Monday, September 15, 2008

At the Sports Bar?

A couple of guys (Jeff, Tony and Don) and I drove down to Taos New Mexico on Friday the 12th to ride the famous South Boundary Trail.  We arrived in Taos around 6:30, checked into the Super 8 and headed out to find some grub.

We had four bikes on the back of Jeff's SUV, only locked on with a cable and a padlock - so we drove around the Taos downtown area for about 20 minutes looking for someplace we could eat and keep and eye on the bikes.

The Taos downtown is a serpentine maze of narrow streets, shops, eateries...but parking is pretty sparse.  We decided to head a little south of downtown proper to see if we could luck out with an eatery where we could watch the bikes with close-in parking.  Within a few blocks we spotted the "Downtown Bistro"...with a patio out front and open parking spots right up front.  So we pulled in and scanned the menu after the waitress got us situated on the patio.

Well...$28.00 for a 10oz Steak...and $15.00 for a burger - ouch.  We apologized, told the waitress we were looking for simple and cheap "bar fare".  She told us to head down the road just a little bit to a new Sports Bar called "Shadows Lounge", she said it was good eats at reasonable prices.

We found the place...but we had to park about 200ft from the bar, around the corner.  No way to keep an eye on the bikes...OK...whatever.

Typical Sports Bar...live musician playing cheesy 80's covers in the corner, a bunch of college games on big screens - the waitress seats us at a high top "bar" table and we're perusing the menu.

Within five minutes...this lady steps up to my left, between Tony and I and starts talking about how all the guys at this place ("the locals") are all losers and asks if she can sit with us.  I said..."Sure..."  The other guys looked at me like "What are you doing?"

I knew why she was there, she was looking for someone to spend the evening/night with...I also knew why God had me there.

She was a bit buzzed, not drunk though...but it was obvious - she was trolling for a man for the night.  I saw that she was buzzed and asked her "Are you planning on driving home tonight?"...she responded "Well (with that look)...it all depends..."

I quickly said..."Oh I'm sorry...I can see that you're a little buzzed and I don't think it would be a good idea for you to drive for a while..."

She was making comments about the "b**ch" waitress and all the "losers" in town, etc.

She was chatting with Tony about some of the same garbage...I knew God had me on deck...I began praying barely out loud for the Holy Spirit to take over...to guide the conversation and to open her up to the Truth.

After a few minutes...I asked her if she had any kind of Spiritual background...the food had arrived...I don't remember eating.  I do remember hearing Don say out loud..."He's witnessing to her right now!"  The rest of the place disappeared and it was me and her in conversation about the Gospel.  She was convinced that salvation was through "faith and works".  We worked around that issue for a while.  She kept saying "but faith without works is dead".  I carefully walked that mine field, trying to explain that works is only evidence of faith...and outward sign of salvation.  I quoted Ephesians 2:8-9 "...for it is by grace we are saved, through faith and not of works, lest any man shall boast..."  she did not believe me.  She wanted to see it for herself.  I went to get my Bible...and remembered it was in my bag in the room.  Doh.

We continued to talk through the Gospel...and how important it is to know what you have is the Truth...that there can not be multiple ways to salvation.  Then...she really started to pour her heart out to me...right there, in the bar.  Within 45 minutes...there at the table in the bar...she was BAWLING...tears flowing like a river.

She started telling me how lonely she is...her sister recently dying of cancer and that she was going in this Wed (the 17th) for a CT scan because they think she has liver cancer...and she's so lonely and didn't want to be alone that night dealing with it by herself, bawling her eyes out she told me how scared she was.  I asked her if I could pray with her.  I reached behind her head and pulled her head right next to mine...my other hand on her other shoulder and started praying for her.

I was not aware of anything else in that place...but for a few seconds I remember hearing the waitress standing next to me asking a question...and then I heard "what?  oh..." and she walked away.  It was powerful.  I prayed for her healing, for the Holy Spirit to reveal his Truth to her.

We finished praying...the other guys were talking...I don't have a clue about what though.  I carefully told her to look long and hard at what she thinks that "truth" is...because it won't matter what you believe when you die if it is wrong.  That God can show her what that truth is if she asks God...and she seeks it in the Bible.  I wrote my name and phone number on a card and got her info (which I lost...I'm an idiot)...I told her I would call her on Wed to see how the CT scan went.  She asked me to call her on Tuesday as she'd be on the road to and from the hospital all day on Wednesday.  Pray that I find her info...or that she calls me.

She's lost, scared and lonely.  I told her that God is the great comforter and healer of the Universe!  He can be with her to comfort her, to keep her company - to keep her from looking to alchohol and the company of a man.

Wow...it was powerful.

We were settling up the tab...she was still in tears.  I prayed with her again, gave her a hug and we left.

The other guys were asking me..."What happened?"  I could not talk for about 15 minutes.  Every time I tried to explain it...I started to break down.

Pray for that lady...for the only truth that will matter in 100 years to invade her spirit, to comfort her and to heal her.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Keith,
Nice write up and I'll be praying for her.

Glad you were here to make the appointment!!
Chris

Anonymous said...

Thanks for reminding us what "being Jesus" to the lost looks like... even in a sports bar.

Anonymous said...

Wow, talk about stepping up when the time is right. You opened that door and walked right in, bringing the message of hope with you! Great job, dude!