A Doorway Opened

Not long ago, my husband and I had some new patio doors installed. The gentleman who came for the installation, James, was a hard worker. For several hours, he labored in the heat of summer to get everything done. When the job was completed, James came inside for the final paperwork.

With some initial small talk, we discovered that he was a recent war veteran with four tours in Special Forces. As the conversation continued, we learned that several of his family members had recently passed away from drug-related deaths. The most recent was his mother, who passed away about a month ago. At that point, my husband and I asked one or two more questions that opened the door for James to really share his heart.

A Time to Pray

What should have been a quick paperwork tie-up turned out to be about 20 minutes of conversation. James ended up sharing his story with us, and we were privileged to listen to it. At the end of our discussion, my husband and I had the opportunity to encourage him and offered to pray with him. He was a little surprised (and maybe a tad uncomfortable), but he quickly said yes.

I know that he was more at peace with his situation when he left than before he entered our door. We are firmly believing for further gospel conversations to be had in James’ life that will lead him to a deeper relationship in Christ. And, my husband and I are both praying that those seeds of listening, caring, and praying will take root and continue to grow within him.” —Melodie Tunney

The Gospel Makes a Way

As we can see from this story, gospel conversations are open doors that lead to the encouragement of Christ—our hope, joy, comfort, and eternal salvation. Whether we are opening the doors of our home or hearts, may we be bold enough to continue to have these conversations anywhere, anytime, with anybody. Let us pray that through our conversations, Christ would continuously reveal Himself by giving life more abundantly to those who are ready to enter into His comforting peace.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers…most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” —John 10:1-10 NKJV