Moving Past Fear Into Father's Love and Boldness, with Chris Nash

In this episode Chris Nash, a loan officer in Kalispell, Montana freely received years ago when evangelists came to him in college and shared the good news of Jesus Christ.  Since that time he has freely given to many, and in some very powerful ways!  Chris shares some amazing testimonies of words of knowledge, physical healing, and salvation.  Through his stories, we have a great example for embodying God's heart and affection for people, overcoming fear, stepping out in radical faith, and becoming a blessing to others around us!  

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:08

Welcome back, everybody, to the Mission Mobilize Podcast. This is Jimmy, your host, and today we have a special guest with us, Chris Nash, from here in Calspell, Montana. Chris is a loan officer and a certified mortgage advisor. Chris, welcome to the program.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Thanks. It's an honor to be here. I feel really privileged to have this opportunity to talk with you.

SPEAKER_03 0:29

Yeah, you've been. Hey, Chris, when I invited you to come on this podcast, you were your face, I remember, just kind of lit up and you were excited. What went through your mind when I first asked you to be on this podcast?

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Just a journey with Jesus, like having an opportunity to share some stories. Maybe even some advice that I've learned along the way. Through mission, through outreach, through living life really in ministry, and just having an opportunity to share those stories like makes me excited because he he's been so good in those moments of like walking with him and trusting him in situations and having a heart for people and for them to come to know the Lord. And just to share some of those stories to kind of charge people, but also to reflect in my own way. That is what really got me excited of like, oh, this is gonna be great.

SPEAKER_03 1:25

Yeah. Well, we are really excited to hear from you today. Um, having just recently moved to Montana, it's been an honor and a privilege to get to know Chris. He leads a men's group that I attend on Wednesdays and is part of a house church group we both go to on Friday nights as well. So we are excited. Uh Chris, tell us a little bit about how you first started to walk with the Lord. None of us, none of us usually are missional right out of the womb. So how did how did that journey come where you uh began living this missional life? How did it start with your walk with the Lord?

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Yeah. You know, I I grew up loving the Lord. Uh I've never met my father, uh, and and that's okay, you know, in a lot of ways. Uh, I have a heavenly father. And that's what my mom and my grandparents always taught me was that, you know, you have a heavenly father, uh, regardless of the situation. So I I grew up loving the Lord, reading my Bible, um, and had some trials. Like once I hit 12 years old, I remember my mom told me, she was like, Chris, these people you're hanging out with, they're either going to influence you or you're gonna influence them. And uh, and anyhow, I I I journeyed through a season of life where it was kind of like doing my own thing and kind of just forgetting those moments that I encountered the Lord as a young kid. And then and then it wasn't until I got out of the Air Force and I was working at a hospital, kind of continuing the medical track. I was on a college campus. I have a huge heart for campus ministries, and I'll get into that one why. Uh, because I was like really far off. Like I had a really tough uh, you know, injury that happened, situation that happened in the military that caused me to honorably get discharged. And then what ended up happening was is I was just like, most veterans know this experience. Like when they get out of the service, it's like, what do I do? So I felt like I'm gonna go, I'm gonna continue the medic track that I was on and just do medical. So I was working in the emergency department. What ended up happening was is I was on a college campus. I told my family I need to find, I need I need to find a church, I need to get plugged back in because I was starting to get old habits from like 12 to like 17, and I just needed a change again. Um, I needed to get back to my roots, those seeds that were sown into my life. And um even, yeah. So, anyhow, I was kind of drawn to mission because these two guys came up to me, or evangelism outreach. Uh, these two guys had come up to me on the college campus and they started asking me about Jesus. And and so that's how I kind of like gravitated to answer your question, kind of long-winded, but like to that's how I kind of gravitated towards outreach was because it that's people came to me. And so that's what really like stood out to me. It was like, wow, it changed my life because two people who wanted to kind of give up for the day, someone came to them and said, Hey, I think you're gonna find someone, you know, and they prayed together and stuff, and then they found me. And um, and I was just, I was like, hands up, like, yep. I I wasn't looking for a church, but the church came to me. And and that's when I kind of threw my hands up and was like, All right, Lord, let's do this. It took me a little bit to get back into the swing of things because I was working a midnight shift at the emergency room and uh on Saturdays, and I was exhausted, 12-hour shifts, sometimes 16. And so to get to church on Sunday was rough. So I ended up going to like a Friday night uh worship time, and I'm like, oh wow, like what is this language people are talking in and different things and praying, lifting their hands, different stuff, and and there's prophetic words being given, and it was kind of like, oh, this feels right. Like this, it felt right to me. So after that, I kind of I actually plugged in right away, like I went on a spring break outreach trip with them. And that this was like January when I went to the prayer meeting. And I went on a spring break outreach trip. And so they how they met with people is they did like a track in a way. And they would basically like ask questions and you would follow this script with them and with the people you're talking with on a college campus, and it it sparked great conversations, and they're doing amazing things still to this day on University of So uh South Florida campus because they've done so much in my life. It's one of those things that I kind of like honor that moment, you know.

