/uw A long one today. Special thanks to u/Lilith_Anorthosite who co-wrote this with me. Previous post here.
Vashric rips through the City of Dis like a jagged knife. Having been discovered by the horde of demons, stealth is no longer an option. Disintegration rays fly wildly through the air. War devils are broken down and blown apart. Walls and frames are atomized, several buildings collapse around them. He wants to fly out of the chaos but his telekinesis is still focused on stabilizing his body, a constant effort even now. He extends his wings to take off but the war devils dog him down. The fight devolves into a grapple as the horde piles onto Vashric, stabbing, slashing, tearing.
A violet light emanates from the pile, then a massive flash. The closest devils are vaporized immediately, the rest are blinded and stunned. With his psychomantic power severely hindered for the moment, Vashric resorts to hand-to-hand combat. Punches, kicks, claw slashes, tail whips, even in his weakened state Vashric is a force to be reckoned with. As strikes land, the fiends are reduced to bloody mists and fileted corpses.
Hundreds of the demons are felled before an opening presents itself. He throws his wings out, knocking multiple fiends away, and takes to the sky. The smoke-laden clouds of Dis parts ways before him as he reaches hypersonic speeds. The leftover war devils make chase, but quickly disappear behind the horizon, unable to keep up with Vashric’s sheer velocity. The eyes on his wings open again, scanning the ground below for any hell gates. He soars over the city, on and on. His frustration nearly rises to a boiling point, before he finally notices a gate on the outskirts, guarded by four large devils. He lands immediately, the force shakes the ground around him. He approaches the enforcers.
The largest, a massive, scarred pit fiend, calls to him, “Hark, grey devil, what business do you have-”
“I don’t have time for this, get out of my way.”
The pit fiend only smirks, “Your insubordination offends, whelp. Your skull will make a fine addition to my collection.”
The fiend motions to the other three demons, they draw their weapons and move in on Vashric. One to his left readies to bring down its cleaver but freezes, “I really don’t have time for this,” in a blur, Vashric had buried his hand in the demon’s chest, gripping around its spine, crushing it. He lets go and the demon slumps onto the dirt. The other two are dazed. “Kill him!” the pit fiend snarls at his soldiers. They regain some resolve and move in for the attack. The exchange is short lived, however. Vashric grasps the forearm of one demon, tearing it off, then thrusts their blade through the eye socket of the other. The first demon clinches its bloody stump before Vashric removes its head.
The pit fiend growls at him as he approaches, “Perhaps you’re a little more than just a whelp,” the massive hellspawn lunges at Vashric, letting loose with a flurry of practiced cuts. They miss, though, Vashric weaves through each attack. An opportunity presents itself, one punch shatters ribs, the other causes skull fractures. The fiend falls to the ground with a low thud. It tries to curse him, but can’t form words as it fades into unconsciousness. Without a word, Vashric steps through the hell gate.
He’s brought to the next layer through a tunnel of fire. He gets that same, fleeting sense of nostalgia. The portal opens up to a mountainside overlooking the outskirts of another city, this one gothic in appearance. Tortured souls adorn the buildings, their bodies melded into the stone, whispering pleads. From his position, Vashric can barely see a group of sinners and demons. He uses his ESP to get a closer look, and it reveals an enslaved workforce of the damned. They’re being whipped and abused by their infernal masters as they’re forced to pull around large stones. They haul the masonry to a large monument under construction. A statue to some sort of leonide figure it seems.
“So, this is Pri-”
He keels over, hugging his chest. The pressure returns, he can feel the changes again, somehow spurred on by his traveling to another circle of Hell. His rematerialization kicks into overdrive trying to fight back the demonic transformation. He falls to the ground, totally immobile. After a few moments of pure agony, he finds the strength to send out a telepathic signal, hoping Lilith is close enough to hear him, hoping this too isn’t jammed.
“Rghhh, gods d-damn, that’s going to h-hurt in the- RGGHH- in the morning. An assist would be really nice right about now.”
Meanwhile, Lilith is roaming the streets of Pride in search of her friend. Having arrived not long ago after receiving Vashric’s nebulous message. Midstep she’s struck by his psychic call and responds immediately after catching herself, “I got your message. I came as fast as I could, but, from what I saw on the news, I don't know if I can help. Where are you right now? The city is huge.”
Vashric is confused for a moment, “The news? RGGHH! O-Okay, n-not important. I could use some h-help getting this demon magic un-under control. H-Hang on,” Vashric expends just enough energy to send out a psychic ping to Lilith, “There, did-did you f-feel that? That’s me.”
A silver cloud appears in front of Vashric, it quickly dissipates to reveal Lilith still in her work attire, “I'm here! Vashric, what's happening?!”
Vashric is spasming on the ground, his body ripping itself apart and desperately trying to put itself back together. Muscles tearing out of skin, bones contorting into unnatural shapes, a horrible sight. His voice grates past his teeth, “The ch-changes are b-back. They won’t s-stop.”
“This isn't normal! This is too much demonic energy for most demons to handle. That includes me.”
“L-Lilith, ple-ease. Anything w-will help. I’ve had t-t-to shatter a-nd rebuild my skel-skeleton like three times n-now,” Vashric motions to the bones jutting out of his arm.
Lilith’s mind races with potential solutions. She flips through years of magical knowledge in her mind but almost every solution she can think of requires time. Time she doesn't have. Only one seems feasible at the moment.
“I'm going to get in trouble for this but it's the only thing I can think of. I’m going to use some of your energy for a summon spell.”
“T-Trouble? Summon who?- No, it d-doesn’t matter. I’ll take the blame, I-I don’t care. How f-f-fast can you s-summon them?”
“The summoning should be quick. The main issue is that what I'm doing is illegal and may cause some issues,” Lilith begins preparing the spell.
Vashric gets to his hands and knees with a growl of pain, small fissures form across his skin as magenta hellfire streams out from the wounds. He tries to stand, “I’m n-n-ot very m-mobile at the moment, sor-sorry, you’ll h-have to for-forgive me.”
