Today’s Verse—1 Peter 3:15
Always be ready to give an answer to anyone
who asks you about the hope you have.
A man once spent 163 hours trapped under a refrigerator . . . and lived to tell about it! He was moving his refrigerator to clean underneath it, and it toppled over on him. It was far too heavy to move, and he couldn’t reach his cell phone. He lived alone in a house in the country, so his neighbors were far away. They couldn’t hear his cries of pain. For the next few days, he lay there on the kitchen floor. Fortunately, he was able to pull the refrigerator door open a little bit and get some food. He ate lots of cheese, sliced meats, and butter, since those were in the door of the refrigerator. Yes, he was desperate enough to eat plain butter.
Even worse than the pain of being trapped and the boredom of being still, he felt empty. After a week he figured he was going to die there. No one would even notice he was gone. He realized that his life had no purpose.
Suddenly a light shone through the window and formed a cross on the ceiling. The man gave his life to Jesus right then. Not a minute after he prayed, his cow, Bessie, broke through the back door and pushed the refrigerator off of him. He was free. In more ways than one.
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Okay, that wasn’t a true story. But have you ever heard one of these crazy, unbelievable testimonies from somebody? Do you ever wish you had a great story that would make telling people about Jesus easier?
Connie’s Corner
Growing up in California, I wasn’t a criminal, a bad student, or a troublemaker. But my life was heading in the wrong direction. When I came to Odyssey, Whit introduced me to Jesus. And since I respected Whit, I began to respect Jesus. Whit led me to Christ, and I’ve never been the same since. It’s amazing how much real joy and purpose you find once Jesus means everything to you.
Your story may be better than you think. Jesus is working in your life in ways that you may not even see. Think about it. How does Jesus change the decisions you make? Do you feel more joy, peace, or patience because of Jesus? How has He changed the way you look at life, at your family, at the future?
People will respond to your story about the God who gives you hope. People can cast doubts about Jesus. They can cast doubts about the Bible. But a personal story about how Jesus makes your life beautiful is something no one can debate.
Daily Challenge
Write out your personal story about how you came to believe in Jesus. Be sure to include statements like “Because of Jesus, I’m different in the way I . . .” Or “Because of having Jesus in my life, I feel . . .” Or “Jesus makes my life better because . . .”
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Witnessing Theme Memory Verse—Matthew 28:19–20
[Jesus said,] “You must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”