Tidbits from Day One

Nobody likes to be rejected. Whether it be by a person, and animal, or even an ATM. Well, as a canvasser, I am used to a lot of rejection, but yesterday was a day with far more rejection than I was used to.

It might not have helped that I was in pain (from my bag digging into my not-yet-healed shoulder) or that the california sun was beating relentlessly down on me, or even that I probably had the wrong mindset when I set out, but whatever the reason, I was miserable.

As I trucked from door to door, getting no after no, I started planning out a path of escape. Of all the rediculous plans I came up with, the top of the crazy pyramid was my plan to reinjure my ankle so I couldn't keep going. Yeah, I was that desperate for an escape. Thankfully, I'm not that crazy, and I really hate being on crutches, so I kept going.

There was a point in my day when I seriously considered just sitting on the curb and crying. In fact I did sit down, but after a minute or so, I willed myself to at least finish the day. I was pleading with God to show me why I was suffering, to give me some kind of sign that there was a reason that I was continuing on, that there was a purpose for my presence in this overly-heated city.

A couple of houses after sitting down on the curb, I heard this lady calling out from the other side of the street, asking me if I wanted some water. I was already fully stocked with water bottles and I couldn't hold any more. So I told her I didn't need any, but she continued to keep asking me questions that, for some reason, I could not hear.

I crossed the street so that I could talk to her properly and ishe asked me what I was selling. Too depressed to talk, I simply tipped my books so that she could see the pile stacked in the arms. With a sweet smile she told me that she was from the Clovis SDA church.

At that point I burst into tears and her daughter came outside and ushered me into the house. They gave me some kleenex and an impressive mix of fruit, asking me why I was crying. After telling them about my rough day, they prayed for me and I was on my way, refreshed and inspired.

As I continued to knock on doors, I was reminded of a quote from Ministry of Healing that says, "Expect that the Lord will work in and by and through you." I realized that up to that point, I had been knocking on door after door faithfully, but that I had been expecting people to say no. I was going through the motions of canvassing, but I didn't have the belief that God would work on the hearts of those I talked to.

Today is a new day, and I know that the Lord will do great things. Not because I'm a great canvasser (because I'm not), but because He is the greatest canvasser of all.