Shine Bright.

It was New Years Day, and all my friends had spent the night in this beautiful loft downtown.   We had reservations in the morning at this amazing breakfast place (Brians 24) for brunch.  We were just about to pay the bill when one of my friends said that there was a guy that she had made eye contact with about 5 times throughout the meal, but he had just left.  “I have to go find him.  I can’t explain it, I just have to go ask for his number or something.”  We were laughing.  Was she seriously going to go chase after him?  No one has that kind of confidence. She took off out of the restaurant and about 10 minutes later came back.  She couldn’t find him.  She was visibly distraught and kept saying how she couldn’t explain it.  Something was just telling her she needed to talk to him, but she didn’t and now she couldn’t think of anything else.  We encouraged her to go search again half jokingly.   This time, she didn’t come back for 15 minutes.   She had found him.  She said she was walking down the street, just praying and asking God to lead her to him.  It had been quite a while since he had left the restaurant in downtown San Diego.  He could be anywhere. She turned a few streets down.  “I bet he’s in that Starbucks.”  She walked in, and there he was.  It turned out he was in San Diego to surf- there was a big swell over new years.  He was from Canada and was only going to be here one more day. For about an hour after the incident, she was visibly shaken… not necessarily about the guy, but about God.  She said she had never approached a guy before, and that God had given her the confidence and determination she needed to do it.  It was as if a miracle had struck her, and all she could say was how real God was.  If she ever doubted His existence that was all gone now.   The reason for her meeting him might not ever be revealed to her or maybe it will.  I just think it is amazing that there was a reason, and that she followed through on that feeling without letting fear get in the way.

What would happen if you went and talked to that person who caught your eye?  When you see a homeless person and wonder their story- what if you went and asked them?  What if you suddenly had all the confidence in the world and you could approach whomever you wanted with no fear of rejection?  What would happen?  I have had that gut feeling that I needed to go talk to someone, but I always let that fear get in the way of following through.  Now I can’t help thinking, what would happen if I did?

One of my favorite organizations based in San Diego but inspiring worldwide is The Shine Project.   Turns out she was asking herself these same questions,  but she decided to do something.  In these next 4 months, her goal is to meet 100 completely random people, hear their stories, pay close attention to what they might need, and figure out a way to help them.   She is calling it the 100 People Project.  She is recruiting people to join her now!  Check it out here & Shine on!  Let me know if your going to do it too in the comments below.

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