"Just 5 more minutes?"

If you are a parent, then you've heard it..."just 5 more minutes?". We hear it when the kids are outside playing and it's suppertime and you call them in and they say, "just 5 more minutes?". Or when it is time to walk out the door because you are already running late, and their favorite t.v. show is on and they want "just 5 more minutes". Or when your child is over at a friend's house playing and you go to pick them up..."just 5 more minutes, mommy?" I think we hear it most at bedtime though. You inform your kids that it's time for bed, and their response is, "just 5 more minutes?" You may or may not allow them to have that extra time, however, to them, it is worth asking.

This past week, my husband and I had a very important decision to make. We are in vocational ministry and there were several events that took place to force us to decide whether or not we wanted to stick around here and endure the hard, possibly harder, times that could be coming, or did we want to just throw in the towel, give up and move on to something and someplace else. Needless to say, it was an awful week. And even though it would have been much easier to just move on and wipe our hands of all this mess, the one thing that kept ringing in my head was that very phrase, "just 5 more minutes?" Let me explain...

Those of us that are Christians know that we are to be on a mission. We are to "go and tell". We are to "make the most of every opportunity". We are to be relationship builders, faith sharers, and givers of love...our love and Christ's love. And we are to do it with a sense of urgency. We do not know the time or the hour when Jesus will return for us, therefore, we must be active in letting our family and friends know of this important decision in making Jesus the leader of their life before it's too late. Now I realize that this takes time. As in any relationship and friendship, it takes time to grow. And there needs to be trust that is evident in that relationship. But then what? So many times in my own life, I work so hard to build on that friendship, and really listen to the hurts that are obvious in my friend's life. And there are a lot of those friends that I have that have never accepted Jesus. At times, I am guilty in thinking "I have been such a good friend to them, I'm really there for them when they need me". And the list goes on and on. The question to ask myself then is, "But have I taken 5 minutes in sharing the gospel with them?"

It was very easy for me this week to focus on all of the hurts...the hurt done to my husband, the criticism directed towards me, the fault that was put on us, etc., etc. And let me tell you, both of us were ready to pack our bags and move in the middle of the night to an unknown destination. And had Matt come home that very important decision making day and told me, "We are moving", the one thing that I had planned on asking him was, "Just 5 more minutes?" God was bringing to my mind all of those people that I have a genuine friendship with that are separated from God. And at that moment, in all the hurts, the frustrations, the stolen joy, the untruths, and the uncertainties, I was sure about one thing...that I need to expedite my mission just a little bit more, and not to be scared or ashamed to share my faith. After all, these are my friends. They trust me. Surely they know by now that I wouldn't hurt them and that I would stick up for them. So the friendship and trust is there....what am I waiting for???

So the next time your child asks for "just 5 more minutes", go ahead and give them that extra time. But not to play outside or watch more t.v. Take that time to share Jesus' love with them. Or the next time you are out to lunch with a friend and they inform you that they "have to go in 5 minutes", why not just take advantage of that time to share the gospel? Maybe they already know it. That's okay. Share it anyway...don't you need reminded every now and then that you are loved??

By the way, in case you're wondering...I have been given some more of those 5 minutes. We are staying put for now. I am praying that I don't waste any more precious time. My challenge to you this week is to make a list of all the people that YOU need to share the gospel with...and title it "Just 5 more minutes?" Just maybe this will help you speed up the process a bit!!!

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."

Serve to win what??

We had been in Kansas a few years before I decided to start up a womens tennis league. I thought it sounded like a great idea: 1) because I enjoy tennis and 2) I was hoping it would be a good outreach. In order to get it started, though, I needed a "catchy" name. My husband is the preacher at our church we serve, RiverTree Christian Church. So I came up with the name "RiverTree Racquets...serving to win one more."



For those of you that are NOT tennis fans, I'm sorry. As for those of you who know a little bit about the game, you would know that your serve is really important. I'm not saying that you cannot win a game having a lousy serve, however, it really helps to have a strong consistent one. Perhaps you could win "one more" game if your serve was actually in. Ask my husband...he needs his serve to ever beat me!



The same is true of our Christian life. In Matthew 20:28, it is said that Jesus "did not come to be served, but to serve". Who is he serving? Your neighbors, your friends, people you work with, your family, your teachers, your enemies, your coaches, your mailman, strangers, people in all different kinds of walks of life...people like you and me. And as we serve, let us make the most of those opportunities (Eph. 5:16). These encounters may only happen one time. Perhaps when we serve, we could win "one more" for Jesus.



So you see, you don't have to be a Pete Sampris, Andre Agassi, Gabriella Sabatini or Andy Roddick to serve. You don't even ever have to pick up a tennis racquet or a tennis ball if you don't want to. But look around. If you see a need, "just do it". Serve. Help out. By the way, this serving thing?? It's not a suggestion...it's a command. So go "serve2win1more"!!!

"...he who wins souls is wise" Proverbs 11:30