SPEAKER_03 6:10

Sure. Um, just to fill in a couple of gaps here. So your upbringing, um, you were raised with some Christian, but were you going to church as a as a kid?

SPEAKER_02 6:21

Yeah, I grew up Methodist, and my grandma on her side had missionaries. Um, you know, they're traveling boats and different things. Yeah, reverends from England and so planted churches in India. And so that's kind of on my grandmother's side. Uh, I actually have this plaque that was endorsed from like Oxford and uh Cambridge, some of these schools from Reverend John Barton, which was my on my grandma's side. Wow. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

So and so then this experience on the college campus post-military um was in your twenties. Is that right? Yeah, I was 20 years old. You were 20 years old.

SPEAKER_02 7:00

Yeah, 20 or 21. Yeah, somewhere around there.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

Wow, similar age that I came to the Lord too. It's amazing. Yeah. It's a ripe time. Yeah. Yeah. And I think what's so interesting about your story is, you know, the fact that people came to you planted a seed in you that is, I'm sure we're gonna hear it through the rest of this podcast, you know, it it motivates you to go to the Lord and be that what sent one for other people as well.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

Yeah, oh, absolutely. And and the school, uh, the the campus ministry there, like they encouraged it. Yeah. Like you didn't have to go through like steps A, B, C, and D. It was like, no, like let's do this. Like, let's go, like you, Chris, you you are free to share the gospel with people. And they gave me that freedom too. It wasn't like you have to go through, and I'm all about training, but um, but there was just this real genuine of like you you have a testimony, Chris, and you need to share it with people. Wow. So so yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:02

I want to pause here real quick, and I want our listeners as you're hearing this to think about your own lives. And I want you to think about someone that was sent to you back in the day. Maybe you grew up in church and uh you feel like you've been a believer since a young age, but I still think if you think back in your life, you can find someone that you really feel like God used powerfully. And for some of you like Chris and I that came to faith later, even though we had a Christian upbringing, um think about that person or people that were sent to you. And I want you to just thank God that they were obedient and that God was promoting them. And scripture says, freely you have received, freely you can give. Um, and I'm probably taking it a bit out of context, but you know what? It applies here. Even as we have received those seeds planted in our life and they have grown, we want to plant in other people's lives. So I want you all to think about that as you hear the rest of this podcast and how two people on a college campus coming to Chris has resulted in everything else that you're about to hear. He received freely. I didn't charge him anything. And freely he is giving to many more. And may that be true for each of us as well. In Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_02 9:54

Yeah, let it be learned.

SPEAKER_03 9:56

Yeah. All right. So let's pick back up. So you um these guys came, you started going to these groups, you were hearing uh different things, you start walking with the Lord around that time. Um and did you start right away engaging in ministry yourself? It sounds like you were saying that they were encouraging you to do that.

SPEAKER_02 10:16

Yeah. Um yeah, we did outreaches uh like every day sometimes, like on in between classes, we would be talking to people and and and I was just gravitated towards it, Jay. Like I I mean, it did so much for me, and I saw such a change in my life um that it really like sparked something in me, a desire to pursue it. And it was fun, like it was so much fun to whether it was healings that I saw, or um, or just talking with people, like building relationships and sharing the gospel of like what Jesus had done for me by his spirit. Like I wanted to share that with people. And and because it was just around me, I just kind of gravitated towards it. So then um I would a culture really. Yeah, it was. It was a culture of it. Like they were trying to, and it was discipleship, it was daily discipleship in a way like we'd meet once a week with your um campus minister, and they would work through scriptures, you know, and different things that you're wrestling with or not, and just encourage you. Uh it was it's amazing. I I miss that fellowship, like, but I know the Lord has me in this place, you know, and I'm still connected with them in some ways, but but yeah, um, I would end up kind of pursuing this direction though of ministry, like learning more about the Lord. That's what I'll call it. Is like so I I paused my pre-med track and I decided to go to uh a school of ministry. So I ended up going there and then learned more about like Holy Spirit and doing outreach with the Holy Spirit, which really marked my life for the better. Um, it became one of those things. I went to a conference in Chicago, it's like uh and and anyhow like learned a lot about like hearing from the Lord while you're out and about and uh in people's lives and for people or even for yourself in ways and just started working with the Holy Spirit and pursuing that, and it became like such a desire of mine um for outreach. So that would kind of like pivot from and not that the the campus ministry that I was a a part of like they did too. Um, but it was it was it was different, you know, like uh they had their you know uh way of going about it, and then Holy Spirit would move in moments, and then and that's when they would partner, which in some ways is really good, you know. Um, so uh so anyhow, I went to a school of ministry and learned about like words of knowledge and healing and different gifts of the Holy Spirit. It became fun, like not that it wasn't before, but it was just it wasn't like reading from a script all the time or like having starting conversations. And a lot of the campus ministers didn't like use the script at all, really, anyway. So they just knew it and they knew where to start and allowed the Holy Spirit to move in those moments. And uh yeah, so I started having just some encounters with people that would really mark me. Like I remember um there was one I was in Chicago and uh and and they were talking to us about these like treasure hunt things that I I didn't know what what it was. Like I was still like coming back to the faith. And and what's what is a treasure hunt, you know? And I know you're aware of what they are, but for our l listeners, like it was really like getting kind of quiet before the Lord before going out uh and doing an outreach, and then asking the Lord, like, what are some highlights or what should I be looking for? What are you wanting to do, Lord, in this moment today? And just kind of offering my body, my will, my mind to the Lord and asking for direction. So um, so anyhow, I was in Chicago and um I I felt like I'd run into someone with a cane and that have like left knee issues. Um, long story short, like, and there was like an orange, like the color orange or something. And it was weird, like as I was I found the guy with the cane and the left knee issue, and it was a confirmation, showed him the sheet that I had written it down on, you know. And this kid walks by with an orange t-shirt, and we ended up praying with this man, and he got healed, and he walked away with his cane just in his hand, and he wasn't using it because and it was just amazing. Like, so that really marked me of like what was possible, and right, and that was the first time I had ever done it, really. And it was I had heard stories about it, you know, doing these treasure hunts, they call it, or finding God's treasure for the day, or different ways of going about it. And uh, it was just, I was like, Lord, I want to do this more. This is so much fun, like partnering with you, and um, not that it's about the experience, but it's it's about the relationship that you're fostering with the people. And you know, you even as you were we were reflecting on a moment of people sowing seed into our life. Like I it reminded me of that scripture of how you know, I think it I think it was like Paul sowed, Apollos watered, but God brought the increase and and how we see that so much in in our journey with like maybe we're planting a seed for someone, or maybe we're the one watering, but in in essence, it's really God who's doing the work, like we're his workmanship created in Christ Jesus, and we're created for good works, right? Like Ephesians 2 10, you know, and that we would walk in them. And so there's really for our listeners, like there's a a purpose, a divine purpose that we're made for. And I love what you say, Jay, too, sometimes about like when Jesus said uh uh like when Jesus said to do the will of the Father is like you know, is is on his heart and how we get fed from that. And it's it's so true. And so just to encourage the listeners on your podcast that you know it's really amazing to partner with the Holy Spirit and with Jesus and the Father to see him get his glorious reward and get his children back.

