New Orleans – Chelcie

Chelcie – our wonderful host, friend, and one of the original members of the legendary back seat crew – tells her story of a sweet encounter we had in New Orleans:

You never know what is on the other side of the door until you open it. I could have left it shut, but I would have missed out on so much that God did. I was kind of hesitant at first about letting people stay in my home just because I like the comfort of not being able to worry about what time I wake up, what I have on, ect, little stuff like that. I knew it was time to step out of my comfort zone and just be used by the Lord. I couldn’t be happier with the decision I made to speak to my husband about the guys staying and for us to just obey Holy Spirit!

Being able show them around south Louisiana and do ministry along side them was such a fresh breath of air. From our car rides with the windows down, to eating at the taco stand, to driving as far south as you can go “down da bayou” multiple times, and just being able to minister to the person next to us and give them hope! It was all such an amazing experience to be apart of and don’t intend for it to stop after they leave. It is only the beginning of something the Lord wants to do in and through my family’s life.

Something that really touched me was the love they showed my son! I know they planted seeds that he will remember for the rest of his life! I guess something that God is revealing to me even now as I write this is that Derek, Jess, and Josh did not only come down here to be able to have divine appointments with people here, but for my family as well. Those other people are important, but so are we, and so are YOU!

I want to share an encounter we had in New Orleans. Janea and I were showing the guys the French Quarter and I was telling Jess how I wish I would get a word of knowledge – like a very specific word of knowledge… We were about to go tour some building until we saw it cost money to get in. When we turned around to continue walking, this name “Jimmy” randomly popped in my head in Jackson Square by the tarot card readers & I wasn’t going to say anything, but I told my friends, “Yall I wonder if that guy’s name is Jimmy?” (talking about the tarot card reader) So we turned around (with encouragement from my friends and kind of nervous because I didn’t know if it was his name or not) and we walked up to him & I said “is your name Jimmy?” He said, “No.” Then I said, “What is your name?” He said, “Chris.” Then I was thinking like… “Bummer, guess I was wrong.”

While this was happening, a random business guy walked up to us while we were having this conversation with Chris and asked, “What’s going on here?” Thinking Chris was reading our cards, he said, “Doors opening? Anything exciting happening?” I replied with, “I don’t know,” (in a laughing kind of manner because I didn’t know what the Lord was going to do). So I asked him, “Is your name Jimmy?” in the same kind of a laughing matter since Chris’ name wasn’t Jimmy. He said, “James, yeah I know… got to go!” And he took off running!! Derek yelled for him to come back, but as he was running away he yelled back, “NO!” I didn’t realize what happened until after my friends told me. They said a nickname for James is Jimmy (I even googled it to be sure) and I was just like, “Wow!” I am kinda still in wonder at the things God can do and how He wants to use us!

I want to encourage you to step out and do something that maybe you wouldn’t normally feel comfortable doing; something as simple (but powerful) as telling somebody that they are important & loved and just let the Comforter that the Bible speaks of in John 14:16 come and comfort you.

// Chelcie