Lilith scans the area for a moment. She sees nothing, but decides to set a silence spell around the two, just in case. “I can't have others hear this chant.” She then starts to speak in Infernal tongue. As she does, the energy streams from Vashric into a singular spot. A deep red rift forms in the air. A clawed hand grips the edge, enlarging the tear. The massive and broad figure of a warrior demoness walks out.
Vashric growls in pain as the magenta flames burn ever brighter. His skin chars as he does his best to hold back further demonic transformation. Totally unconcerned with the she-devil exiting the portal.
The demoness speaks, her voice not of brimstone and fire but of care and worry, “Lilith why are you trying to summon me? You know you can just call me?
Fully stepping out of the rift Asmodian General, Liliana Obsidiantail finally gets a proper look at the mutating grey devil, “Lilith, what's going on?”
Lilith addresses her mother in a panic,“I'm sorry mama, but it’s my friend, Vashric. The one that absorbed all of that demonic energy. He’s changing again! It was manageable the first few times but something is different now!”
Vashric struggles to address Lilith’s mother, “H-H-ello, I’m Vash-ric. F-Friends call me Vash. It’s n-nice to finally m-meet you.” Vashric waves with a flame wreathed hand, “I c-c-could use some help.”
Liliana’s voice becomes rougher once talking to him, “We can leave introductions for later.”
She turns to the rift she came through and with a wave of her hand the destination changes to a military base. Her voice becomes a deep demonic growl as she yells orders. Lesser demons run about grabbing brimstone pylons from what look like weapons. The demons swiftly and efficiently set the equipment up.
“This should contain the excess energy. This isn't going to be pretty, though.”
Vashric lets out an otherworldly snarl as his jaws and teeth begin to extend past his lips, splitting the skin of his mouth, “Do it!”
“Lilith, make sure none of this magic is discharged into the surrounding area. The equipment isn’t made for this. If the energy doesn’t flow directly from him to the pylons something could explode. Either the pylons or your friend.” Her mother's command shocks Lilith out of her nervous panic as she prepares herself.
Liliana then turns to Vashric with a sharpened spike connected to the pylons by metal chains and stabs it into his chest. He barely winces at the stabbing, initially, but forms a low, rumbling grow as the siphoning begins.
The energy emanating from Vashric is continually guided into the pylons but it starts to affect everyone in the area. Lilith attempts to form a barrier to seal in the surge, increasing the intensity for everyone inside. Shadowy tendrils rise up from the ground, writhing and pulsing. The pylons begin to glow with the same searing magenta. If all present weren’t fiends, they would surely burn alive inside the barrier. Faint, infernal whispers become audible.
The lesser demons that set up the pylons grip their heads as they topple over. Lilith’s eyes go wide as she recognizes the voices from her dreams. Her mother's eyes become fiercer as she forces the spike deeper into Vashric’s chest. He howls as his eyes become pits of fire, the burning continues but the bodily changes seem to slow. The whispers rise in volume, now. They assault Lilith and Liliana. Only they can hear its message, “The black waters rise. Rejoice in His work.”
Liliana yells to Lilith, “Who or what did you get involved with? What in the Nine Hells is speaking to us?”
“Liliana, soldier of Hell. His kingdom is imminent. Join Him in the black waters, where the blood collects. Rejoice in His work.”
Her response is quick,“I’m loyal to Asmodeus and to my family. Burn your heinous tongue in the eternal fires.”
Their minds are filled with insidious laughter, “The black waters rise. Rejoice in His work,” With that, the voice fades away. Vashric comes back to consciousness, spasming slightly. The pylons are burning like suns, but his transformation seems to stabilize for now.
Lilith releases the barrier, exhausted. Liliana pulls the spike out of Vashric and drops it to the ground. She grabs him by the collar and her voice becomes like brimstone, “You have some explaining to do.”
Vashric turns his head, taking a moment to spit a black, tar-like substance onto the ground. It writhes like the shadows from earlier. His voice is raspy and haggard, “I appreciate your assistance, truly, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.” This was a half-truth, Vashric had a good idea as to what she meant.
“Now, could you put me down? I’ll repay you when I can, but I have to continue my journey.”
“You’re not going anywhere that isn't a holding cell.”
“...I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m sorry, I know this probably isn’t how you wanted to spend your day. Why don’t we talk things out before someone does something they regret,” Vashric gestures to Lilith, “We shouldn’t fight in front of your daughter, my friend.”
Lilith speaks up, “Mama, could you put him down?”
Liliana’s voice softens a bit, “Lilith, your ‘friend’ has caused major destruction in Dis. Multiple laws have already been broken. I'm not even supposed to be in this circle. So, no, I'm not going to put him down.”
She yells at the demons under her command to get up and take the pylons back to base as she chains Vashric.
He struggles against her hold, “Hey! Excuse me, I’m going to meet Astaroth, grand duke of the 9th. I’m sure he’ll clear everything up when I get there,” Vashric grips Liliana’s arm, then speaks to her, both verbally and telepathically, “Now. Put. Me. Down. Please.”
His telepathy collides with Liliana’s warded mind, “We’ll send a message to the grand duke when we get to your cell. If what you say is true, you should have no worries waiting for his response.”
Vashric glares at her, but doesn’t want to make a scene in front of Lilith, and doesn’t have enough strength to fight back anyway, “Fine. I’m not going to move rings yet, though. Not until I have time to meditate and replenish some of my psychomancy. Every time I’ve traveled between layers so far, this has only gotten worse.”
“I wasn't planning to. Now, where is the enforcement in this city?”
Liliana looks to the horizon and eventually sees the group of sinners in the distance, still lugging around large stones, headed by their demonic overseers. She spreads her massive wings and turns to her daughter, “Lilith, hold on.” She scoops her up and flies towards the demons, Vashric dangling in her other hand.