SPEAKER_03 16:22

So yeah, I want to press in a little bit more to something you shared. So um for our listeners, uh, as some of you are hearing this um this idea of intentionally going out and trying to minister to people, which I want to tell you that all of you can do, because as believers in Christ Jesus, we have authority, we have authority um to go out in the name of Jesus and do it. My recommendation is make sure he's sending you, and that just means you go and submit to him, deal with anything you need to deal with in your life, let him fill you with his Holy Spirit and and go out. Um but as you do that, you're you're partnering with him, but you often kind of feel like you're not really in control of what's going on. And I want you to think back, Chris, a little bit as you started that journey, because I feel like some of our listeners need to hear this. Um, there's there's a lot of emotions that come with that as you're as you're going and stepping out. Um and uh and there's you you've mentioned several of them already, the thrill of it, the kind of excitement and everything. Um there's also some challenges with that. So I want you to speak to our listeners who have a hunger for this, have a hunger to to step out and follow the Holy Spirit and bless people, um, but also maybe kind of feel um some of the uncomfortableness as they're as they're doing this. And if you if you think back on how you learned and even just what you've learned since, what would you say to them?

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Yeah, one of the key things is moving past the fear of man and really just knowing that the fear of the Lord really takes, you know, like I remember there was a time, um, actually, there was a time I was doing an intentional outreach. Um, it was called Alpha Ministries here uh in Poulson, and we were at a cafe, and we were giving food for uh people and just off the street come in. Hey, we're gonna be watching a video for seven weeks, eight, nine weeks, whatever it was. And we're gonna have a meal and we're gonna spend time just watching this video over a meal. And and I'll I'll kind of get to your question about pushing through some awkwardness, and this story has two stories in it, um, really, and it will help explain, I think, to your listeners of like pushing past some things and why it's better to be obedient than in a way than to like sacrifice your own, like uh, I don't know, desires in a way, if that makes sense. Like um, like you have to push past that. And so we're doing this alpha ministry in Poulson, Montana. And this was probably like I think three years ago, maybe something like that, three or four years ago. And I'm sharing this story, which I'll go into right now, where I was in Indiana and we're at this Buffalo Wild Wings, which someone had told me a year or two prior that you're gonna have an encounter at Buffalo Wild Wings and you're gonna see someone get saved. And I was like, okay, that's kind of weird. I'll put that on the shelf. I wasn't like out looking for it or anything, but my friend and I, actually, the best man of my wedding, uh Brian Parks, he and I were at Buffalo Wild Wings, and we're having a conversation over some wings, and this gentleman like stands up, and we are in a booth, and this gentleman stands up, and and my friend Brian, like looks up and and doesn't catch his face or anything, and we're having a discussion, and then automatically starts talking about Paul and Silas in the Bible. Excuse me. And what ended up happening was is the Lord spoke to me in that moment, and he said, That guy that just stood up, he was in jail. And I'm like, he looked dressed nice and everything, like, but I felt the Holy Spirit say, He was in jail, and I've been pursuing him, and he needs to come to me. And and all of a sudden, everything in me like gets afraid. Like, kind of what you're asking of like, oh gosh, Lord, I don't know if I want to do this. Like, you know, like what if I'm wrong? What if I'm wrong? Uh, you know, he was in jail. What if he gets upset with me if I share with him and bringing up his past if I am right? And so like fear starts creeping in, the fear of man, of like, you know, what you know, what could happen, right? And that's the enemy of like trying to cause timidity, right? Where you know, Paul charges Timothy, like, we don't have that, we don't have that spirit of timidity or fear, but you operate in power, love, and a sound mind. And he was reminding him of the faith gift that his grandparents had given him, right? Or his mom and Lois, or Lois and Eunice, I'd say, yeah. That, like, hey, Timothy, remember the faith they had and don't draw back in that. And he was charging Timothy in that. And so I felt that moment of like in Buffalo Wild Wings, of like, oh, what do I do? So in the story, and mind you, at the Alpha meeting in Poulson, this kind of two stories in one, so bear with me. But I'm sharing this story in the alpha before any before anyone shows up. So I'm sharing this story to the group that we're having.

