“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.  We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.  If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you, … do you? I’m putting you on a light stand.  Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!”

“Be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”

For Renni, my mentor, who is generous with her life.  She reflects God’s light and brings out the God-flavors and the God-colors in the world.

In the months that followed, I continued to think about the bartender.  Gradually, I started to feel that the Lord was leading me to give her one thousand dollars, money that I had been saving (for a long) time in my benevolence fund.  I decided I would visit her at the bar and give her the money.  It had been eight months since our first encounter, so I wondered if she would remember me.  I decided to enclose the cash inside a card so I could write her a note.  In the card, I told her what my life was like because I knew the Lord.  I also enclosed a short essay that I had written, explaining how much God loves us, along with my phone number.  I wrote that I would be happy to answer any questions she might have, but that there was no pressure to contact me.

I was very nervous about going to see her, but I went anyway.  When I arrived, I sat down and waited while she was with other customers.  When she got to me, I asked, “Do you remember me?  I was here several months ago.”  At first she gave me a blank look, but then she said, “Oh yes, you were my angel who prayed for me.”  I was really surprised by this, but I was pleased that she remembered me.  I gave her the card and asked her to open it on her way home.