Encouragement

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Be Not Afraid
© 2008

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Air Force Sergeant Michelle Gianelli sat alone in the Base Dining Facility while stationed in Iraq and heard service personnel at the table next to her talking about their Bible study class. She wanted to go over to them and say, “I overheard your conversation, and I just wanted you to know I’m a Christian, too.” But instead of doing so Sergeant Gianelli held back. “Their discussion is really none of my business. They might take my intrusion as an insult to them. Besides, I don’t know anybody at that table.”

Later that day while taking a fifteen minute work break, Sergeant Gianelli overheard two Navy pilots in a light hearted discussion. One turned and asked the other amicably, “Say where are you from?”

“Grand Rapids,” the second pilot responded.

“Grand Rapids!” the first exclaimed. “Hey a buddy of mine runs an automatic repair shop out there. Do you, by any chance, know Richie Chambers?”

“Know him! We went to school together and we’ve been friends ever since. You know, it’s really a small world.”

The two service members quickly became friends by discovering a mutual acquaintance even though they were thousands of miles from home.

Sergeant Gianelli, after being in two separate situations involving relationships, thought to herself, “the next time I overhear a Christian exchange, I will with the Lord’s help, be not afraid to say, ‘Do you know Jesus? Why I know Him, too!”

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