Actress and producer Candace Cameron Bure worried about offending a roomful of new friends, but she feared missing the chance to share Jesus more.
“I would most regret if I had this opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus with you and I didn’t,” Bure recalled saying during the gathering.
In an episode of her podcast late last month, Bure told bestselling Christian author, speaker and podcast host Annie F. Downs about a conversation that put her courage to the test. Roughly 10 people were taking turns discussing their biggest regrets, and Bure would answer last.
She didn’t know where everyone stood spiritually. As she listened to their personal stories, she said she felt God prompting her to share the gospel, even though she wanted these new friends to like her.
When her turn came, Bure asked whether they would be willing to hear about Jesus. Then she spoke, nerves and all.
“And Annie, it was probably the worst gospel presentation I’ve ever spoken in my life,” Bure admitted, saying that she was shaking, and someone who knew her a little better encouraged her to keep going.
Related: 5 Habits Candace Cameron Bure Makes a Priority
The actress didn’t offer a tidy ending or claim anyone made a decision for Christ. She said she didn’t know what fruit might come later, but she felt good about obeying despite her discomfort.
That priority fits how the FULL HOUSE star describes her identity on her own website: she values her many roles, but she identifies being a Christian as the most life-changing one. In this conversation, that commitment meant risking an awkward moment with people she barely knew.
Downs shared her own less-than-polished encounter, this time at Dairy Queen. She recalled standing alone with her Blizzard when a woman nearby started crying, and she felt the Holy Spirit prompting her to speak.
At first, Downs left without approaching the woman. Then she returned, pretending she needed napkins and offered to sit and listen if the woman wanted to talk.
The woman declined, attributing her tears to allergies. Downs said she never saw her again.
“I’m not here for the result,” the author said. “I’m here to be the aroma of Christ in the rooms I walk into and the subway cars I get into and the Dairy Queens I go into.”
Their discussion drew on 2 Corinthians 2:14-17, where Paul describes God using believers to spread the knowledge of Christ like an aroma. Downs stressed that this calling doesn’t belong only to people with public platforms.
She also pointed to Peter stepping out of the boat toward Jesus in Matthew 14 as she encouraged listeners to practice courage in familiar places. Work, a PTA meeting or choosing honesty can offer opportunities to take a faithful next step.
“Look for a way to do something a little different that requires a little courage in the life that you already have,” Downs encouraged.
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