Crystal A. Murray would like to welcome you to her new site. This will be the new home base for the variety of ministries in which she is involved. Her ministries include writing (articles, devotions, stories, poetry, song lyrics, and more,) editing, graphic design, teaching, counseling, consulting, and service ministry as God leads and she obeys. Read below for information on the foundation of her heart of ministry.

What IS 4-1 SOUL ABOUT?

If God asked you to lay down your life for a million people, it would be hard, but not quite as hard as if He asked you to lay it down for only one. An even more difficult task might be to live your entire life, with all the ups, downs, and in-betweens, and never see any fruit of it until you get to Heaven. Once there, you find that something you did resulted in a positive eternity for just one soul. You will feel better then, but what about now? What about when you cannot see what it's all about?

Could you do it all if you knew it would save one soul? Could you...

• Live through cancer?
• Endure hardships?
• Remain "unsuccessful" (in the eyes of man)?
• Live below poverty level?
• Be hurt without retaliating?

OR

• Be healthy?
• Be successful without pride?
• Fight the enemy of your soul?
• Live a quiet life?
• Be a volunteer?

There are so many directions I could go here that are vast, but how about some smaller specifics. Could you...

• Write?
• Sing?
• Perform?
• Befriend many?
• Feed the hungry?
• Visit the infirm?
• Minister to the incarcerated?

And all for the end result of just one soul?

I had to ask this of myself: What if, of everything I wrote, only one item ever actually worked toward the salvation of a lost soul? What if, no matter what got published, the one thing that mattered was the item I dropped at the bus stop and never even knew who read it? Would I keep on writing?

And so I ask you: What if, of every thing you do and endure in life, only one moment of it actually worked toward the salvation of a lost soul? What if, no matter how many sacrifices you made that seemed they should have drawn in a flood of interest in God Almighty, the one thing that really mattered was the smile you gave a lonely stranger? Would you keep on living sacrificially? Would you keep on reaching out? Would it all be worth it in the end?

I answer "yes" to these things because the value of just one soul to God was enough for Him to shed perfect blood for all men. And I hope this is enough to encourage Christians in whatever part of life they find themselves walking to just keep on walking. You may not see the fruit of your labors on this earth. Your labors may result in the harvest of many or the harvest of one. But, as in the parable of the talents, even if God only entrusts you with one soul to win as you walk the course He gave you to live on this earth, that one soul is worth it.

THE CHALLENGE

Eventually, I will add more details and even link to my support products, but for right now, the challenge is just to think. Think now and think always about your life and how it could affect another soul.

Think more: With every sacrifice, every battle, every temptation you resist, know that God has a purpose. Know that God has plans to prosper you (for His work) and that no labor done for Him is done in vain.

Finally, remember that it is not His will for ANY man (that is ANY human, any race, any gender) to perish. Live every moment of your life with the knowledge that it could all be "4-1 Soul" and know that if such is God's will for you, it is enough.