11-20-2011:  Dear Evangelist Jim (Barbarossa):  "Twenty thousand (20,000) copies of the Real Life Stories Lighthouse Edition testimony book has been printed here in the Philippines.  We have already given out 500 copies in the Mindanao Island area and another 500 copies in the Dibabawon tribal area.  We are also duplicating and passing out the powerful CD's you sent to us.  We so appreciate the prayers of God's people, that these evangelistic tools will bring many souls to our Lord and Savior."

Pastor Lloyd & Team   

11-12-2011:  It was in my heart to pass out some RLS Lighthouse Edition books at the VA hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Veterans Day (11-11-11).   God enabled a box of 44 books to go into the facility.  I learned a couple of things, I believe, that may reinforce what brother Jim Barbarossa has said all along:  It can be very effective to mention to people that they can read YOUR story in the book and what page to find it at, if of course, your story is in the book.

Last year, my story – testimony wasn’t in the older RLS book that I passed out to Vets the last time I passed copies out.  Many of the vets refused taking a copy at that time, though I was able to pass out about 50 plus copies total on a couple of different occasions.

This time, my approach was much different than last year.  First off, I wrote on the backside of the front cover:  You can read my Vietnam story on page 228 if you would like, and signed my name.   My initial contact with the Vets was to immediately stick out my hand and say, “Thank you for serving our country”.  I realize 99.9999% of the people who has served in the military greatly appreciate hearing such a “Thanks,” so you know they have the immediate thought:  I like this person because what they just said to me. (It probably carries even more weight when it’s said on Veterans Day, I would think, though any day will bless them).  

Every vet I said that to showed appreciation for it being said.  What about 50% would say immediately after that was, “Are you a vet too?”  That was what I loved hearing, because then I could say, “Yes I am, a Vietnam Vet, and I’m giving away this free Real Life Stories book, and you can read about my Vietnam story starting on page 228 if you would like.”   That perked them up quickly in a positive manner in wanting the book.

Somewhere around 25 – 35% of them didn’t ask me back if I was a Vet .  They just showed appreciation for my thanking THEM.  And many of those same Vets didn’t want a copy of the book, though I tried using different wording to find something more workable.  A “No” last year always meant “No”.  Many of those same Vets are angry: Angry at God, angry with life period.  In the shape so many are in, both physically and mentally, it would be very easy to become angry like them, I realize, if a person was in their shoes.   People in a Vet hospital, at least this one, realize this is the last place they’ll live before passing, and it’s not a very positive environment to be in for most of them, because like most other nursing home occupants, they feel like they’ve been forced to live there – it not being a choice of their own. 

But THIS year, when a Vet showed no interest in a book, I would bring the conversation around as quickly as possible to let them know I was a Vietnam vet, and if the person wanted to read some of my story about my being a Vet, they could read about it in the book.  I would say about half of them would then say, “Well - maybe I’ll read it.  Yeah, give me a copy.”

Again, to reinforce what Jim and Carla have been saying for some time, letting people know that YOUR story is in the book can change EVERYTHING!  Where no receptivity to the book was shown previously, suddenly it takes on a more “personal touch” I’m guessing might be the words to try to describe it.   Furthermore, if you’re giving that book to someone in your immediate area, and you’ve included some contact information at the end of your testimony, odds are extremely good that if they are being drawn stronger to Jesus by the Holy Spirit, it most likely will be YOU they will be contacting FIRST to ask more questions, and or reach out to, for prayer – for help – or just to somehow be encouraged by. Case in point:  Yesterday morning God blessed us with some new much needed kitchen appliances.  Two young men of about age 22, I’m guessing, had been at our house delivering one particular appliance three days previous.   Before their leaving, my wife Kathleen asked them if they would like a RLS book, and they could read both our stories if they wanted to.  She signed the book, I believe, though I don’t know all of what she wrote.  So when the two guys starting to leave yesterday morning, one of them said to us, “We read both of your stories in that book.  They were quite something.” 

We quickly thanked them as humbly as we knew how, and I asked them, “Are you two guys Christian believers?”  They both quickly acknowledged that they were.  But if you live here in the Western Michigan area, you learn very quickly that because this area is STRONG Christian Reformed (Denomination brought over from the Dutch settlers), kids are raise in a very strong RELIGIOUS environment.  They are introduced to Bible truth at a young age in their homes, yet often FORCED to attend church; participate in home daily Bible readings, pray … and once they get out on their own, they are like wild horses who just broke through the fence that has kept them cooped up all their years. 

I’m not knocking the Christian Reformed folks, but you find that when you use words like “Saved” and “born again” … you get some VERY STRANGE looks.  It is not part of their upbringing, at least for many of them.  It is not stressed in their church fellowships.   In living in Western Michigan for over 38 years, and being a born again Christian for just over 30 years, I’ve YET to have one true-blue Christian Reformed Christian come forth with their testimony for us to publish.  In terms of witnessing like with a RLS book?  Forget it!  I have a lot of thoughts about the matter, but I'll keep them to myself in this setting.