Liliana flies low enough to speak to the overseers, hovering just above them, she calls out, “I am Liliana, Guardian of Debauchery. I need to know where the nearest prison is.”
One of the demons motions for the sinners to halt and looks to Liliana, “What’cha be doing in Pride? We’re a long ways away from your circle.”
“Doing the job of whoever’s guarding this entrance.”
The demon gives her a defiant look, but doesn’t argue, too busy with its tasks. It points towards a large black spire in the center of the city. “Most prisoners are taken to the citadel, Sabnock will want a word, but he ain’t here at the moment. The lieutenant can see you for now.”
“Thank you,” Liliana turns and starts to fly in the spire's direction, Lilith and Vashric in tow.
Vashric chimes in, “This is really quite unnecessary, I can fly myself,” But Liliana ignores him. He turns to Lilith and speaks telepathically, “Lilith, I was expecting your mother to be a lot kinder, like you…”
Lilith, in a slightly quivering voice, “Well, if this introduction had been over some tea she’d likely be much nicer. She’s supposed to be on the job right now.” As the mental conversation continues, Lilith’s appearance starts to change.
“Why didn’t you say anything? I could have conjured tea-” Vashric stops, “Were your antlers always that long?”
“My antlers shouldn't be your concern at the moment! What happened back there? This wasn't like your other transformations.”
“It’s been getting worse the deeper into Hell I’ve traveled. I don’t know why. What’s more, the-” He pauses, contemplating how much he should divulge, “I never told you, but there have been…whispers, voices. This isn’t the first I’ve dealt with them, but they’ve been getting worse ever since I turned. Don’t worry about me, though, I’ll be fine. It’ll take more than hell magic to put me down.”
“Whispers? We heard whispers when we were siphoning your magic. They spoke exactly like a figure in the dream I had last night.”
“You’re serious? They talked to you? They talked to you in a dream? What did they say? Lilith, I need you to tell me exactly what they said.”
“They just said a lot about a ‘Herald’ and ‘black waters rising.’ That ‘He’ will make things start anew. Also, they repeated ‘rejoice in His work’ a lot.”
“They mentioned black waters?... Shit. Lilith, you need to leave, you can’t be around me. If it’s spreading, you won’t be safe near me.”
“Is this a disease? What is going on? This is clearly a threat and I can’t just turn my back. I won't let more people I care about get hurt because I'm too weak to help.”
“This isn’t a discussion, Lilith, this isn’t a suggestion. I’m telling you, when we get to this spire and your mother so graciously locks me up, you leave and go back to the Prime. I’ll meet Atsaroth as soon as I can and get this sorted out.”
“Ok, fine, but can you at least tell me what’s happening? I prefer to be informed of danger.”
“Lilith I-” he takes a moment to compose himself, “I’m not sure. It’s something I’ve been dealing with for a long time. Well before all this devil transformation nonsense. Just let me handle it.”
“You were literally tearing apart from the inside! Vashric, what would have happened if you hadn't called me?”
“I would’ve figured out something else…”
The trio breaks through a thick layer of smog, the Citadel of Pride reveals itself. A massive spire, made of dread iron and twisted souls, overlooks the ring. A beacon of hellfire lights the top, everburning, its flames shriek with the voices of the damned. The tower is surrounded by a fort, walled off from the city. Soldiers and guards can be seen beyond the bulwarks, some training, some prodding sinners and prisoners along. Liliana lands just outside the main gate. A large, imposing devil stands before them.
“You there, what is your business?”
“I am Lilliana Asmodi Obsidiantail, Asmodean General and Guardian of Debauchery. I come with a prisoner and I need to meet with the lieutenant.”
The demon eyes her, “Highly irregular. You’re not supposed to be in Pride, general. I’ll call the lieutenant, he’ll surely want to speak. So will Lord Sabnock when he returns.” It activates a sigil on the wall behind it, sending a message inside.
“I didn’t expect to be here, but it appears that someone has been failing to do their job.”
The fiend snorts, “We do not fail, blame the other rings for dumping their trash in our layer. And I suggest you hold your tongue. This isn’t your territory, and we don’t take kindly to such accusations. Especially not Lord Sabnock. Now, the lieutenant will meet you inside, mind your damn manners.” The demon gestures towards the guard house at the top of the wall, the gate creaks open. It then motions for the group to head inside, scowling at them all the while.
Liliana resists the urge to reduce the demon to a stain and drags Vashric in as Lilith follows behind her, “I now remember why I don't visit Pride.”
Lilith attempts to soothe her, “Mama, you're about to be in a meeting. The calmer you are, the faster you can get back to Debauchery and, in turn, the faster you can see Mother again.”
“Yes, I’d like to see her soon. This day has been… less-than-joyous,” she seems to grip Vashric a bit harder.
Vashric scoffs at Liliana, “Don’t be upset with me, I’ve been pretty cordial considering the circumstances.”
Their bickering is cut short, however. A portly Amnizu robed in fine clothes approaches the trio. Its rich adornments stand in stark contrast to its grotesque figure. It addresses Liliana alone, paying no mind to Vashric or Lilith, “General Obsidiantail, what a pleasure to meet you, I’m Lieutenant Tg’grax. I understand you have a prisoner you wish to deposit in our fine citadel?”
“Yes.” Liliana holds Vashric out, “This was just outside the city. The smell of blood lingers on it. I believe it’s the fugitive that tore through Dis.”
“I won’t ask what you were doing on our layer, I’m sure you had your reasons… Hmm, a grey skinned devil. Yes, perhaps this is the one that cut swathes through Dispater’s realm, Lord Sabnock will want to see for himself. Very well,” Tg’grax motions to Vashric and a pit fiend tears him out of Liliana’s hold. “This one will be kept in a holding cell, as for the two of you, you’ll have to wait until Lord Sabnock arrives.”
Liltih sighs, “At least I’m already off work.”
Liliana's face turns sour, “Well, I'm not. Asmodeus isn't going to be happy that I'm gone from my post for so long.”
Vashric is hauled off to a warded cell, “What a fine fucking predicament you’ve gotten yourself into this time, Vashric... Oh well, not much I can do until I recharge,” he thinks to himself, before assuming a meditative stance. He begins to gather psychic energy from his surroundings, unbeknownst to the guards, “And now we wait.”

