Influence

I’ve been thinking about Dr. Margie Roper (pictured left). Mom and I planned to drop by for a visit, but Mom ended up in the hospital. After Mom died, I wanted Dr. Margie to comfort me, but suddenly she was gone, too. Over the years, Dr. Margie unofficially mentored me simply by pointing me in the right direction. She knew four generations of my family; she always made me feel rooted. People of influence are like that.

Influence

Right after I became a Christian in the early 80s, I attended a conference for college students in Dallas. In the days before cell phones, pay phones adorned a long wall in the lobby of this fancy conference hotel, like a row of slot machines.

During a break in the seminars, I grabbed a roll of dimes and called every friend I had in Dallas, inviting them to join me. Josh McDowell was a popular key note speaker and there was buzz about his talk that evening.

Invite a Friend

“This is Cathy Primer. I’m in Dallas for a conference. We’ve got a great speaker tonight, Josh McDowell. He’s famous; he’s funny and smart. He won’t be boring at all. Why don’t you join me?” I said to my friends’ message machines in rapid succession for a half hour.

Standing shoulder to shoulder, the man next to me kept cupping his receiver, whispering, glancing at me, and snickering. I ignored him.

After my last call, I hung up. He did too. As he turned toward me, I thought, Oh dear, he wants to talk to me.

Maybe Tonight?

“I couldn’t help but notice that you’re calling all your friends to invite them to hear this guy, Josh McDowell. Have you ever heard him speak?” he asked.

“No, sir. But he’s gonna be great.” Then, it dawned on me that God wanted me to lead him to Jesus that night. “You should come. You can sit with me and my friends.”

“I’m going to be there tonight,” he responded decisively. “By the way, what’s your name?”

“My name is Cathy Primer,” I said, stretching out my hand to shake his. 

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is Josh McDowell.”

Influence, Comfort, Companionship, and Praise

Sometimes, influence is so close, we can reach out and touch it. However, with Billy Graham and Dr. Margie  entering heaven within weeks of each other, I’m feeling a little deprived down here, especially considering we said goodbye to Paul Powell this year, too.

Dr. Margie played hymns like an angel. We’d sing together. She never once winced, but applauded my enthusiasm for the old truths sung in loud voices over the worn keys of her piano in the room where she influenced so many of us who loved her. If you happen to read I’ve flown away, I’m probably sitting next to Dr. Margie, flipping the pages of her heavenly hymnal, singing, “Oh, how I love Jesus….”

Fr the next few weeks, we’re going to take a look at another woman who influenced her whole community for good in one afternoon. Was she disqualified by her past? What qualified her to be so influential? Did she get the credit she deserved? I hope you will stay tuned for the exciting adventures of this amazing woman….

May I pray for you?

Dear Father, we all feel alone sometimes, yet You stay with us. You bring others into our lives to comfort us when we hurt. We are grateful for the good people You allow in our lives that influence us for good and point us in the right direction. Thank you for teachers and mentors, those who keep loving us. Thank you for companionship that does not condemn, but comforts faithfully. Remind us the time is short here so we must love like You. Thank You for Your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

You can sign up for my Newsletter by clicking here.

Cathy Krafve, Texas Author, Columnist, Speaker, and Radio Host, focusing on fellowship in Christian Marriage and Family, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.