The Memory of Joy

Conclusion of this story series.

So as I reflect about my friendship with Joy, her sickness, her acceptance of Jesus as her Savior after a lifetime of atheism and her death, one thing occurs to me:

We can be vessels to bring God to others ... but we can't force them to accept Him. Ultimately, He has to work with them individually, and their hearts have to be open to His voice.

Joy came to mind for me in the midst of a year of battling atheists on Twitter. Day after day, week after week, month after month, I tried sharing my faith with them. Sometimes people were receptive to a discussion. Sometimes they belittled me. Sometimes they mocked me. Sometimes they crucified my character. Sometimes they became my friends.

None of them, so far, have accepted Jesus as their Savior.

Does it mean the witness is ineffective?

I used to battle inwardly with that question. But when all is said and done .. it's up to them. It's between them and God.

All we can do is present the information.

Did I do anything super special or spectacular to get Joy to change her views?

Not at all. In fact, if you look over my friendship with Joy, you'll see that she was probably the better friend to me than I was to her. I guess that what it comes down to is being willing to share.

Be ready with your answers. Know your Scripture. Immerse yourself in prayer. And if you make a concerted effort to tell others about Jesus, especially those who deny His existence, get ready for the fight of your life. But leave the miracles to God.

Can an atheist become a Christ-loving believer?

I've seen it happen.

Is it common?

No.

Does that make it any less true, special or meaningful?

Not at all.

If just one sheep of 100 is lost, you know the Shepherd seeks it until it's found. One sheep -- one person -- matters to God as much as if he or she were the only person alive. It's our responsibility to see them as He does. Everyone -- everyone -- is that dearly loved.

I don't know what will become of the atheists I met on Twitter. But I know one thing -- the atheist friend of mine named Joy is now walking with Jesus. It was her choice, her decision. It was her willingness to open her mind and heart to Him and allow Him into her life.

I had nothing to do with it, but I can tell you one thing:

I'm super excited that this isn't the end of the story of Joy. One day, the memory of Joy will become a tangible soul, standing in front of me, welcoming me home.

One day, Joy and I will be together again, bathed in the light of His glory.

And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, others will be there, too.