October 2022

ONE THING I DESIRE

“If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?” My mind seriously mused over the question.

As Mike and I ran into our local Costco, seeking shelter from the sweltering summer sun, the thought kept bouncing around my brain: “If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?”

Perhaps I will find the answer in here?

I examined the aisles.

Nothing here!

We gathered our groceries and at the checkout were greeted by a bubbly young lady: Lily.

Lily’s water bottle was filled with a fuchsia fluid, and Mike wondered to himself: Why is there a bottle of marked diesel at this check out station?

Lily grabbed the bottle and vigorously shook the pink potion, eyeing the eerie liquid for undissolved solids.

Then she shook it again.

Content at last, she unscrewed the lid and proceeded to gulp down the “marked diesel.”

Lily screwed up her pretty face as she swallowed hard.

“Lily,” I looked at her name tag and inquired, “what are you drinking?”

Bewildered, she replied, “Kool-Aid.”

“Kool-Aid?”

“Yeah, I was so delighted when I discovered a package of Kool-Aid at home this morning. I imagined the fruity flavour would be better than just plain water. I can’t understand why I ever enjoyed Kool-Aid as a kid. … It’s…it’s yuck!”

“We have a cooler in our truck filled with ice-cold water and San Pellegrino. I’ll grab you one of each.”

“No, don’t do that. It’s OK.” Lily politely declined the offer.

Mike and I motored to our vehicle.

I eagerly grabbed an ice-cold bottle of water and a dripping-wet blood orange San Pellegrino from our cooler.

I found the answer I was looking for and had to get to Lily immediately.

As I reached her checkout station, Lily’s eyes widened. “Oh, my! No way! Really, no way! Oh, my!…” I choked up as I handed her the drinks, and with tears in her eyes, she embraced me.

If I could ask God for one thing, I know what it would be.

This.

Helping people like Lily.

The smile on her face and the tears in her eyes are what life is all about.

So many Lilys are yearning to taste something sweet. Their expectations are so high, convinced they are doing the right thing, they swallow the Kool-Aid.

Mike and I recognize that God has given us such a beautiful opportunity to reach these people, to offer them something pure and refreshing: The Saviour’s liquid of life, as Jesus Himself promised the woman at the well: “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

Traditionally, a significant part of It Is Written Canada’s ministry has been to meet with its partners and sponsors once a year in various locations throughout the country for Partnership Weekends; however, for the last two years this has not been possible.

We hoped we could make it happen this year, but by the time the country opened-up, venues across the country were priced way beyond our budget. Therefore, we decided to stage an It Is Written Canada rally, starting with one at the Really Living Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, October 22nd, 2022.

The theme is “One Thing I Desire,” addressing the question: “If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?”

We hope you can make it to this event in-person, but if not, you can also attend online by clicking the livestream links at:

It Is Written Canada’s webpage: IIW.ca

facebook.com/ItIsWrittenCanada/

YouTube.com/IIWCanada

Mike and I thank you for your prayers, for sharing our messages with your family and friends, for your words of encouragement, and for believing in the work God is doing through the ministry of It Is Written Canada. Also, we thank you for your loyal financial contributions this year, which have enabled It Is Written Canada to connect Canadians to the abundant life found in Jesus in a way that is personal and relevant.

~ René Lemon