Two Women - Nothing Except, Part 3

We have a winner of the last book - Two Wars by Nate Self!  Julie J. has been contacted for mailing information - I'm so excited to see others exposed to this amazing story of an American Hero, Nate Self.  During the month of December we'll have drawings for Chuck's book, Harlots and Heroines, The Midwives of the Messiah [more about this book]  I'll also share The Twelve Days of Christmas - Mary's Story throughout the month of December.  Leave a comment or sign up for the blog to be entered into the drawing. More details later this week.

Two Women, Part 3 of Nothing Except....

Sometimes you have to go with what you have - empty pots, trusting God to fill them.  Melissa and Shantelle are not "empty pots!" But instead of giving up an opportunity to touch hearts for Jesus - because there were only two of them instead of a BIG team, they chose to "go it alone" and see if God would transform their "little" into something "MUCH."
I'm delighted to introduce you to these two women who experienced the miracle of God filling empty jars with His power and multiplying their efforts in sharing help and hope in a way that is immeasureable.  Melissa and Shauntelle are part of our MARKINC Ministries team who have distributed hundreds - and maybe even thousands of our Learning to See When the Lights Go Out CDs at secular events, such as Autism Speaks, Eracing the Blues and most recently, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The women who typically serve at these events were unable to do so at the Making Strides event.  What to do, what to do?  Melissa and Shantelle decided that putting even one of these Breast Cancer resources into the hands of a woman struggling with this disease was worth the investment of their time. And they experienced the truth of "little is much when God is in it."

These free CDs, produced and distributed by MARKINC Ministries are designed to offer help and hope to the hurting.  Each CD in our Learning to See When the Lights Go Out audio library tackles topics that are often difficult to talk about.  People transparently share their own story of broken places (such as alcoholism, adultery, terminal illness, loss of a loved one, autistic spectrum disorders and our Coming Home from War series that addresses the demons of war).  
Little is much when God is in it. Melissa and Shauntelle, by themselves, distributed over 500 of these resources at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. I asked them to pick out several of their most favorite moments from the day, to demonstrate how God can transform our small obedience into a potentially eternal impact. Shantelle  is our guest writer today and tomorrow, we'll hear from Melissa.

Making Strides
On the morning of Sunday October 21^st 2012 as I approached the crowds of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer I could feel my heart thumping and my mind racing with questions to God. “Lord, what I am going to say to these people, I have never had cancer? Just speak through me Lord, you talk, I will just be the vessel, ok Lord?” I could feel my Holy Spirit telling me that he was ready and with me. Ten minutes later I was holding back tears as I listened to one pain filled story after the next. I whispered to God to give me more strength.

A frail mother with sunken in eyes sat on a bench with her husband at her side holding.  He held their infant child - because she was unable to lift her baby. I could see rage well up in her eyes as I began to tell her that MARKINC is a ministry that reaches out to hurting people and that the CD I was going to give her was full of true accounts and hope. She slowly lifted her hand to take the cd and upon grasping it, it immediately fell to her lap as though the CD weighed ten pounds. I held back tears as I realized then, that even the mere act of reaching out to lift something as petite as a cased CD took mounds of effort and drained her strength. I looked at her compassionately and shared with her that in my heart I wish I never had to hand out these breast cancer CDs and that the disease along with this event would be non-existent. She tried to smile and I told her that I will pray for her and her family…..and in my heart I truly meant it. I wanted to hug her but her protective husband sat inches away glaring at me all the while making sure that I would in no way upset his delicate wife…and I understood why from the way he rubbed her back gently with his free hand. Walking away was hard to do and I prayed  that this dear Mummy will one day be able to play and run with her child.

As I walked through the mounds of crowds a Muslim veiled woman brushed by me and I immediately smiled in love and started a small conversation with her. She had a beautifull smile and a sweet aura and we immediately hit it off chatting up a storm! I asked her if she would like a free CD from MARKINC Ministries about breast cancer survival and hope. A small hand appeared from under thick garments as she reached out to take the CD. Then her sister approached just when I started to explain that the CD was in fact ‘faith based’ however most of it is ‘heart based’. They listened attentively and were happy to hear me explain that MARKINC wants to spread hope and joy to the hurting, and that even if she did not agree with everything on the CD she wouldl enjoy most hearing another woman’s story who once walked where she is currently treading. I told them that hurting people don’t often open up to one another and that parts of this CD would be like they were sitting across from another caring woman having tea! She laughed as her interested sister reached for her own copy. I walked away feeling that the Lord Jesus has no boundaries and that we His children should neither.

The big “rush” of the morning came right before the official run kick off when  more crowds started to make their way to the designated viewing areas. There were so many people that I wondered if Melissa and I would get split up and Mel being as short as she is began to get harder and harder to find in the crowd!  She had been busy ministering and handing out CDs and hugging and greeting as well but we now stood side by side and braced ourselves for the “last big hand out”!  Minutes later with dry mouths and giddy smiles we blurted out to each other “Do you have any more CDs?” We were out, except for one hidden at the bottom of my now pleasantly light pack back. So with our fingers on the lone disc’s casing and crowds pushing us into a street, we said a brief prayer that God will guide us to the last person. We felt drawn to one woman who stood on the outskirts of a large group gazing around at all the chaos, so we approached her and asked her if she would like a free CD on hope and survival. She smiled and said that she did not need it but that she had a close friend who recently got diagnosed. I made her promise that she would get that CD to her friend, and that she would not lose it in this crowd. She smiled and clung to the CD and told us that her friend really needed it! We walked away praising and thanking God as we peeked back to see her unzipping her purse to store the CD. To God be the glory that between the two of us we passed out about 500 Breast Cancer CD's that day.  We continue to pray for those who will hear this message, that God will use it to help turn hearts toward Him.

((hugs)) Shanii

Watch for Melissa's thoughts tomorrow!  Leave a comment or sign up for the blog to be entered into our drawing for Harlots and Heroines, Midwives of the Messiah drawing!