As Christians, we know the best thing that ever happened to us is Jesus. Often, we're hindered from sharing this fact from people we care about. Laws are becoming increasingly unfriendly toward people of our faith. Depending on where you are, your silent prayer could be prosecuted as a thought-crime. Solicited advice could be criminalized as bigotry.
With this hostility, we may be discouraged from sharing the Gospel. The hour is getting late, friends. We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. If we love our God and our fellow man, we will speak the truth in love. Some will persecute us for it. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality. (2 Thessalonians 2:10, Mark 8:35) We should also be prepared to share the good news of God's love at every turn. Some situations are better than others, though. I want to share what the Bible says, and my own experiences with sharing the gospel and witnessing.
Here are what I believe are the best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count.

1. When they're sick of their own sin. This is especially true if its a sin the Lord has brought you out of. (Matthew 7:5, John 12:44-47, 1 Peter 4:17-18, Proverbs 18:13) We whom God has comforted are the best witness and comfort to those who are still struggling. (2 Corinthians 1:4, Psalm 86:12-13)
   
2. When they credit you for being "strong," or they ask how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life. (John 6:28-29, 2 Corinthians 1:1-4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 119:9, Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Peter 2:9) Let them know where your help comes from. (Psalm 121, 1 Samuel 2:9, 1 Peter 1:3-5)
   
3. When they call on you for needs or advice, and your help restores their faith. Don't just bask in that warm feeling! This is an opening for them to see God helping them through you. (Acts 3:5-11, Acts 9:6, Acts 10:30-32, Acts 22:11, Proverbs 11:28-30, Matthew 19:13-21) A simple, "I love you, and God loves you," promotes unity.
   
