UPDATE: Iowa State Fair 2013

Since I got saved in 2003 I make an effort to go to the Iowa State Fair (ISF) where it all started to share the gift that I was given when I arrived here in Iowa from NJ in 2001.  Even though I didn't receive Christ at that moment, it was where I heard the gospel for the first time at the creation booth with the Noah's Ark exhibit.  So the Iowa State Fair holds a special place in my heart for the gospel. 

Tony and I spent the entire day Tuesday and Wednesday sharing with people outside of the fair.  It's more relaxed outside the fair because we need to be cautious not to draw attention and be removed from the fair.  But we have a great time especially with those who are renting spaces on their lawns.  Every year we run into many different people from all over Iowa and the world and involved with all different religions.  This year we tried to talk with a Satanist who said she worshipped Satan (which is ridiculous because Satanists would never worship anyone else but themself); people who didn't care about what the bible said cause they were right, and the bible is not; and those who are really wanting to know God. 

It was after we talked to the Satanist when I got really depressed.  Not because my feelings were hurt or the things she said to me, but for the hardness of her soul.  I can't imagine how Paul must have felt.  But it reminded me of how Paul got joy.  Paul wanted to finish the race with joy, and that nothing, whether people or situations moved him (Acts 20:24).  A soul-winners joy is a valuable weapon against the enemy (Psalm 51:12-13).  A soul-winners joy can come from:

• The Lord
• The rememberance of those who we won to Christ (Psalm 126:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).
• Those who go soul winning with us will rejoice with us (John 4:36, Acts 15:3).

It is important to know that even though we may weep now and that we may think that our conversations are wasted, we should know that those tears may be turned to joy as people are in the process of being saved and God is using us for His glory (Psalm 126:5-6).  I can't spend my time thinking of those who rejected God's word for any reason.  I had to spend the remainder of that last day just thinking of all the people we DID reach, and those who have been wanting to know the Lord and didn't know where to begin. 

Of the conversations that we had some stood out more than others.  One young man in the beginning said he was a Christian, but did not understand anything about the gospel.  At the end of our conversation he was overwhelmingly thankful and was wanting to read his bible again (which it has been months).  I shared with him the importance of making a decision for Christ now while he had time and hopefully he did that very thing later on. 

Another conversation Tony and I had with a woman who's mother had been praying for for years.  Her mother, who only knew Spanish, cried and praised God when I gave her a Spanish tract and realized that some prayers were being answered right in front of her eyes.  One which was that someone would share the gospel with her daughter and have it make sense. 

Most of the conversations we had were with people who knew of Jesus, but never took Him as Lord of their lives.  We had many conversations and pray that God will make the fruit grow in their lives for His glory.