SPEAKER_03 21:48

And so this is kind of like the leadership team of the alpha event. Yeah, and you're sharing.

SPEAKER_02 21:53

I think there was maybe one guest there. Okay. Um, one visitor that I'm sharing this exact story with. So going back to the Buffalo Wild Wings and we'll get back to Paulson because it ties in. Um, so I I start freaking out and I'm like, Lord, I don't know if I want to do this, you know. And that's what I think you're addressing is like, okay, we get a word or we get just a direction to go out and talk to people, or we feel an impression from the Lord, you know, by his spirit to start ministering out in the streets or in our work, in our business, family, whatever it is. And everything in us sometimes wants to quench that. Like, not in us. I think it's the enemy trying to stop the increase that God's wanting to bring. But anyhow, so I was bold enough to write it on a napkin, Jay. I was like, oh my gosh, like I don't want to go up to him and say this. Like, but I was still somewhat obedient, but I was still like a little nervous, you know. Um, so I wrote it on a napkin and I wrote on this napkin, I said, uh, Jesus saw you when you were in that cell. Right. Because my friend just out of nowhere started talking about Paul and Silas, the Holy Spirit moves, and he's like, that's for that guy. And but we were kind of, it was kind of in context of what we were talking about, anyways. But uh anyhow, he I write it on a napkin and I say something along the lines of like, Jesus saw you when you were in that zone. He's not gonna stop pursuing you until you come to him. And I wrote it on a napkin. So I show my friend Brian, and Brian's like, Well, you're either really on or you're really off. Right. And I was like, Well, no gray area there, yeah. And so I I was like, he said, but what if in a way he was kind of like encouraging me of, but what if you're right? And I was like, okay, you know, so he goes to the restroom boldly, you know, and I pay for our bill and all that. And I I walk around the booth, finally see this party of three people.

SPEAKER_03 23:50

So this this gentleman was another customer, not one of the things.

SPEAKER_02 23:53

Not a worker, not yeah. He was he was in the booth, stood up, and then I kind of caught a glimpse of him, but looked clean dressed and everything. And so, and again, I'm sharing this with the pulsing group at the Alpha Ministry too. And so I I I go around the booth, finally see him, his wife, and a friend of theirs, and I hand the napkin and he reads and he goes, he like looks at me really funny, and and and I I walk out and I just say, Hey, have a good day. And so I meet up with Brian at the foyer. We we walk out, and out of nowhere, Jay, we start hearing this like weeping out. We're out in the parking lot now, and we I look back, and this woman who I didn't really catch because I was really quick with the transaction of the the napkin, you know, like I want to get out of here.

SPEAKER_03 24:40

It's almost like, okay, God, I'll be obedient and leave. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:43

But I was working through fear. Yeah, I was working through the fear of like fear of man of like what what could happen to me, you know.

SPEAKER_03 24:50

This is real for our listeners. This is real. Thank you for being being honest about this.

SPEAKER_02 24:55

Yeah. And so I we we're out in the parking lot, and this woman is screaming, who wrote this letter? Who wrote this letter? Now the fear of man is like like rising up in me of, oh my gosh, what's gonna happen now? You know? And she's going up to people like that are coming into the store. Did you write this letter? Did you write this letter on this napkin? And I'm like, inside. But then I knew, like I felt the Holy Spirit say, and she came up to us, she said, Did you write this letter? And I said, Yeah, she's crying. And I said, Yeah, what's going on? She said, I've been praying for this to happen. Yeah. And so we end up going into the foyer and she says, Me and my husband just got out of jail.

SPEAKER_03 25:36

So my, you know, he was her husband.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

Yeah. And they had they had been in jail for some reasons I won't get into, but she had an encounter with the Lord in jail and was asking the Lord for encounter for her husband. So that napkin that I gave him, he comes into the foyer and he's bawling. Like he's just like, he's touched. He he knew, like, Lord, you're real. And that night he gave his life to the Lord.