4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why. (Acts 16:23-33, Romans 5:1-8)
   
5. When they are facing their mortality and want the peace you have. This may seem obvious, but I've heard believers mourn lost opportunities because they were not prepared. (Proverbs 16:20-25, Luke 3:11-17) We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
   

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good. (Matthew 19:20, Acts 8:30-36)
That isn't the same as "when they demand you to." Jesus told us to go into the world and preach the good news to every creature. The Bible show us that when Jesus spoke to those who demanded it, it resulted in hostility. We need to be ready in mind and spirit when we see this coming.
It isn't usually the openly unsaved who do this demanding. In my experience. It's marginal, or false converts who want to stay in sin. They've already heard the gospel. They want your personal testimony. Don't be fooled into thinking this might be a good opportunity to share. Those who demand your answers seek to discredit you and tear down your faith. They want to continue to walk their dark path, without your example making them look bad or wrong.
The worst time to give your testimony is when a marginal believer flatters you into sharing with strangers. Flattery is a demand with a smiling face. It's the same situation as above, but you're the straw-man they want to build up, so they can knock you down. "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they turn and tear them, and trample you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 15:26, Matthew 22:6, Matthew 24:10, Luke 20:45-47, 3 John 1:9, Ezekiel 22:25)
Again, I want to state, we should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing your personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony can be summed up as, "when people are not being genuine or fair with you." Remember Jesus' parable of the Ten Virgins? This is why the wise don't share their oil when the foolish virgins run out. (Matthew 25:5-9)
I've unintentionally ended up giving my testimony to a small gathering of unbelievers. I don't recommend doing this. We have experiences with God, which they can only compare to demonic counterfeits. They would rather believe I was psychic or delusional, than to believe God came through for me. If there is a person in your group who seems open to hearing your testimony, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character.
Our Father in heaven, your authority is over all authority. Your name is above all names. We pray that your Kingdom would come to earth through us, your servants. We dedicate ourselves and all we have to you. Give us the power, the opportunity, the words and the heart to share the good news of Jesus' payment for our sins. Help us listen for when people are open to hearing the gospel. Prepare us to be willing to give up everything for your glory. We ask that you grant us opportunities to share our testimony to those who will be strengthened by it. Give us discernment about people so we see when is best to share, or best to remain silent. We ask that you help us live honestly before you, so that our testimony is shown through our lives. Jesus said, "All men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Make us people of love, Father, 24/7. Grant us the power to represent you correctly. May your love and healing power flow to us and through us to heal our world, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Scripture references:
We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. Some will persecute us for praying, or sharing the truth in love. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 NLT

10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

Mark 8:35 NLT - 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
The best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count:
1. When they're sick of their own sin and you have experience with God that made you free.
Matthew 7:5 NLT

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

John 12:44-47 NLT

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47 I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.

1 Peter 4:17-18 NLT

17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? 18 And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?"

Proverbs 18:13 NLT

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Psalm 86:12-13 NLT

12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, 13 for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

2. When they want to know how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life.
John 6:28-29 NLT

28 They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?" 29 Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

2 Corinthians 1:1-4 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Psalm 119:9 NLT

9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

Psalm 119:105 NLT

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 NLT

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way--with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

2 Peter 2:9 NLT

9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

Psalm 121:1-8 NLT

1 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

1 Samuel 2:9 NLT

9 "He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.

1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

3. When your help restores their faith in God's love, confirm it by agreeing that God loves them.
Acts 3:5-11 NKJV

5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.

Acts 9:6 NKJV

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Acts 10:30-32 NKJV

30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 "and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.'

Acts 22:11 NKJV

11 "And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

Proverbs 11:28-30 NKJV

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

Matthew 19:13-21 NKJV

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. 16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why.
Acts 16:23-33 NKJV

23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

Romans 5:1-8 NKJV

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5. When they are facing their mortality, fearing hell, or in fear of missing the Rapture. We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
Proverbs 16:20-25 NKJV

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning. 22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Luke 3:11-17 NKJV

11 He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." 15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good.
Matthew 19:20 NKJV

20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Acts 8:30-36 NKJV

30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"

When marginal Christians demand or flatter you out of your personal testimony, this is the worst time to give it. Don't be their Straw-man.
Matthew 7:6 NKJV

6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Matthew 15:26 NKJV

26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." (I think He's saying His help would be wasted on her, because it won't result in her being thankful and repenting. A dog will treat prime rib the same as meat scraps. In the same way some people hear life-changing truth and go right back to unclean behavior. Jesus wants us to ruminate on His goodness like a sheep, not gobble it down like a dog. Our eternity is depending on it.)

Matthew 22:6 NKJV

6 "And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

Matthew 24:10 NKJV

10 "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Luke 20:45-47 NKJV

45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 "who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

3 John 1:9 NKJV

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Ezekiel 22:25 NKJV

25 "The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

We should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing our personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony are when people are not being genuine or fair with you. If someone demanding seems open to truth, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character. Jesus spells this out in the parable of the Ten Virgins.
Matthew 25:5-9 NKJV

5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

May God continually guide us into His heavenly Kingdom through truth and love.

