Feelings
Written In: Salt Lake City Utah
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12
How could a downtown actually smell good? Were the buildings as shiny and bright as they appeared? I stepped off of the light rail into the spotless downtown of Salt Lake City. Had I been in downtown before? I'd certainly stayed in the campground on Salt Lake and visited many places there but surely I'd remember a city this pristine.
I'd gotten off the light rail at the Temple stop. KOA had suggested I eat it at The Lion House so I headed there first. I enjoyed lunch and as I stepped back outside, 2 modestly dressed impressive young women wearing name tags identifying their church, greeted me and asked, "Would you like to tour Brigham Young's home?"
"Sure," I said. "I assume you are on your mission. How far into your 2 years are you?"
"We're about half way through."
"I'm guessing you are both 19?"
They smiled. "We are. Where are you from?" I gave them the short answer and said Pennsylvania.
"What brings you here?" they asked. Before the afternoon was over, I was to be greeted and asked those exact questions by about a dozen or so pairs of smiling young people, all female. All invited me into a conversation or to visit a garden, worship center, or building that would tell me more about the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There were pairs of men walking around as well but they approached the men or the couples. In between conversations, I sat in the temple garden and watched as these well trained, sweet, and sincere young people used the same process repeatedly.
I talked with everyone who approached me and said yes to what they invited me to visit, tour, listen to and take. They listened when I spoke the Gospel Scriptures and took my literature when offered.
Once, I introduced myself as a Christian and the young people quickly replied as I knew they were trained, "We're Christian too." I also knew they were responding to being considered a cult and not Christian. I didn't argue but didn't introduce myself that way again. A few times, when they seemed to want to know, I did clarify the differences in our definition of God, Jesus, and who they often call Heavenly Father. They were trained to listen without debate and since I don't believe in debate, everything was friendly and informative.
My answer to the question of what brought me there was always the same. I matched their smiles and said, "I'm on a mission too. I'm here to help people find a relationship with the God of the Universe - God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Most literally stepped backwards. Their smiles briefly slipped and I knew it was because they didn't believe in what we have nicknamed The Trinity and that the God they consider to be the father of Jesus was different than who they call the God of the universe. I don't usually describe my journey that way and normally, my goal isn't to startle people but for that day, it was what I felt led to say.
When I toured Brigham Young's house, I was invited to pay close attention to my thoughts and feelings as I toured the city, so I did. I was told that Brigham Young was a prophet. The young woman who did my tour didn't know much about the house or the Young family but they carefully described how Brigham Young came to be a follower of the church, what he had accomplished for the church, and what he believed. All of the tours and encounters were the same. They told the story of Brigham Young, the church, their beliefs, and the advantages the church had for the family for all of eternity.
I kept my focus on Jesus and the Gospel scripture, which they knew and usually quoted with me. They politely listened and then took the topic back to the church. Two of the young missionaries listened with interest to the full Gospel and actually wanted to pray with me. When I got to the part of the prayer where they would invite Jesus to be their Savior, I changed the words slightly to, "I invite the one true Jesus - the Truth, the Way, and the Life, to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior." These sweet reverent young ladies actually opened their eyes in surprise, stumbled on the words, and paused.
"Would you rather not pray and ask the one true Jesus to come into your life and be your Lord and Savior?" I quietly asked, wanting to be respectful of their willingness and awareness of what they were praying. They thought about it for a moment, looked at each other hesitantly, and finally, they both said they wanted to pray. The emotion of the prayer took them by surprise. One put her hand to her heart. We hugged, swapped literature, and I left without asking for contact information. The Holy Spirit was going to do with that encounter what He will. I knew I wasn't to do anything more.
I had someone else pray for salvation that same day - a homeless man asking for money. Remembering what my Mama taught me, I pulled out the money so he could see it but gave him the Gospel before I handed it to him. "I used to be Mormon," he said. "I don't know what will happen to me in the next life. I haven't exactly done what I was supposed to." I handed him the dollar and asked if he wanted to pray for forgiveness and ask invite Jesus to be his Savior. He did.
As instructed, I paid attention to my thoughts and feelings as I walked through the temple gardens, took pictures, prayed, and went inside where I was allowed to visit. My feelings bounced between being awe struck and troubled. I certainly noticed the difference between the young people there and other cities I visited. No skate boarders darted in front of me and not only were everyone's pants sitting at their waist, most were belted. I was impressed with how well trained the young people were when explaining their beliefs about the church and how they came to believe personally. I believe in process and they certainly had one.
None hesitated to begin a conversation with me or anyone else. I asked and all of them who approached me had led people into becoming part of their church. I thought about how often I hear the words, "Cheryle, you're gifted. I don't have the gift of evangelism. I could never do what you do and talk to people the way you do." These young people did as they were instructed without worry about what they could or could not do.
I was struck by something else. At first glance, it could appear as if these young people had been trained in an evangelism process that worked well. Actually, the process did work well. As I said before, I like process and use it when I train people to give the Gospel. Those willing to commit to a Gospel Conversation process and then use it without worrying about unique gifting, lead people to Jesus.
However, as I watched, I observed that they were not sharing the Gospel - the Good News of Jesus. The process they were trained to use drew people into a conversation about the church, church beliefs, and the benefits of strong healthy families and abundant living. While if asked, they agreed that Jesus was a prophet and their Savior, the prophet they readily described was Brigham Young, which I understood because of his influence on the city of Salt Lake. Unlike in evangelism, they didn't quote scripture or pray with anyone. They asked and answered questions and offered a way to get more information. I was both impressed and bothered by their absolute faith in the teachings of their church and church prophets.
