Saved! - the Movie

It is truly amazing to find out how people heard about the HopeLine and what cause them to call. Here is Jennifer's story of how she came to call last night. Jennifer decided to watch a movie with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend, who happened to be a hard core atheist, recommended the movie 'Saved'. Though I have not seen the movie I know that it is a satire on fundamental Christians portraying us in a pretty negative light. Well, as Jennifer watched this movie and its constant criticism of Christianity she began to feel convicted. The feeling grew the more she watched and when it was over conviction was upon her so heavily that she went to the internet and Googled 'Christian hotlines'. One of the first ones she came across was the HopeLine and, boldly, she called in telling the HopeCoach on the other end what had happened. She then started asked questions about Christianity and listened as the HopeCoach shared with her about Jesus Christ's great gift for an hour and a half. The HopeCoach knew she was serious about understanding Christianity when he realized that she was taking notes on what he was telling her. Jennifer did not give her heart to Christ last night, but, though I don't claim to know the future, I genuinely think that one day soon the Holy Spirit is going to bring her understanding and that she will be changed forever into a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's ways are so amazing! He is always at work! He used a movie mocking Christians to lead her to someone that could share the truth about Christ with her...I just cannot get over how much greater He is than he who is in the world!

Usually we write about stories we have heard from HopeCoaches but when this HopeCoach emailed these comments on a call he had Sunday night I knew I couldn't phrase it any better. Here it is straight from the HopeCoach:

"...It was likely the very best call I have ever taken since working at the call center. For me it was a great call because it left me holding my head in my hands, weeping quietly for what seemed like a long time. I do not remember ever taking a call that moved me so deeply.

The girl was around eighteen years old, had a vibrant dynamic relationship with Lord while attending a Christian high school, but fell away and found herself addicted to drugs and watching her world crumble around her. She could not understand why everything she touched toppled like a house of cards while the people around doing wickedness seemed to prosper.

She told me in the very beginning of the call that she was numb, that she did not feel anything, and that it had been a long time since she had even cried. Ten or more minutes into our conversation she began to weep off and on, eventually turning to a constant flow of tearfulness and sobbing. It was apparent that her lack of emotion was due to some trauma that she was protecting herself from and later in the conversation I “felt” strongly that the trauma was due to the fact that she was holding a grudge against God. She felt that God had let her down by not protecting her from the drugs and there were some terrible things that happened to members of her family. I explained to her about how many times we hold grudges against people because we perceive they did something against us and as she prayed and forgave God for the perceived offenses and subsequently put her life back on God’s altar (Romans 12:1), I watched this numb, unemotional, troubled, young lady move from coldness, to brokenness, to peacefulness. When I was through praying with her, she commented that she felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her chest. Before we hung up, I told her “In case no one has told you yet today, let me be the first to tell you that I love you.” She broke down and started crying again.

In writing this, I still feel the depth of emotion that overcame me early this morning, leaving me humbled, and with my head in my hands.

I count myself fortunate to be involved with you, the Hopeline, and all the other hope coaches who continue to demonstrate such a great heart for the people whom God loved to such a great degree that He laid down the life of His only, one of a kind, Son to redeem us to Himself."

God's Calling!

I have talked a little before about how much satan hates this ministry. He continually works to keep HopeCoaches from serving here. It is most easily seen in a HopeCoaches first few weeks. It has become a blessing to know this though because we continually get to see God glorified through satan's attempts. One woman in particular has had quite a journey. She came for the first time to our informational meeting. I found out that when she arrived she sat in her car afraid to come in because she didn't think that someone like her could do a ministry like this one. While in her car a sermon came on the radio by Ravi Zacharias about Gideon and about how he was small and insignificant in the world's eyes but that God used him for amazing things. This gave her the strength to come in and hear. After she heard more about the ministry she was sure that she was not qualified and that God did not want someone like her taking these important calls. The following Wednesday night at church they watched a video sermon that was about Moses and how he told God to get someone else because he was not qualified and stumbled over his words yet God had chosen Him. This and a few other things that happened that week made it unmistakable that God was calling her to volunteer for the HopeLine. This gave her the courage to come to the training. After the training satan was pulling out all the stops trying to discourage her and she decided even if she was called that she was not going to do it. She just couldn't - she was too scared and had too many past failures haunting her. That week her Pastor started a sermon series on - yep, you guessed it - Jonah. She knew that God was not going to let her run away from this. This gave her the courage to come in her first night to take her first call. She wanted to start with a chat but there weren't going to be chats available for a while and so I urged to try a call. She said she would and as she sat down she was trembling. She put herself as available and the phone rang. She answered and with a calming voice, compassionate words, and great advice she helped a young girl struggling with a relationship problem. Afterwards, another call came and after listening to the problem and giving wonderful advice again God led her to begin sharing the gospel. Through words truly from the Holy Spirit she led that caller to begin a relationship with Christ! It was the first person she had ever led to Christ in her life!!! She left with a smile so big that her face almost couldn't hold it! We serve an incredible God that makes us more than conquerers through Christ Jesus who loved us; who proves that when give our weakness to God He makes us strong in Him. Praise God for using such weak creatures for His great and eternal work!