As Christians, we know the best thing that ever happened to us is Jesus. Often, we're hindered from sharing this fact from people we care about. Laws are becoming increasingly unfriendly toward people of our faith. Depending on where you are, your silent prayer could be prosecuted as a thought-crime. Solicited advice could be criminalized as bigotry.
With this hostility, we may be discouraged from sharing the Gospel. The hour is getting late, friends. We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. If we love our God and our fellow man, we will speak the truth in love. Some will persecute us for it. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality. (2 Thessalonians 2:10, Mark 8:35) We should also be prepared to share the good news of God's love at every turn. Some situations are better than others, though. I want to share what the Bible says, and my own experiences with sharing the gospel and witnessing.
Here are what I believe are the best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count.

1. When they're sick of their own sin. This is especially true if its a sin the Lord has brought you out of. (Matthew 7:5, John 12:44-47, 1 Peter 4:17-18, Proverbs 18:13) We whom God has comforted are the best witness and comfort to those who are still struggling. (2 Corinthians 1:4, Psalm 86:12-13)
   
2. When they credit you for being "strong," or they ask how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life. (John 6:28-29, 2 Corinthians 1:1-4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 119:9, Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Peter 2:9) Let them know where your help comes from. (Psalm 121, 1 Samuel 2:9, 1 Peter 1:3-5)
   
3. When they call on you for needs or advice, and your help restores their faith. Don't just bask in that warm feeling! This is an opening for them to see God helping them through you. (Acts 3:5-11, Acts 9:6, Acts 10:30-32, Acts 22:11, Proverbs 11:28-30, Matthew 19:13-21) A simple, "I love you, and God loves you," promotes unity.
   
4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why. (Acts 16:23-33, Romans 5:1-8)
   
5. When they are facing their mortality and want the peace you have. This may seem obvious, but I've heard believers mourn lost opportunities because they were not prepared. (Proverbs 16:20-25, Luke 3:11-17) We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
   

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good. (Matthew 19:20, Acts 8:30-36)
That isn't the same as "when they demand you to." Jesus told us to go into the world and preach the good news to every creature. The Bible show us that when Jesus spoke to those who demanded it, it resulted in hostility. We need to be ready in mind and spirit when we see this coming.
It isn't usually the openly unsaved who do this demanding. In my experience. It's marginal, or false converts who want to stay in sin. They've already heard the gospel. They want your personal testimony. Don't be fooled into thinking this might be a good opportunity to share. Those who demand your answers seek to discredit you and tear down your faith. They want to continue to walk their dark path, without your example making them look bad or wrong.
The worst time to give your testimony is when a marginal believer flatters you into sharing with strangers. Flattery is a demand with a smiling face. It's the same situation as above, but you're the straw-man they want to build up, so they can knock you down. "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they turn and tear them, and trample you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 15:26, Matthew 22:6, Matthew 24:10, Luke 20:45-47, 3 John 1:9, Ezekiel 22:25)
Again, I want to state, we should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing your personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony can be summed up as, "when people are not being genuine or fair with you." Remember Jesus' parable of the Ten Virgins? This is why the wise don't share their oil when the foolish virgins run out. (Matthew 25:5-9)
I've unintentionally ended up giving my testimony to a small gathering of unbelievers. I don't recommend doing this. We have experiences with God, which they can only compare to demonic counterfeits. They would rather believe I was psychic or delusional, than to believe God came through for me. If there is a person in your group who seems open to hearing your testimony, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character.
Our Father in heaven, your authority is over all authority. Your name is above all names. We pray that your Kingdom would come to earth through us, your servants. We dedicate ourselves and all we have to you. Give us the power, the opportunity, the words and the heart to share the good news of Jesus' payment for our sins. Help us listen for when people are open to hearing the gospel. Prepare us to be willing to give up everything for your glory. We ask that you grant us opportunities to share our testimony to those who will be strengthened by it. Give us discernment about people so we see when is best to share, or best to remain silent. We ask that you help us live honestly before you, so that our testimony is shown through our lives. Jesus said, "All men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Make us people of love, Father, 24/7. Grant us the power to represent you correctly. May your love and healing power flow to us and through us to heal our world, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Scripture references:
We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. Some will persecute us for praying, or sharing the truth in love. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 NLT

10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

Mark 8:35 NLT - 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
The best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count:
1. When they're sick of their own sin and you have experience with God that made you free.
Matthew 7:5 NLT

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

John 12:44-47 NLT

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47 I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.

1 Peter 4:17-18 NLT

17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? 18 And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?"

Proverbs 18:13 NLT

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Psalm 86:12-13 NLT

12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, 13 for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

2. When they want to know how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life.
John 6:28-29 NLT

28 They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?" 29 Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

2 Corinthians 1:1-4 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Psalm 119:9 NLT

9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

Psalm 119:105 NLT

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 NLT

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way--with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

2 Peter 2:9 NLT

9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

Psalm 121:1-8 NLT

1 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

1 Samuel 2:9 NLT

9 "He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.

