Marriage Retreat

Marriage Retreat

We went on our annual Marriage Retreat in Gatlinburg, TN this weekend and had some great Divine appointments. And satan was mad!

In one of the outdoor, corner shopping areas, Franklin was encouraging me to get up and o/a. The fear I felt was paralyzing. However, he and God were more persistent than my fear. I got up and went through about 20 love/Valentine trivia questions to about 8-10 constant people with approx. 25 or so wandering by. I ended with, “What is the greatest act of love ever demonstrated?” Rom 5:8 “God demonstrated His love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us”. I left it at that. As I got down a lady hollered Good job at me and gave me a thumbs up.

A little while later Franklin did the same thing, but had no one stop. He still pushed on though. After he got down I saw a group of kids and started giving them all MDB (Million Dollar Bill) and he came up and asked them the million-dollar question. He ended up going all the way through the Gospel with them. It was great!

Then Sunday, my sister forgot her purse in our cabin and we had to go back. The beauty of this is my sister NEVER forgets things; she is compulsive about getting her stuff together but God had a different plan:

By the time we leave the cabin (after getting her purse) we head to the outlet mall for a bit of shopping and Franklin has an opportunity to witness to 2 different ladies. One of which got totally convicted and cried. She thanked him for talking with her and he gave her some tracts and some info. I passed out many tracts.

Over the course of the trip (Thur - Sun) we passes out approx 50 tracts, this includes the many left in rest stop restrooms and given to rest stop attendants and had maybe 20 people hear the Gospel.

A side note: While in downtown Gatlinburg 3 young girls were stopped at a candy store, watching the taffy being pulled and stretched by the taffy-pulling machine. My sister walks up and asks if they know why it does that. They start guessing and she says No, but good guess. Then looks at Franklin and me and says Gimme a million! None of the girls knew the answer but she gives each of a MDB for their guess. I think her tract total may be up to 6 now, for her entire life. I praise God for how she is growing!!

By Ginger


My beautiful wife is correct and inspiring in her telling of the story. I am just going to add a little color on one of the incidents.


One of the girls I shared with was Jennifer. I was feeling like I have been unfaithful in pursuing God and the lost lately. I was walking around the mall and had just finished asking God to forgive me and to let me see any divine appointments He had for me that day.

I felt God's leading to talk to Jennifer. Conversation went like this.

me: I like to ask people interesting questions. Can I ask you an interesting question?

Jennifer: Yes.

me: What do think happens when you die?

Jennifer: To Heaven.
me: Does everyone go to Heaven?

Jennifer: I like to think everyone goes to Heaven
.
me: If there was a standard for going to Heaven, would you want to know what it is?

Jennifer: Yes

me: For example you plan for your vacations, college, jobs and other things. We know that we will only be on this earth for 70-120 years max, you would agree its important to plan for the eternity beyond, right?

Jennifer : Yes

me: The Bible reveals that the standard is the Ten Commandments. Have you heard of them?

Jennifer : Yes

me: Do you mid if I take you through a few of them to see how you do?

Jennifer: No.

me: Have you ever stolen?

Jennifer: no, not that I can remember.

me: I stole staples from my teacher when I was in kindergarten(actually first grade I misspoke) and it made me a thief.

me: Have you ever told a lie?

Jennifer : Yes

me: What does that make you?

Jennifer: A liar

me: have you ever used…..

I took her through the third commandment and the 7th commandment. She was guilty of both.

I told her that by her own admission she was a liar, adulterer at heart, who has blasphemed God's name. Bearing in mind that the Bible says all liars will have their part in the lake of fire, and no adulterer will inherit the kingdom of Heaven, and He will not hold anyone guiltless that takes his name in vain, will you go to Heaven or hell. She said hell.

I asked her if she knew what God did so she would not have to go to hell? She started weeping at this point. She mumbles something about Jesus. I told her that valentines is coming up and I was preaching earlier using valentine questions and one question I asked was, what is the greatest demonstration of love ever shown.

I spoke Romans 5:8 into her life. I explained to her, “That God demonstrated His love toward us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” I explained to her sin was the transgression of the laws we had just talked about. I told her that God had seen every sin that she has committed up until now, and everyone after today and still choose to send His son to die for her.

I told her of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ and His ascension. I explained to her that her part in receiving this gift was to repent and place her faith in what Christ has done for her.

I ended up praying for her. We hugged as she continued to weep. I gave her the only tract I had so she can remember what I told her and encouraged her to go to the website and find "Save yourself some pain". I also gave her a second tract.

When I said I am giving you an extra tract, she said" to give to someone else." I said yes. You have people in your life you love and do not want to see go to hell, just like I did not want you to go to hell. Pass it on to them.

It has been months since God has let me see some fruit of my efforts as far as doing a 1-2-1. It has brought me encouragement. I see fruits in other areas, but I told God that I would obey Him and His word regardless of the results I see, or even if no results occur period.

By Franklin