Three From 1 Family Accept The Lord

Tonight our group started off with four, later two more came along. We began by praying for clues. When the other arrived, we prayed for more clues, added the clues that one of the new team members brought with them.

During the first hour there was just four of us treasure hunting. (see previous stories for explanation to treasure hunting) We wrote our clues and left for the boardwalk in Newport Beach. Soon we came to a man smoking a cigar which was one of the clues. We stopped and told him we were treasure hunting, showed him the clue written on a paper and asked if we could pray to bless him or pray for any need he had. After chatting about the fact that he matched the clue and how interesting that was, he agreed to let us pray for his fractured foot which was not yet in a cast or boot. When we asked him his name he said Tom. Pleasantly surprised we pulled out our paper and showed him the clues once more. THE ONLY NAME WRITTEN ON THE LIST WAS --- TOM! This got his attention. We prayed for his foot then a couple buddies ran up to us and were put off by our praying for the foot. The back off, one runs away completely. Tom pulls one of his buddies into the conversation by telling him the story . . . Our finding him through one clue which led to matching a second clue! He was definitely impressed by the encounter. We tried to engage his friend in conversation, which was pretty much a closed door. At that point the grace was lifting so we left on a positive note.

The next person we found matching our clues was a lifeguard, D. who was seen putting away a red jacket into a back pack while he was still in his watch tower at the shore. We walked over to him, engaged him in conversation. He allowed us to pray blessing, also prophetic personal ministry.

Next we found a woman with tatoos who had the word peace written in Japanese incorporated in the artwork. J. approached initially hoping to see a peace sign on her tatoos, peace sign being one of the clues. We showed her the paper of clues, she was intrigued, we explained why we were on our treasure hunt. She allowed us to pray and when we asked her name, she replied d--- which is the same as mine, one vowel spelled differently. What an interesting coincedence? Even more unique since our name is not common. D. allowed us to pray for her and bless her. yeah God!

Next, and this was extrememly exciting, Three from 1 family accept Jesus on the beach!

J. was on the look out for his clue. A beach ball near the pier. We had walked almost to the pier itself, when J. saw a large beach ball between two groups. The first denied owning the ball. The second group said it was theirs. J. told them we were treasure hunting and held up the paper of clues. He asked if he could bless or pray for them in any way.

The husband said yes, their marraige was in real trouble. J. waived a couple of us women over so were could pray. I bent down and heard their story which they were now telling with tears in their eyes. I had a strong leading to ask them if they were ready to accept Jesus as their savior before we prayed for their marraige.

Usually I do not make the prayer of salvation a requirement before praying for someones need or blessing. This time I had a strong leading to ask the question.

They replied "Yes"!

We led them in the prayer of salvation, they both cried quietly. Their teenage daughter prayed the prayer along with the mom and dad!

We spoke encouragement into their lives, discipled a little, offered a card to a ministry they could contact with questions or need for prayer.

They were very moved by the encounter, we teared up ourselves, it was so moving to see them receive Jesus. Who by the way broke into their lives with timing on He can orchestrate. They were very upset with each other, Jesus broke in, they became born again, encouraged that God would make a way for them to forgive one another and start new from this point out!

We continued on and ministered to many people. An LDS couple sitting on the pier. A couple who were highlighted to J. who just happens to be visiting from a place that he is leaving to go see on friday for two weeks. Can't explain more for now, but those two couples meeting on the pier in Newport was a radical set up by the Lord. We prayed and prophesied over them, with blessing from a family member watching from the side lines.

We prayed for a fellow with back pain, collecting cans. We approached M. sitting on a concrete wall who ultimately did not want anything we had to offer. Bless and go on. One team member prayed for a woman and her dog who had cancer, she matched two clues two team members had received. We prayed for and spent some time with a fellow playing a guitar from his wheelchair outside of a restaurant. Two shop keepers were prayed for since they matched clues recevied earlier.

We talked to and blessed a couple whose wife matched one of the clues. We talked more to them about the method of evangelism were out doing since they happened to be believers already. It felt like our explanation of clues was more about planting seeds about evangelism. They felt awkward about their initial request for prayer, but we prayed into it anyway. Send water on those seeds Lord!

We also prayed and blessed a woman who was wearing an ankle bracelet which matched a clue. She allowed us to pray then anther woman sitting with her identified herself as a pastor's wife. I took the opportunity to explain this method of evangelism which she blessed. More seeds planted.

There were other people who were stopped and prayed for by other team members that I didn't have a chance to see myself. However, six people reached many people tonight, and come on, three people were added to the Kingdom today, so it was an awesome evening all said.