I left there begging God to help me somehow communicate what I already knew and observed in those young people. It doesn't matter what spiritual gifts or talents people have when they have a process to use. It isn't relevant to consider if we are introverted or extraverted, shy or bold, or talkative or tongue tied when obeying our call to the Great Commission. All anyone has to do to have effective Gospel Conversations is:
1) Find out if someone knows Jesus by asking 2 questions
Two Questions
Do you know where you are going in the next life?
When God asks why He should let you into heaven, what will you say?
2) Speak 3 convicting Gospel scriptures
Gospel Scriptures
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
The wages of sin is death. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
3) Trust that the harvest is ripe and that the Holy Spirit will use those words to convict hearts
4) Invite people to pray and meet the Truth, the Way, and the Life - Jesus
Sample Prayer
Dear God: I believe that your son Jesus died on a cross for me and rose from the dead. Help me with any part of me that doesn't believe. I confess that I've made mistakes and ask for your forgiveness. I invite Jesus into my life to be my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for my salvation. In Jesus' name, Amen
Not everyone will be willing to say yes at that moment but regardless of their acceptance, they will be convicted of the Truth - count on it.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
Pocket Full of Quarters Journey 2015
How Not What
Written In: Salt Like City
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalms 143:10
Since 2002 and my first journey across America, I've been struck by how desperate people are for the "how." Perhaps they grew up in church where people told them "what" to believe in. Many truly tried but didn't know how. People literally sag with relief when they learn "how" to enter into a relationship with Jesus. When you know Him, it is easy to believe in him. Many were told in church "what" to do but when their sinful nature did what sinful natures do and they found themselves unable to live up to the church's standards, many rejected it either out of a sense of failure or rebellion. I've known since the beginning of my call to ministry that the "how" not the "what" was my calling.
In this day and age of what used to be called "New Age" and now is often labeled by those I meet as "spirituality," many Christians are wary of 12 Step Recovery but I'm not. These programs are gifted at giving the "how." I have great respect for the success they've found with addicts, alcoholics, and compulsive eaters. They have been around long before anything called "New Age" and they are all about the "how." People who come into 12 Step recovery already know they "shouldn't" be doing what they are doing. They've sat through enough temperance and morality sermons to know "what" they should be doing. The problem is that they can't. Step 1 helps them admit their powerlessness. The first 3 steps can be summed up by saying, "I can't. God can. I think I'll let Him." The rest of the steps tell them "how." 12 Step recovery breaks the "how" down into 12 simple steps that if taken, allow poor suffering souls to find their way out of a Godless hell. Then, if they so choose, they can allow God to be the God of their lives and outside the recovery rooms, find their way into churches, the word of God, and an eternity with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are my role model for the "how."
Take for example the three young ladies Bob and I met in Colorado. Heather was traveling with her fiancée and working in a KOA. She'd been to church but no one had ever told her "how" to meet Jesus. She knew she "should" be going to church but work schedules and lack of discipline got in the way and left her feeling slightly guilty for not accomplishing the "what." She'd probably been taught somewhere along the line about the "what" of sexual purity and I wondered if she was also feeling a guilty about living with her boyfriend. Regardless of any of that, she needed to start with the "how" of meeting Jesus. When I shared that "how," she eagerly followed directions. After she prayed to receive Jesus, she hugged me and said, "Thank you! Wow! I feel so much better. Wow!" It was as if she couldn't find words big enough to express what she was experiencing. I understood because I am a writer and still don't have words big enough to explain that moment.
Felicia and Amber were sisters. They didn't look alike so at first I didn't realize it. Felicia was our server and like so many, she'd wandered in and out of church seeking something but not quite finding it. I gave the gospel and just as she was about to pray to meet Jesus, the door opened and Amber burst in. "I need food! Feed me!"
Felicia left to put in an order and since I assumed Amber was another customer, I thought the opportunity had passed.
A few minutes later, Felicia came back and said, "I'm ready to keep talking." I looked over at Amber still standing there and Felicia said, "Don't worry about her. She's my sister. She can wait." Felicia held my hand and invited Jesus to be her Savior. As soon as she finished praying, she said, "Amber, come over here!" She looked at me and said, "Amber needs this. Will you talk with her?"
Amber had 2 children and told me she was probably going to hell. Felicia gasped at that and Amber said "Well, it's true. You know what I do." Amber also knew "what" to do but couldn't live up to the standards she knew were right. It is no wonder she thought she was going to hell. She felt like a complete failure. I gave the Gospel but when I asked her to pray, she hesitated. "I think I need to work on some things first."
"It sounds like you need Jesus to work on those things. Would you let me lead you in a prayer calling on Him?" She agreed. Amber most likely also has addiction issues. Praying to receive Jesus certainly saves her for eternity and she now has the Holy Spirit at her beck and call but she also needs some specific "how" help for what to do next if she is to live the complete life God has planned for her. I have her contact information and am asking for special prayers for Amber. She needs a church and probably a 12 Step program who will love her while helping her learn "how" to move to the next step.
In every conversation we have on the streets and in everything this ministry writes, we are called to focus on the "how" that helps people make one tiny change towards God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For the pre-saved, that change starts with meeting Jesus but it does not end there. Our Monday Ministry Moments, blogs, Social Media sites, books, and speaking engagements focus on the "how" of meeting the needs we witness on the streets of America. Pocket Full of Change is a metaphor for being prepared for life and eternity and represents our call to point people to the God given tools to make the changes necessary to live productive and joyful lives. Today, make sure when dealing with the pre-saved or the prodigals, you focus on the "how." If you know the "what" but not the "how," turn to the word of God for answers. Focusing on the "how" to meet Jesus and live a fulfilled life in Jesus instead of the "what" people should be doing turns judgment into compassion and allows us to be useful.
Follow the Journey
Email Cheryle
Click to Donate and Help Us Lead People to Jesus
