Christ Melts Our Hearts Near Coffee Shop
Mission trip with Alex to Africa in 2018
Alex Zaytsev and I met in Bellevue near a local coffee shop. My desire was to meet with him and share my ministry vision and possibly have him partner financially, but God had other plans. We were friends from church a year before but I hadn’t seen him for a while. As we were talking he began to share his heart with me and open up about his relationship with God. He told me how I was away from God, upset at Him, and at the people at our church. He said that when he kneeled to pray, he felt that he was unable to talk and could not open his mouth to God. I told him the analogy of a little boy named Johnny coming back from a prayer meeting saying, "Mommy, mommy, Matthew didn't find peace with God today." "Why is that?" the mother asked, "Matthew only got down on one knee, until he gets down on both he will not find peace with God." As I finished the story I told Alex that until we lay our lives completely before God we cannot find His peace and blessing.
Alex listened, then he shared about how the pastor had hurt him. Tears rolled down my eyes as my heart was moved with compassion towards him. It was the touch of the Holy Spirit. Alex said he felt as if I brought down a hammer on him. I reached across the table and laid my hands on his shoulders and asked him if he wanted to pray. He said he couldn't, so as I prayed for him he began to repeat after me. We prayed together as he surrendered his will, his family, his money, and gave his all to Christ. He felt the presence of God and began to pray in tongues again for the first time in eight months! He broke before God and God showed up.
Later that week, Alex felt the desire to share his experience with the church. He stood on the stage in front of our church to announce he’s coming back to Jesus and his desire to return to church. He apologized for leaving the church revealing to the congregation that he felt bitter toward some of the members and the pastor. He humbled himself in front of the whole church crying as he was speaking. Some members were deeply touched and began crying along with him. For some, it was news, for they thought he was serving in another church. After he shared, the pastor approached the stage to comfort Alex and to give him a hug. We prayed and blessed him as a congregation. After the service, many came up to him to welcome him back again. I was wrecked by his speech and the fact that he humbled himself. God lifted him up out of his depressed state and restored him. He is now planning a mission trip to Mexico and considering attending Christ for all Nations Bootcamp. I am excited for what God has in store for his future!
