Bates, Dianna 2

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16 (NRSV) – “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Message: On Sunday, afternoon, Phillip came to the hotel so that we could follow him to his home. When we arrived, there was another couple from their church visiting. Heather told us about her struggles as a child, she had difficulty in reading and writing and had many challenges in school because of this. The cult took her in and made her feel that she belonged, but she soon realized that this was not what it seemed to be. She found it impossible to leave and then Phillip came into her life and rescued her. They both found Jesus and accepted him as their Savior. Heather met people in the church who helped her find her purpose in life and she gained self-confidence and began participating in Bible studies and fellow church members encouraged her to continue learning to read and write her feelings. Today Heather is a confident woman and sings her praises to the Lord. When I first noticed Heather at the hotel in the lounge, I had no idea of the depth of this woman. At first glance she reminds you of a Fairy Tale fairy. She was dressed in a flowing tunic accessorized by lots of bling jewelry and ribbons in her hair covered with bling. She has a beautiful smile and a glowing complexion and her movements are those you would imagine that a fairy would have floating around the room. I had no idea how much love for Christ she had. Every word out of her mouth praises her Savior and shows much love. She definitely does not hide her light under a bushel. Heather and Phillip have welcomed many foreign strangers into their home for meals and lodging. They love to share their love for the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray that You let us recognize those who need Your help in finding their way to Your glory. Let us give the words and wisdom to guide them. Amen.

Dianna Bates
(first published in 2015)

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Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16 - "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Message: My husband Wayne, and I were having dinner in our hotel dining room on our first evening in England and were having a conversation about a member of our church and the fact that he spent his youth in Milford-on-Sea. I mentioned to Wayne how knowledgeable our friend was about the Bible and what a good Christian I thought he was. The couple at the next table, Phillip and Heather, overheard our conversation and commented that they knew by our accents that we were not locals. As our conversation progressed they commented that they overheard us talking about our friend who was a Christian. They said that they did not encounter many Christians outside of their church group. Heather proceeded to tell us that in earlier years they had been part of a cult like church, had worked very hard to escape their influence, and had become born again Christians. That night they were celebrating their 18^th anniversary of being Christians. She said that she told her husband that they could not let this important event in their lives go unnoticed. After some more conversation along this line, they invited us to go to their church with them on Sunday, morning. We told them that we had planned to attend the Methodist Church in Milford-on-Sea that Sunday, and thanked them for their invitation. We were then invited to come to their home on Sunday, afternoon for tea. We graciously accepted the invitation.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see Your light in others.

Dianna Bates

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