Teresa's Testimony
Posted by Madison Eisaman on
“Is it okay that I give you this?”
That’s the typical way that Teresa Haney, 77, of Jacksonville, Fla., begins conversations about Jesus with people she meets for the first time. Then she extends a copy of the motion tract, “You are Loved”.
“This is just to tell you that God loves you. I just want you to know,” she tells them.
Whether going to the grocery store or doctor’s office, or even on vacation – she never leaves home without having the Gospel tracts in the front pouch of her purse, ready at a moment’s notice to give to anyone who seems available and receptive. Her husband keeps them in his pocket. They never want to miss an opportunity.
Out of all the years of doing this, Teresa said there were only 2 to 3 people who refused to take one. As a general rule, she said, “Everyone who gets it loves it, and they say ‘thank you’.”
It’s a simple message and a simple act, yet extremely powerful at the same time.
“There’s a lot of hurting people,” she said. And though the tract itself might not, on its own, cause someone to turn to Christ, it’s a tool, and “You get them to think about God and how much He loves them.”
And that is seed that can take root and grow – just like the beautiful rose that opens on the front of the card. On the back, the person receiving the card is reminded, with Scripture, that God loves them sacrificially, unconditionally, and eternally.
Teresa’s own faith journey began when she was a little girl growing up in Tampa, Fla. She was not raised in a Christian home, but she went with neighbors down the street to Sunday school each week. She didn’t fully understand what it meant to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation until she was in 7th grade and decided to take that step of faith on an Easter Sunday.
“God has been with me, and He’s blessed me all my life,” she said. As a “first-generation Christian” in her family, as she calls herself, she said “Years and years later, I was able to lead my parents to the Lord.” And her baby brother is now an assistant pastor in Florida.
Teresa had a career teaching elementary school and then later served as a principal at a Christian academy in Jacksonville. During that time, she was able to lead many parents to the Lord. Now retired, she said her work is still not done.
“A person can retire from working a full-time job, but we should never retire from loving and serving our dear Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ” she said.
Haney continues to teach a ladies’ Sunday school class, teaches college part-time, and helps with a ministry, Celebrate Recovery. Her daily ministry is simply sharing God’s love with others. And she encourages others to do the same. She gives her college students the “You are Loved” tracts, trains them how to share the Gospel and lead someone to the Lord, and encourages them to join her in this mission that is really for all who follow Jesus.
Her method is not invasive, overwhelming, or scary…and it’s highly effective.
No one needs to approach anyone with a tract, thinking they will have to lead someone to the Lord that same moment, she said. She encourages simple obedience to share this simple message, and then to let the Holy Spirit lead in opportunities where the conversation can go further.
Recently, Teresa said the tracts were important tools in leading several people to the Lord that very same day, including two college students at a gym, a worker at a dental office (making the visit wonderful, even though she had to have a tooth pulled!), and a waitress at a restaurant during a vacation in Alaska.
“The more you use them, the more you get used to using them,” Teresa said.
And the more people will hold in their hands a tangible reminder that they are loved so very much by God.