Encouragement

---

The Cross-Over by Crystal Singleton
Although I was a Christian now, it was indefinite the struggles were still very present. Released, they had said. Freedom for your spirit, happiness; these were the things I expected as a Christian. As I sat through sermons I heard a lot about leaving the old life behind. That included friends; bad habits; hang out spots. I wanted to do everything right. Just right the way Christ would want me to, my utmost effort in exchange for his mercy, love, his compassion, and most of all his forgiveness. I knew I did not deserve his forgiveness but the way it was explained to me, every child of God is forgiven by him, just as we should forgive others. The more I got involved reading the bible the more I felt it. What everyone had said was going to happen.
I was becoming on fire for the Lord. The only problem was I wanted to tell everyone. The people at the church were already there though. I did enjoy sharing my experiences with them but more importantly I began to feel a pain in my heart. A pain for the life I had left behind. I no longer wanted to be a part of it and yet I wanted to be involved in it so badly to reach my lost friends. I began to worry about all the lost people out there. How can we reach them if we are forbidden to mingle with them. This was a problem. Could prayer alone work? How would I invite them to church if I was to leave them behind? I wanted to share my joy with them. I wanted to lead by example but they were never around. I was surrounded by Christians. I needed something else. I needed a bridge.
Something we could all stand on as friends; that was neither here nor there. A bridge welcoming enough for the non-believer yet strong enough for the Christian but one that would not break and allow a backsliding in my life but long enough for them to give me a chance and hear me out. What was I going to do? I prayed and God answered. Music, music had always been a foundation in my life. I was becoming more and more exposed to Christian music and I began to play it in the car. I was attaching it to my websites. It was working. Coffee, if there is one thing a person needs after being up all night it was coffee. It was a perfect social connection to bind my old friends with my new ways.
I had once made it clear I was no longer participating in my past activities but it would never change the love I had for my friends. I wanted them to know that even though I was a Christian now I did not want them to think I was a snob or a hypocrite. I began inviting friends over for coffee. To catch up on stories and in the back ground . . . music. It wasn’t long before I had them in my living room, drinking coffee asking me who this band was. I was overjoyed to hear their comments. It was more pleasing to say, “Oh it’s just a Christian group I heard at my church.” It was then I knew that the Cross-over was not going to be as hard as anticipated. I had found a way to bridge the gap. I also realized what the true meaning of the Cross really meant.
It was what Jesus did on the Cross for our sins in order to create a bridge between us the sinners and our father in heaven. It all made sense to me now. 3+1= Heaven. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The Cross was his bridge to me and me to my father. I will use the same cross to reach out to my friends. I will use the BIBLE to grow and use daily prayer for my strength. With these three tools I will build a bridge between us and ask my friends to please Cross over.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE