Bookstore interview launches Sharing YOUR Faith Story

My live interview on Catholic radio aired from Sacred Heart Books and Gifts on Oct 12. This was the market launch of my new DVD Sharing YOUR Faith Story, a three-part seminar for evangelization. Dave Palmer, general manager of GRN KATH 910 AM, conducted a fast-paced hour of interviews with five people at the store and two call-ins. Each of us shared our personal testimony of our conversion, reversion or healing.

Nikki White, manager of Sacred Heart Books and Gifts in north Dallas, was first in the “chair of testimony.” She shared that as a young “head-Catholic” she found herself yelling at heaven during a five-year period of spiritual aridity. The prayers and words of encouragement, healing and love of her aunt humbled her as she realized the inescapability of God’s love for her.

I shared my commitment to the Lord as a devout Protestant teenager, my college romance and marriage in the Catholic Church. My conversion came three years after my wedding when I realized I belonged in the Catholic Church. I also shared how the seminar was created, how Catholic Groups can use it and a couple of tips about what not to do when telling your faith story.

Giving their lives to God

Two 24-year-old cradle Catholics, Matthew Cantrell and Charlotte Ward grew up in the “Catholic bubble of faithful families.” They gave different testimonies of their adult decisions during times of realizing their great need to give their lives to God. Now they serve in youth and young adult ministries in the Diocese of Dallas.

Rob Brull shared how Catholic radio was vital in his return to the fullness of his Catholic faith after a time of being a “45-minute Sunday Catholic.” During a time of discouragement, a job change gave him the opportunity to listen to Catholic Bible teachers on his long commute. After 23 years he returned to confession because of Catholic radio. His story will appear on JoyAlive.net
 next month.

Calling in their testimonies

Alice Clauss called in to share how God spoke to her of his unfailing love and mercy through her Christian roommate in the hospital after a traffic accident. She returned to the Church. Recently, a Sharing YOUR Faith Story seminar I gave taught her how to give her testimony and how to teach women in the ACTS ministry how to give their witnesses.

Rob Schnitzus called in with a praise report of a healing story. He expressed his gratitude for God’s great faithfulness and how he was humbled by abundant prayer support during his recent cancer surgery, the first surgery of his life.

Always be ready

These courageous people who shared their stories embodied the scripture underlying Sharing YOUR Faith Story, 1 Peter 3:15, 16, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence.”

Their unique stories demonstrate how the most effective way to evangelize is through the faith story only we can tell. They knew that theirs was a unique story and they were ready to tell it.  Hopefully they knew that all the baptized are meant to be evangelists, as their story went out to thousands of listeners in North Texas.

As these ever-ready evangelists fulfill their baptism commission, may they grow in their passion for evangelization, I know that the passion of my continual conversion deepens in my heart each time I share my faith story. May they find that joy alive in their hearts that comes when we share those experiences that bring us closer to God.

Here’s the KATH 910 AM audio recording of the celebration.

How will you tell your faith story?

(© 2015 Nancy HC Ward)