“What’d you get?” a young man named Trevor asked me at the Iowa State fair.
“It’s a beef brisket sandwich,” I replied.
After chatting briefly, I said, “I’m helping with the Noah’s Ark booth.”
“Oh! Someone from your booth actually witnessed to me two years ago, and I’m a Christian now!” Trevor said.
That definitely got my attention, and I was curious to hear more.
“Really? That’s so encouraging!” I exclaimed, “When did you become a Christian?”
“Well, that talk at the fair got me thinking about spiritual things,” Trevor explained, “… and then two months later I trusted in Christ as my Savior.”
Trevor told me that he is part of a church now and also has joined a campus ministry. He said he loves to evangelize, and his coworker (who had been part of the original conversation) got saved two months after he did. Praise the Lord!
Later I learned that Tony Ramsek was the one who had originally shared the gospel with Trevor. It was an exciting meeting when Trevor came over to the booth to talk to Tony.
“Do you remember me?” Trevor asked him with a smile on his face.
“I’m sorry,” Tony replied. “I don’t think I do. Can you remind me how we met?”
Trevor laughed.
“You shared the gospel with me several years ago.”
After reminding him of the details of their conversation, Tony did remember! In fact, he even had a picture from when they met. (Of course, they had to get another one this year – see below.) What a special encouragement it was for Tony to see fruit from a conversation from years past!
Trevor’s story is an encouraging reminder that God continues His work even if we never see the person again. God’s Word goes forth and does not return empty (Isaiah 55:11). God’s Word bears fruit and multiplies (just as Trevor is now sharing the gospel with others!)
As I Corinthians 3:6 says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