SPEAKER_03 26:04

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

Yeah. And so we ended up, he ended up getting baptized. I have a picture of it. I could send it to you. There's like these orbs in the picture, and we had it professionally looked at. This is kind of like, you know, outside of the box, but we had it professionally looked at, and they said, There's no way that's lighting. Like it was just a cool story, like get baptized in the church. You know, we started discipling him. He we helped him get a job uh with one of the church staff at um, you know, the pastor helped him get a job. And um, yeah, so it was a really cool story. So I'm sharing that at the Poulson group, and it starts, I start getting some kickback from it. Right. And and not kickback, I'll say, but like challenging. Like sure. Like, does this really happen still to this day? And and what's funny is is this woman walks in into the cafe. As I'm like, we're dialoguing, like, is this stuff real? And she sits down, gets some food. We and you know, we kind of pause on my conversation because I'm being very sensitive to the Lord now. Like, I don't want to keep talking about this with someone that we don't know, just came into the room. So I'm kind of listening, you know, to the Lord, like, what do you want me to do? Because we were in a really good conversation, and I felt like the person who was kind of challenging me with the story I just shared with you. And I felt like, Lord, you're wanting to display something right now, is kind of what I felt, you know. So uh we kind of intro, like, start mingling with this person and uh impulsing at the cafe, and um, and we're we haven't watched the video yet, uh, from what I remember, or we might have been having a discussion after. I don't remember all of it, but um anyhow, um we started talking with this lady who had walked in and this thought came into my mind. And it wasn't like a it was just a random thought of she lost someone within the past six months that has devastated her. And I want you to, and then I I kind of filled in the blank of like, Lord, you want to minister to this person, comfort, mourning, healing, whatever it might be. Mind you, we were before all this, we were having this like conflict of, well, I don't know if that's for today. I don't know if that's real. And I get this word, and again, that that like fear, like tried, but I was like, no, like I'm gonna step in this because of it was this boldness this time compared to the napkin situation of like, is it it's not just for this person, but it's for the other person as well that was talking to me and like kind of like unsure about my story that I had just shared with you. And so anyhow, I I get the moment where I'm like, hey, we don't know each other, and it's in front of everybody. There's people like you know, Matt, and they were there, Ron. Um, they were there and they witnessed this. And and I and we didn't like and no contact with them before they came in. Like they just randomly showed up and um she was sharing some struggles, like, hey, my car's broken down. I just I I heard you guys are having a meal, I needed some food, you know, just kind of in need, you know. Um, and I I said, before you get into any more, I just, you know, I shared with her the word, this word of knowledge, I'll call it, of the situation that she had lost a family member in the past like six months. And I share it with her, and she's like, Oh my gosh, you know, I and and I had to move past that fear that was trying to press into me, which is what were the question you're bringing up of like when you feel that timidity, like what do you do? And I was I had to remember, like, I need to obey the Lord because what if this means healing for this person? What if it means comfort? And I had to push into that in in faith, right? So I ended up giving her the word, like, hey, I think I think you lost someone in the past six months. And and she responded back, and you could see she was being touched, and she said, Yeah, I I I lost my father about five months ago. And it it was really difficult season for me. And then I had the opportunity to actually like say, Well, this was Jesus Christ who by his spirit showed me this, and I was able to like bring her that comfort and assurance that hey, you're seen. And that's what we're here to do, right? It's just make people feel like they have a father that they are seen.

SPEAKER_03 30:35

Well, and perfect love casts out fear. And so I what I hear from your stories is your willingness um out of love for people to move past that fear that tries to stop you. Um, be bold.

SPEAKER_02 30:49

Yeah, that's good, Jay.

SPEAKER_03 30:51

In love and people are touched and lives are changed. And uh man. Um I wonder if you could just say a quick prayer for our listeners. Sure. For that ability to move past that fear and operate in love. Yeah, yeah. Could you do that right now?

SPEAKER_02 31:11

Yeah, yeah. Jesus, by your spirit, we just ask that you would give these listeners just compassion and love for for the loss, for those that don't know you yet, Lord. And that they would be able to move just in power and love, and with a sound mind, with your mind, Lord Jesus, that you've given us, Lord, that they'll be able to hear clearly and just minister your love to people and be encouraged in Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Amen. Chris, another thing about that story that you just shared, I think was really, really powerful is you're sharing a testimony as part of this alpha um gathering. Right. Um and as you share about what happened, uh, in some ways it happens again in a different way. It doesn't play out the same way, but someone also feels known by God, um, even as that's happening. And I think that's really, really powerful how that can happen. Um Right.

SPEAKER_02 32:10

I I mean the testimony of Jesus, I mean it might have taken it out of context, but there's a principle in that scripture of like the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And and I think share having this opportunity to share some stories, whether challenging or not for people, shows like what's possible. And I think like what you're saying in that moment at Alpha at the cafe in Paulson, it was like it was a witness to the person, both in different ways, you know, that that it was basically happening again and it built people's faith for what for the reality of who Jesus is, you know. And I think that's why testimony, I mean, we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of his or your testimony. In some translations it says his or yours, which is one and the same, really, when you're, you know, obviously all the glory goes back to Jesus, but but there's this reality of oh wow, like you can do this, Lord, you know, and for your listeners, and it challenges me every day. Like there's been things that have happened even recently where I'm like, Lord, that's possible. You know, and it and it totally challenges like what's like how he operates or another aspect of his character. So testimonies are huge. I mean, that's how um like I started getting involved with more of the outreach stuff too, is because I was hearing testimonies. I was like, and it wasn't so much like I wanted to go after the experience, it was more about my heart, like what we just prayed about like compassion and love started growing within me of like, I want people to encounter this. And everyone has that opportunity to really share that love and compassion with people.

