The Backslidden Man

By Mishael Privett

I was walking up to a plaza where I saw a car pull in. As I saw him, I remember distinctly thinking, “That man really needs to know Jesus”. He went inside one of the stores, and I went in to canvass someone in another store. Just as I came out of that store the man came back out as well. As I started to share with him what I was doing, he gave me a blank stare. I first showed him The Great Controversy and then I transitioned to the Promise of Peace (which is the first 6 chapters of Patriarchs and Prophets and a number of chapters from The Desire of Ages). When he saw that book, he seemed to be drawn to it, and decided to get it. Before I left, I asked him if there was anything that I could pray for. The man looked away for a moment and then turned back and said, “Yes, could you pray that I could find myself?”. He said he used to have a close walk with God. Sadly, as time had gone by, he had lost sight of Jesus and had gotten caught up with things of the world. His prayer was that he would be able to find that walk with God again. I shared a little bit of my story of how God used The Promise of Peace to bring me into a personal walk with Him. I then prayed with him; and he drove away promising to begin reading as soon as possible. I could tell that he was much happier and encouraged. This reminded me that the Great Shepherd wants us to reach out to the lost sheep out there that need some encouragement and hope. God does all that it takes to reach us!