1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

3. When your help restores their faith in God's love, confirm it by agreeing that God loves them.
Acts 3:5-11 NKJV

5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.

Acts 9:6 NKJV

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Acts 10:30-32 NKJV

30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 "and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.'

Acts 22:11 NKJV

11 "And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

Proverbs 11:28-30 NKJV

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

Matthew 19:13-21 NKJV

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. 16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why.
Acts 16:23-33 NKJV

23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

Romans 5:1-8 NKJV

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5. When they are facing their mortality, fearing hell, or in fear of missing the Rapture. We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
Proverbs 16:20-25 NKJV

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning. 22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Luke 3:11-17 NKJV

11 He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." 15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good.
Matthew 19:20 NKJV

20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Acts 8:30-36 NKJV

30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"

When marginal Christians demand or flatter you out of your personal testimony, this is the worst time to give it. Don't be their Straw-man.
Matthew 7:6 NKJV

6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Matthew 15:26 NKJV

26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." (I think He's saying His help would be wasted on her, because it won't result in her being thankful and repenting. A dog will treat prime rib the same as meat scraps. In the same way some people hear life-changing truth and go right back to unclean behavior. Jesus wants us to ruminate on His goodness like a sheep, not gobble it down like a dog. Our eternity is depending on it.)

Matthew 22:6 NKJV

6 "And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

Matthew 24:10 NKJV

10 "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Luke 20:45-47 NKJV

45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 "who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

3 John 1:9 NKJV

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Ezekiel 22:25 NKJV

25 "The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

We should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing our personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony are when people are not being genuine or fair with you. If someone demanding seems open to truth, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character. Jesus spells this out in the parable of the Ten Virgins.
Matthew 25:5-9 NKJV

5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

May God continually guide us into His heavenly Kingdom through truth and love.

As Christians, we know the best thing that ever happened to us is Jesus. Often, we're hindered from sharing this fact from people we care about. Laws are becoming increasingly unfriendly toward people of our faith. Depending on where you are, your silent prayer could be prosecuted as a thought-crime. Solicited advice could be criminalized as bigotry.
With this hostility, we may be discouraged from sharing the Gospel. The hour is getting late, friends. We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. If we love our God and our fellow man, we will speak the truth in love. Some will persecute us for it. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality. (2 Thessalonians 2:10, Mark 8:35) We should also be prepared to share the good news of God's love at every turn. Some situations are better than others, though. I want to share what the Bible says, and my own experiences with sharing the gospel and witnessing.
Here are what I believe are the best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count.

1. When they're sick of their own sin. This is especially true if its a sin the Lord has brought you out of. (Matthew 7:5, John 12:44-47, 1 Peter 4:17-18, Proverbs 18:13) We whom God has comforted are the best witness and comfort to those who are still struggling. (2 Corinthians 1:4, Psalm 86:12-13)
   
2. When they credit you for being "strong," or they ask how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life. (John 6:28-29, 2 Corinthians 1:1-4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 119:9, Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Peter 2:9) Let them know where your help comes from. (Psalm 121, 1 Samuel 2:9, 1 Peter 1:3-5)
   
3. When they call on you for needs or advice, and your help restores their faith. Don't just bask in that warm feeling! This is an opening for them to see God helping them through you. (Acts 3:5-11, Acts 9:6, Acts 10:30-32, Acts 22:11, Proverbs 11:28-30, Matthew 19:13-21) A simple, "I love you, and God loves you," promotes unity.
   
4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why. (Acts 16:23-33, Romans 5:1-8)
   
5. When they are facing their mortality and want the peace you have. This may seem obvious, but I've heard believers mourn lost opportunities because they were not prepared. (Proverbs 16:20-25, Luke 3:11-17) We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
   

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good. (Matthew 19:20, Acts 8:30-36)
That isn't the same as "when they demand you to." Jesus told us to go into the world and preach the good news to every creature. The Bible show us that when Jesus spoke to those who demanded it, it resulted in hostility. We need to be ready in mind and spirit when we see this coming.
It isn't usually the openly unsaved who do this demanding. In my experience. It's marginal, or false converts who want to stay in sin. They've already heard the gospel. They want your personal testimony. Don't be fooled into thinking this might be a good opportunity to share. Those who demand your answers seek to discredit you and tear down your faith. They want to continue to walk their dark path, without your example making them look bad or wrong.
The worst time to give your testimony is when a marginal believer flatters you into sharing with strangers. Flattery is a demand with a smiling face. It's the same situation as above, but you're the straw-man they want to build up, so they can knock you down. "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they turn and tear them, and trample you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 15:26, Matthew 22:6, Matthew 24:10, Luke 20:45-47, 3 John 1:9, Ezekiel 22:25)
Again, I want to state, we should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing your personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony can be summed up as, "when people are not being genuine or fair with you." Remember Jesus' parable of the Ten Virgins? This is why the wise don't share their oil when the foolish virgins run out. (Matthew 25:5-9)
I've unintentionally ended up giving my testimony to a small gathering of unbelievers. I don't recommend doing this. We have experiences with God, which they can only compare to demonic counterfeits. They would rather believe I was psychic or delusional, than to believe God came through for me. If there is a person in your group who seems open to hearing your testimony, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character.
Our Father in heaven, your authority is over all authority. Your name is above all names. We pray that your Kingdom would come to earth through us, your servants. We dedicate ourselves and all we have to you. Give us the power, the opportunity, the words and the heart to share the good news of Jesus' payment for our sins. Help us listen for when people are open to hearing the gospel. Prepare us to be willing to give up everything for your glory. We ask that you grant us opportunities to share our testimony to those who will be strengthened by it. Give us discernment about people so we see when is best to share, or best to remain silent. We ask that you help us live honestly before you, so that our testimony is shown through our lives. Jesus said, "All men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Make us people of love, Father, 24/7. Grant us the power to represent you correctly. May your love and healing power flow to us and through us to heal our world, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Scripture references:
We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. Some will persecute us for praying, or sharing the truth in love. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 NLT