SPEAKER_03 33:52

So you know, even as we're doing this, I had the thought come to me that there's someone out there who's listening to this that has been struggling with suicidal thoughts. And I just want to speak right now over to you that Jesus Christ came to give life. And it's the enemy that comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And we cancel the plans of the enemy over your life right now in Jesus' mighty name. And we speak the life of Jesus Christ over you. And I encourage you to reach out to someone who loves you, ask for prayer, and go forward in the abundant life that God has for you. Do not stay stuck in this place, because even as you heard in Chris's testimony, God sees you, he knows you, and he wants life for you. Amen. Yeah, let it be, Lord. Awesome. All right. Um, Chris, I want to uh go a little bit different direction now. You're a student on the campus, you were doing outreach, you know, eventually you end up here in Montana. I know there was a stop in Indiana in there. Um, tell us a little bit about the path God's had you on professionally, and then wherever you want to take that, just as far as how opportunities have come to minister to people through that.

SPEAKER_02 35:08

Sure. Yeah, it started back in 2012. Um someone was praying for me and said, Hey, I don't know what you're gonna do in your career. And mind you, this was at the school of ministry in Indiana. So this was like, you know, 2012, around then. Um uh, you know, I came back to the Lord 2011, 2012. I'm at the school of ministry. So it'd been like 2012 or so. Um, you know, in the winter, where someone was praying for me and said, you know, I think I don't know what you're gonna do for your career, but I think you'd be really good. And it wasn't really like maybe it was a little prophetic, but it was just encouraging me that, hey, your character, you do really well helping people with homes. And I was kind of like, yeah, I don't know if I'm gonna do that. Put it on the shelf. Um, and just if the Lord's gonna bring that to remembrance, then he will. Um, because at that time I was thinking either missions or um medical still, and which kind of shared a little bit about earlier. Um, and so I ended up pursuing medical, so fast forward pandemic, just of you know, you know, in 2021. I worked the majority of it. I was working two jobs at the VA in a hospital, and things just kind of coming down the pipeline. I didn't it being VA, it's government work. So uh you have the secretary of the VA Department of Veterans Affairs, and they're uh in submission to the president and different things. So things that Biden was kind of pushing down, I just didn't feel some peace on, and I was like, I need to uh kind of part ways with this career. And so I had COVID for the second time because I was working in the hospital and it was just running rampant, you know. Um, and I was just needing a break. And so that word or that prayer in 2012 came back to remembrance, and I was like, well, I'll give it a shot, I guess. And we're in Indiana, and I applied at um Mountain Lake Mortgage here in Calspell, Montana, uh, Dave Christensen's owner, and um, we talked for like two or three hours on a Zoom call interview, and it and then he got back to me and said, Yeah, we'll we'll hire you. But I was also finding a hospital that I could work in that was a little bit more conservative than Indiana, uh, surprisingly enough. Um, because Indiana's pretty conservative for the most part, not completely, but anyhow, um, we ended up moving this way and I was gonna work at the hospital and then also, but my first job was starting at the mortgage company. So I got three days in, and it didn't make sense because I could have made a lot more money on paper at least at the hospital. But this thought came to my mind as like, you need to stay with Dave. And I was like, Okay, Lord. Like, and I told my wife, and my wife's like, I don't know about that, you know. You know, how are we gonna? We're living in this two-bed, two-bath apartment that we downsized to moving here because the cost here is, you know, uh not the cheapest, you know, being in a destination spot. So um, anyhow, there's kind of some faith there of like everything's gonna be fine, we're gonna, we're gonna be okay. And then I've and I never actually stepped foot at the hospital in Calus Bell, actually. And I've worked for the mortgage company, it's been more than I could have imagined, you know, like in so many ways, not just even monetarily, but just relationship-wise. The ministry that you get to encounter, like you're meeting people in crossroads of whether it's a divorce, whether it's uh buying that first home or something, like there's always opportunities. Or maybe it's a a um an elderly person that lost their husband is like scrambling, like, how am I gonna keep up with my bills? You know, there's always opportunities, and I think you know, to encourage your listeners and even myself for that matter, is like there's always opportunities wherever we look, you know, and sometimes we don't look for them, but they're there if we'll press into the Lord. So I've had many opportunities where this work has been a blessing, which is what that guy saw in 2012, is that it would be a blessing, not just for me, but for other people. So, and just living that life and just trying to steward the best I can, you know, and that really goes into even outreach and ministry, is like we need to really just steward this walk the best we can, you know. So that's kind of the professional journey I've been on. I got out of the medical field, went all in, burnt the ships with that, let my license expire, and I've been doing the mortgage business now for I'm in my fifth year.

