Good Morning!

Today I have the pleasure of reporting to you the workings of God through one of his faithful servants. I have known Don for several years. He is honorable, respectable, and trustworthy, and I am proud to call him my friend. He is also like you and me – being groomed into the likeness of Christ.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I share this not to toot my horn about these posts. Frankly, God will use anything to nudge us the direction he desires. It is heart-warming for me to know that my writing does encourage people now and again. So, here’s his story, with permission, from the first response he sent. If you recall, I didn’t know why I had been lead to the verse I had. Enjoy.

Scott…I know why….the Lord gave this to you to give to me today.
We have a neighbor Dog dropping issue that’s been brewing for a year that doesn’t seem to get resolved.
I prayed with my wife about it as its very very frustrating situation.
I went to her house to open a dialog and she was on the phone and told me to “come back later”.
I went home and read your WPP below and again, was reminded of the bigger picture as I go back to her place to discuss the “dog issue”….in light of eternity as we have little-no indication she is a believer.
If you would please pray for my love, compassion and that our neighbor will see Jesus in us…..we have some ground to make up as neighbors….thanking God for you at this moment in particular….ie….apart from Christ-spirit in me, I can do nothing.

The next day, I received this update:

Scott….here is the rest of the story….from “Poop to Praise”…….love you brother!!

As mentioned….we have dealing with a neighbor’s dog pooping in our front yard the last 3 years With our grand kids and others stepping in it ….we tried a few gentle ,loving urgings with her to point out the issue, we saw no progress in the issue and even after some comments she received from other neighbors and a note to her from the HOA did not help the situation.

I woke up yesterday morning and prayed with my wife for wisdom from God in how to lovingly deal with this. I then went to my neighbor to talk with her and she said she could not talk as she was on the phone and would get back to me later in the day.

I came back to pray and read my friends blog below and was overcome with guilt and a renewed love for my neighbor and prayed deeply for her…. that some how …dog poop could turn to praise in Jesus.

She called about an hour later and said could we talk now on phone and I said ok but would prefer face to face if ok with her but she was emotional and wanted talk on the phone so we did which gave her some freedom and comfort.

She told me she thought she knew why I was contacting her and is having a hard time keeping up with dog poop due to foot surgery, and started to break down emotionally. She had just found out her daughters husband had cheated on her daughter and was distraught over that and a couple other major issues.

I found myself grieving with her pain and she came back to discuss the dog poop. I said I am so sorry, lets table the dog poop….you have some painful issues going on here. I was led ( and had asked God beforehand to prepare my heart) to ask her if it would be ok to pray over these matters to ask Gods help. She said could we do that? I said “God loves us to come to him in prayer”. I prayed over her life in all these areas as she was in tears ( on the phone).
She is not trusting in Christ YET but God, rich in mercy and love is reaching to her, perhaps very closely causing her to be born again to a living hope I Pet 1.

She went on to say in our phone call after our pray time that interestingly she has been finding herself picking up and reading a bible she had. She said its so interesting how I would take the time to pray with her and how also she is having a new interest in exploring God.

I said to her…that’s wonderful ….would you be interested in meeting with myself and my wife to go deeper with the things of God as neighbors? She said….Oh….could we do that with excitement.

The grand tapestry of Gods sovereignty via an email from my friend is being woven as we speak

Pray for her to come to Christ and enjoy HIM forever and for us as we shepherd her heart for the glory of God.

Pray that we have more frequent, clearer spiritual compassionate eyes to see the “story behind the story” in all those around us as we “meet our neighbors where they are at, to serve them to where God wants them to be, In Christ”

Let’s join Don in celebration and prayer for his neighbor! Glory be to God!!

Copyright © 2018 Scott Powers