We have many opportunities to share our faith stories



We can share our faith stories at the most unpredictable times and places.
I left the Southwest Texas Conference session in Corpus Christi June 7 to return to San Angelo. I had a Friday-morning business obligation in Sonora.
This trip became an ordeal that left me stranded about 20 miles south of San Antonio for 10 hours!
Without warning, my truck lost electrical power. I couldn’t reach a towing service. My phone began to fail. Prayer was my only option.
As soon as I prayed, a pickup stopped about a quarter mile in front of me and backed up. Two young people jumped out, Jake and Monica.
Jake asked about my truck; but I first told them my faith story—that I had just finished praying that someone would stop, that God had sent them and that they would be blessed for stopping.
Monica responded, “We know, that’s why we stopped.”
They then shared their faith story. They were driving to New Braunfels for a job. Jake’s first comment as they passed me was, “Gee, that’s too bad, but that’s his problem.”
They spoke of how Monica, who was driving, began to stop anyway and how they realized that God didn’t want them to leave me stranded.
They abandoned their trip to spend more than five hours helping me.
Jake made a booster cable from the power cord from Monica’s stereo. When that failed, the two drove home to Elmendorf to fetch jumper cables and beverages for me.
When the jumper cables failed, it was obvious that my alternator had died. Jake and Monica went home to take the battery from their other car to give to me, hoping to get me closer to San Antonio. Monica removed the battery, and Jake rigged it to work in my truck.
Meanwhile, Monica fashioned a beautiful hand-drawn card with the following letter:
“Mr. Thompson, God sends us in all directions, and sometimes we don’t know why, but I know that he wanted us to be the ones to help you, and I thank him for that. Hope you have a safe trip home and know that we will keep you in our prayers. Thank you for being patient with us. We’re a little slow . But we’ll get it done. God bless.  Love, Monica.”
Jake and Monica stayed on the phone and followed me for several miles, until I sent them home. (My truck eventually stopped again, and it took four hours to get towed.)
Because of Jake and Monica, I was able to charge my phone, get within 11 miles of San Antonio’s only 24-hour Auto Zone, reach a willing towing service, meet an Auto Zone manager who charged my battery and even installed a new alternator (something Auto Zone usually doesn’t do), complete my trip, and return to Corpus Christi.
Above all, I met two Christians who were bold in sharing their faith stories, selfless in sacrificing their plans, sincere in making me comfortable and genuine in their demeanor.
They refused any payment for what they had done for me. I asked about the guitar case in their truck. Jake said that it was acoustic but that he was hoping to get a pickup device to make it electric.
I didn’t have a pickup, but I had a new guitar amplifier that I had purchased for our “Miracle on 18th Street” ministry at Wesley UMC in San Angelo. I insisted that they accept it as a gift—not payment.
We prayed, exchanged contact information and promised to keep in touch.