SPEAKER_03 39:49

So, do you find that even as you're um helping people through these situations and and you know navigate what's best for them financially, there are opportunities for you to bring spiritual things up with them. Have you had those opportunities?

SPEAKER_02 40:03

Yeah. I had a closing the other day, and it was funny. Like he was this gentleman was in my office and he was like, I don't know if you believe in God and and all this sort of stuff. And and uh I'm kind of quiet because it's professional, right? Of course. Like I need to be c cautious, and and I and we do need to be cautious sometimes, like for just professional reasons when you're out and about and like um work. Like you have to be cautious, you have to be really discerning. But opportunities come up, like you know, to share these stories that I've shared with you. Um, but this person, we had a closing recently, but he was in my office previously and was like, I don't know if you believe in God, but you know, I have my own ways in believing in God, and I took it as like you're searching, you know. That was initially what I thought. It's like you're searching for the Lord. And and so at the closing table, though, like something that normally doesn't happen happened with the financing thing, you know, where we were able to pay off a debt of his through uh concessions from the salad, which they had agreed to give. Um, but it kind of like was like, I don't think that's uh allowed to happen, but they allowed it to happen. And we were at the closing table and he's he pointed to this guy and he said something along the lines of like you know, I was praying about this this morning that this would happen. And and he answered. Wow, and I just pointed, I was like, Yeah, God, Jesus, you know, he he answered that prayer. And what was funny is my mom, mother-in-law, I mean, um, who was with YWM and all this and led, you know, nations essentially, like within YWAM uh for you, uh King's Kids, it's called uh she was praying that morning because her uh my my wife lost uh her dad to cancer, sadly. That's a whole other story. But so Shaney, my mother-in-law, remarried, and so Zach uh is my assistant and he helps me with different things. And um she was praying that morning that we would have a like a an emergency closing, which we weren't expecting. But that's that was that moment that he was praying that the debt would be paid at closing. He didn't know we were gonna be closing that day, and then Shaney's prayer was answered that like we because it was before the end of the month, so we could add that into our pay. And so it ended up like a culmination. So and then I witnessed to him like my mother-in-law was actually praying for this to happen today, too. And so uh it's just really cool, like little moments like that where it's like you get to acknowledge and just share truth with people and just point them to like, well, this God that you've been pondering it, you know, is Jesus, you know, he's Lord of Lords, King of Kings. And we just have that opportunity, you know, and it and obviously you gotta be do you gotta be careful, you know, because there's sometimes like you don't want to like overreach in some ways. Um like you have to be really sensitive to the spirit in moments, I I found. Because if you're too down, like I don't know how else to describe it, like a fire hose down like you know, the throat in a way of like you know, it just becomes too much for people. But if you're like sowing, watering, like we were talking about, like God's so faithful to bring increase in people's lives.

SPEAKER_03 43:28

So yeah. Wow. No, that's really good. One thing as you're sharing that too, I want to encourage our listeners, um, have people in your life uh that even they care about you enough that they will pray for you um not just for strength for your day, but actually for opportunities for you as you're in your natural context, as you're in your context, just as uh Chris's mother in law does for him and probably others in his life as well, um, because that's powerful. And that's part of not living mission by ourselves. You know, most of us, we don't have the the luxury of living our day-to-day with a with a whole mission team around us. We have to do our job, we have to um live in our neighborhood, perform duties for our household, whatever it is. And, you know, we aren't always out on an official mission, you know, at the time. But when there's people in our life that pray for us, you know, pray for those opportunities, um, you know, we're not alone. People are with us in spirit and we're contending for the kingdom together.

SPEAKER_02 44:38

Yeah. Yeah. We're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. They're cheering us on. That's right. In the natural or in the spirit.

SPEAKER_03 44:45

So that's right. As we wrap up our time here today, Chris, I just I'm just going to open it up to you. If there's anything else you want to share in terms of advice, in terms of a closing story, um, anything else that God's just put on your heart before we we transition to prayer.

SPEAKER_02 45:02

Yeah, there is a story that I want to share that kind of comes to my mind. And this is just to reflect like God's heart for people. There was a time I was it was at the school ministry in Indiana and we're at an Applebee's and um this gal had a wrist brace on and I asked her, I said, what do you what do you need healing for? And she's like well I'm having surgery you know in in a week or two and I really just want to be back at the bar working. Like I I don't want to be waiting tables and all this. I just want to be at the bar working. This was on a Sunday after our school of ministry um which would follow after church and and and I was interning at the time at the school and I said well let's pray about that like you know like let's pray that you don't have to go through surgery and uh let's see your wrist healed. And so I I prayed with her and nothing in the moment like to encourage your listeners like happened. But we don't know what's happening in the behind the scenes like as the weeks progress. And and and to keep in mind this this woman wanted to work back at the bar. Right. You know and what I didn't know either was that she was actually like into occult stuff. But this is our Lord's heart and and he came to seek and save that which was lost. Amen and and so anyhow this was on a Sunday got to pray we end up leaving nothing really happened. Wednesday I have a dream and the dream and just to your listeners like it's the Lord speaks through dreams sometimes you know like Joseph and different things you know and so I had this dream and she was healed. I was like oh Lord that'd be really cool like you know if she was healed and um anyhow we go back Sunday to Applebee's I was curious you know I was I was curious. So we go back the next Sunday after and it was kind of common for us to go you know after school like just go to have a dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings or some appetizers. And so we go back and she's at the bar and I'm like what is going on you know and and it was just amazing like she walks up to me right away and she says did you mean that prayer and I said Jesus loves you so much like I knew because the the dream and everything and she said you know I took my wristband off that Sunday that you prayed for me. And I was vacuuming my house Thursday and it dawned on me I haven't had my wristband on all week and I would have been in pain if I didn't have the wristband on.

