Pioneers UK Blog

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]4am is here! It is time to pray! Not so much the incredible, earth shattering, super-duper, mighty prayers of a prayer warrior though. For me, it is a simple conversation with the amazing God who created me. Tired eyes, tired mind...but a heart full of thankfulness for another day and all its possibilities. “God, this is your day, not mine. Fill it with the things that you desire.”

I check my phone; another text from a Muslim friend desperate for prayer. I’m thankful that they can trust me and confide in me. What a privilege! I used to be an ‘evan-jellyfish’, trying to ‘sting’ Muslims with the gospel. But now I’m learning to love, serve, and share life with the ones I’m seeking to lead to Jesus. The Bible is amazing! I wish I could say that I spend hours reading and studying it each day, but often I just read a page or a verse. Something takes hold of my heart: a promise, a challenge, something for me to share with others....or maybe a simple reminder that I need to stay close to God. Today I read in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go. I will guide you.” Wow! I really need that today. How I need heavenly guidance with the challenges I am facing at the moment. I like to learn from others too. I’m reading a book about the life of the missionary Hudson Taylor. What an inspiration! Then I check my emails, good stuff, boring stuff, and more notifications of meetings, meetings and more meetings! Then I am reminded that it is because Pioneers cares.

Then I check my emails, good stuff, boring stuff, and more notifications of meetings, meetings and more meetings! Then I am reminded that it is because Pioneers cares. Fellowship is important, teaching is important. We all need encouragement. I am thankful for the Pioneers family. My area leader is phoning me tomorrow. That will be nice. A time to talk about things that are on my heart; maybe I can encourage him too!

It’s time to take a short journey on the train. I am meeting up with a Muslim for a Bible study. He wanted to kill me at one time, but he had a dream which softened his heart. He now wants to hear the good news. It’s amazing how God prepares hearts.  Just before I board the train I notice a guy who seems to be lost. “Asalamu aleikum”, I call to him. He turns out to be a student from Saudi Arabia, on holiday in England. He speaks quite good English, but can’t find his train. I know my train leaves in nine minutes, but instead I choose to help him. As we are travelling in the lift with his luggage, I tell him that I am a follower of Jesus, and that I have a tremendous love for Muslims. He is blown away by my kindness and love. As we reach his platform he insists on buying me a coffee and a flapjack to say “thank you.”  Sounds good to me! When he comes back, I remember that I have a New Testament in Arabic in my bag which I give to him as a gift. He is so thankful! Then I shoot off ! I catch my train with just 40 seconds to go!“

I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go. I will guide you.” PSALM 32:8

The Bible study goes well. We look at two verses in the Bible, and see how they can be applied in our lives. We meet in a coff ee shop. We don’t get Bibles out, rather the verses are written out on a postcard. This helps to concentrate on the verses before us. Also there are ‘people watching’. Like Meerkats, other Muslims are around, policing their own community, keeping watch. Having a postcard is less conspicuous. As I head back to the train station, I bump into someone wearing a hijab with whom I have been sharing the gospel. Someone who has been secretly contacting me via text messaging, secretly reading Bible verses and secretly asking for prayer. She faces many fears and challenges, but I know Jesus can handle it. He created planets! He cares and nothing is

As I head back to the train station, I bump into someone wearing a hijab with whom I have been sharing the gospel. Someone who has been secretly contacting me via text messaging, secretly reading Bible verses and secretly asking for prayer. She faces many fears and challenges, but I know Jesus can handle it. He created planets! He cares and nothing is too difficult for him.

As I am waiting to catch the train back home, a Muslim lady comes and sits by me. “Asalamu aleikum”, I say to her. She talks to me for twenty minutes, and is amazed when I share my testimony with her. She is so excited when I give her a copy of the New Testament as a gift. As I get on the train, I get a text message from a friend. He asks how my day has

As I get on the train, I get a text message from a friend. He asks how my day has been, and tells me that he has been praying for me. What a blessing to know that I am being supported in prayer, and that someone is thinking about me! I excitedly tell them about all that has happened that day. Then another text comes through. It is from a Muslim family I visit regularly. A family member in Pakistan has died. They are so upset. That night I take a card round with some flowers. I also take round two MASSIVE vegetarian pizzas for the family. They are thrilled! I do believe John 3:16 is the gospel in a nutshell, but it is a nut that Muslims find difficult to crack. They need help. I want to be a portrait of the Jesus I proclaim. Truth takes time to understand, but love paves the way

I do believe John 3:16 is the gospel in a nutshell, but it is a nut that Muslims find difficult to crack. They need help. I want to be a portrait of the Jesus I proclaim. Truth takes time to understand, but love paves the way.

 

- Rob, serving with Pioneers UK[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Photo by Arne Hückelheim / CC BY-SA[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]