So the two boys said, “Wow!  You guys really went through some things, haven’t you?  We don’t have any testimony like yours at ALL.”  (If I’ve heard that once, I’d heard that a thousand times!)  But I felt to say to them, “Guys – probably the BEST testimonies from God’s perspective are of dedicated Christians who haven’t fallen into every sin this life has to offer like so many of the rest of us Christians have.  You don’t need a “blood and guts” testimony like OURS to have a “good testimony” in God’s sight.  Learn to do what pleases God early in life and keep do it the REST of your life.” 

Saying that I felt was a “dethroning tactic”.  I felt to say that so they would read the REST of the book. 

I am so blessed to see how BOLD my dear wife, Kathleen, is getting by passing this new RLS book out to others.  I think she’s been hanging around Jim and Carla much too OFTEN!!!!  (That’s supposed to make everyone laugh – okay?!).  My sweetie has a quiet disposition.  She’s been held captive by fear when it comes to dialoguing with strangers.  That was the OLD Kathleen.  She’s growing into a lean, mean, RLS book witnessing machine, thank you Jesus!   Hey – she’s getting boldness to give the book to people I would be intimidated giving it too!  Now that’s a GOOD thing, because I surely haven’t arrived in the boldness department!  It's "on the job training" for me.

Back to the VA to give God “Thanks!” for what He did yesterday:  When you pass out a number of books in one day to people like Vets in the situation they live in as I was, you never quite know what to expect.  On guy informed me that he had spent 22 years in the Army, retiring as a Captain.  He didn’t speak very coherently because of a stroke he had some years back, though I found out his mind is still sharp.  Fingers were missing; hands deformed.  He was pretty much wheel chair bound I believe.  After surface talk, finding out that he considered himself a believer in Jesus, he asked me,

“Why are you passing out that book, if you don’t mind my asking?’

I answered with the first thought that came to mind.  “Because I owe God, Fred.  I served as a soldier for my country and when I left the military I pretty much hated God and hated those who were responsible for the way the Vietnam conflict was handled.  God saved me many years later, and He certainly didn’t have to.  But BECAUSE He saved me, He has now given me a chance to be a DIFFERENT kind of soldier, but in a more enjoyable way.”   

I was going to say a little more, but he quickly interrupted me, “You’re a soldier for Jesus NOW, aren’t you?!”  It didn’t take long to know the answer he was hoping to get:  “Yes I am, Fred, and I’ve VERY proud to serve in His Army.”

“I’m a soldier for Jesus TOO in here!” he exclaimed loudly, and broke down crying - uncontrollably  - as others watched on around us. 

I went with the thought that struck me, as it was a VERY emotional moment for me.  “Fred – here’s several copies of the book I’m handing out.  Would you pray about passing it along to others in here?”

“I sure will, soldier!  You can COUNT on me doing it!”

I walked away wiping tears from my eyes, thinking that Fred had just discovered the most IMPORTANT reason why God had him there, because earlier, he shared tearfully with me that because his wife had died a couple of years back, the family had no place else to put him than it the Vet’s hospital.  

I’ll mention one other encounter and close.  One guy in his wheelchair was dressed in full military fatigues, with matching military boots.  He eagerly accepted a book, and after some short dialogue, I was ready to move on to give books away to others.

“Hold it soldier!” he snapped.  “Don’t you go ANYWHERE until I first pray for you!”

He grabbed my wrist, raised his other hand high, and began to pray so loud that everyone up and down the hallways and in rooms with open doors couldn’t help but hear:

“Father – thank you so much for this soldier of yours!  Thank you that he cares enough about the souls of others to pass out these books, Jesus!  Don’t you let the devil touch him or stop him from doing what he’s doing!  Make everyone he gives a book to, to love you more than what they ever have before, and give their soul to You!”

Then quickly he let go of my wrist and shouted loudly, “Now go do the lord’s work, soldier!  Now you’ve got your back covered!”

I felt to salute him and thanked him, as he saluted me back.  Touching, folks … incredibly touching for me, to say the least.  Yesterday was the very BEST Veterans Day I have ever experienced.  - Norm Rasmussen ptoffice@precious-testimonies.com

11-11-2011:  Real Life Stories books - New York 

It is exciting to see what is being done with the RLS books thus far.  I am praying about getting a load of books here. In my prayer time I have been asking the Lord for a creative way to distribute the one box of books I currently have. 
 

On October 31, I awoke with this idea.  This is what I believe I am being led to do.  Go in every direction from my house:  N, S, E & W - one hour away. 

There is not much else in my daily routine that gives me such a joy in the Lord as when I can place a book into someone’s hand and they look at it and begin to smile while you tell them it is a book of Christian testimonies.  Free of charge.  I could willingly give myself to that task.  Yet, I sense that I am being challenged to reach further than I have so far with the RLS books.  Taking the books to church leaders (specifically) and include a letter explaining how the books can effectively be used in their community and possibly encourage these leaders to look into having a book in the church or community where they are located.

**This is how I plan to carry out this call to distribute RLS books in my area:

·    Through prayer, I composed the letter to pass out to the church leaders.  I  included it in the body of this e-mail.