SPEAKER_03 47:45

So good.

SPEAKER_02 47:46

She didn't have to get surgery and that's our Lord and just encourage the people listening to this like this is our God. Like he cares about people regardless of where they are in their life he wants them to experience his radical love and and his fondness and affection towards them as his creation so if I could just encourage everybody listening that really this is the heartbeat of our Lord. Like Jesus is so worthy to receive the reward of his suffering and which is the lost coming to know him his bride and that's his desire and this podcast you have Jay is such an encouragement that we're here and the other people you've had on are all living missional in their own way and just to encourage everybody that you have your own destiny you have your own um that scripture of we're his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which uh he's worked out for us to walk in in a way I know I'm kind of paraphrasing it but really like there's and that word workmanship in the Greek can actually mean like poetry if you look it up in Strong's and so he's writing a letter over all of our lives over all your listeners' lives working it out and being living letters right as Paul said like living epistles and so there's a story that you have that you need to share with people and just encourage everybody that really just through testimony through listening to Lord whether it's healing words of knowledge whether it's just sharing your story like it really goes a long way and it helps people and we need each other we need to hear um each other's stories because we all have something to give and and I think that scripture like you said freely you receive freely give like just encourage everybody that just move past the fear in your own way and maybe it's being that intercessor maybe being that prayer for someone that is partnering like my mother-in-law was for the day for that client and myself even though it put a lot of stress on us to wrap up a closing in two hours you know it was just one of those moments of like this is what this person needed. Sure. So um just to encourage people that what you have the Holy Spirit you have the spirit of Christ within you that you have you can do all things through him who gives you strength and and that's an encouragement to really press forth and and be that light to this world and and not let timidity get in the way. But go ahead and pray if you would for our listeners and I'll piggyback off that yeah so Lord I thank you that you haven't given us a spirit of fear or timidity but of power love and a sound mind Lord and I thank you for the faith that you've given us I thank you for the faith that's within the listeners uh just tuning in wherever they might be whatever time it is Lord that there's just an increase that you're bringing to us in our lives in our walk in our relationships with you for the sake of others for the sake of the world Lord and that's not to condemn the world Jesus you came to bring life and not condemnation Lord but that we would partner with your love and compassion for people. And we thank you for this day we thank you for this opportunity to just share your words share your testimony share your stories Lord of you bring increase into this earth Lord and heaven invading earth Lord we thank you for just Jay and we thank you for just this opportunity and I Lord I just ask by your spirit you would just release just an increase more um stirring up within people as they're listening to this just to to have that your heartbeat Jesus your heartbeat of winning those that are lost Lord and that people would come into the revelation of you Jesus of how good you are so Lord I thank you for that I thank you you're moving amongst the crowds of people you're moving amongst the listeners that are tuning in and that you're encouraging them that they can do this. They can they're part of an army of believers that are all for one and Lord you are for us too in a way to see your work come to completion. Thank you Jesus let it be Lord Amen.

SPEAKER_03 52:12

Yeah Lord and I thank you for Chris and I uh what comes to me as I'm praying is just um I believe Chris the Lord's going to bring you um more more young college or or young adult age people in your life but also there's going to be some uh people in the professional fields just as you are they're gonna hear from your stories they're gonna witness your life and they're gonna want you to encourage and pray for them and mentor them and how they can walk forward as witnesses. So we bless you we bless your family we bless uh just you at a time where God is just restoring so many things to you and bringing increase and we just bless your missional discipleship and also Lord we just pray for more of these amazing encounters where you give uh clear words to him um that he can step out and just be an answered prayer for people um to know that God sees and loves them thank you for his heart to make you known to people and to meet people right where they are without a religious agenda but with an invitation into deeper connection and ultimately to restoration with God through Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father. And for our listeners right now as you reflect on all that was shared the things that challenged you the things that provoked you to more the areas that you just felt touched in your spirit we just ask right now Holy Spirit you will bring those things back to mind and that you will speak to our listeners speak to each one of my brothers and sisters out there right now Lord something that they need to hear in Jesus' name Amen it's been our pleasure having you here today Chris and so much that you shared with us that we can reflect on and learn from may God bless you as you go forward in more adventures with the Holy Spirit yeah thank you appreciate it you bet Mission to Mobilize is a nonprofit organization that trains mobilizes and coaches disciples of Jesus Christ to live life on mission. To sow financially into the work we're doing at Mission to Mobilize visit our website at mission to mobilize dot com slash partner