10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

Mark 8:35 NLT - 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
The best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count:
1. When they're sick of their own sin and you have experience with God that made you free.
Matthew 7:5 NLT

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

John 12:44-47 NLT

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47 I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.

1 Peter 4:17-18 NLT

17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? 18 And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?"

Proverbs 18:13 NLT

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Psalm 86:12-13 NLT

12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, 13 for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

2. When they want to know how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life.
John 6:28-29 NLT

28 They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?" 29 Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

2 Corinthians 1:1-4 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Psalm 119:9 NLT

9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

Psalm 119:105 NLT

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 NLT

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way--with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

2 Peter 2:9 NLT

9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

Psalm 121:1-8 NLT

1 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

1 Samuel 2:9 NLT

9 "He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.

1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

3. When your help restores their faith in God's love, confirm it by agreeing that God loves them.
Acts 3:5-11 NKJV

5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.

Acts 9:6 NKJV

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Acts 10:30-32 NKJV

30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 "and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.'

Acts 22:11 NKJV

11 "And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

Proverbs 11:28-30 NKJV

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

Matthew 19:13-21 NKJV

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. 16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why.
Acts 16:23-33 NKJV

23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

Romans 5:1-8 NKJV

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5. When they are facing their mortality, fearing hell, or in fear of missing the Rapture. We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
Proverbs 16:20-25 NKJV

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning. 22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Luke 3:11-17 NKJV

11 He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." 15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good.
Matthew 19:20 NKJV

20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Acts 8:30-36 NKJV

30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"

When marginal Christians demand or flatter you out of your personal testimony, this is the worst time to give it. Don't be their Straw-man.
Matthew 7:6 NKJV

6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Matthew 15:26 NKJV

26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." (I think He's saying His help would be wasted on her, because it won't result in her being thankful and repenting. A dog will treat prime rib the same as meat scraps. In the same way some people hear life-changing truth and go right back to unclean behavior. Jesus wants us to ruminate on His goodness like a sheep, not gobble it down like a dog. Our eternity is depending on it.)

Matthew 22:6 NKJV

6 "And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

Matthew 24:10 NKJV

10 "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Luke 20:45-47 NKJV

45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 "who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

3 John 1:9 NKJV

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Ezekiel 22:25 NKJV

25 "The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

We should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing our personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony are when people are not being genuine or fair with you. If someone demanding seems open to truth, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character. Jesus spells this out in the parable of the Ten Virgins.
Matthew 25:5-9 NKJV

5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

May God continually guide us into His heavenly Kingdom through truth and love.

As Christians, we know the best thing that ever happened to us is Jesus. Often, we're hindered from sharing this fact from people we care about. Laws are becoming increasingly unfriendly toward people of our faith. Depending on where you are, your silent prayer could be prosecuted as a thought-crime. Solicited advice could be criminalized as bigotry.
With this hostility, we may be discouraged from sharing the Gospel. The hour is getting late, friends. We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. If we love our God and our fellow man, we will speak the truth in love. Some will persecute us for it. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality. (2 Thessalonians 2:10, Mark 8:35) We should also be prepared to share the good news of God's love at every turn. Some situations are better than others, though. I want to share what the Bible says, and my own experiences with sharing the gospel and witnessing.
Here are what I believe are the best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count.

1. When they're sick of their own sin. This is especially true if its a sin the Lord has brought you out of. (Matthew 7:5, John 12:44-47, 1 Peter 4:17-18, Proverbs 18:13) We whom God has comforted are the best witness and comfort to those who are still struggling. (2 Corinthians 1:4, Psalm 86:12-13)
   
2. When they credit you for being "strong," or they ask how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life. (John 6:28-29, 2 Corinthians 1:1-4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 119:9, Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Peter 2:9) Let them know where your help comes from. (Psalm 121, 1 Samuel 2:9, 1 Peter 1:3-5)
   
3. When they call on you for needs or advice, and your help restores their faith. Don't just bask in that warm feeling! This is an opening for them to see God helping them through you. (Acts 3:5-11, Acts 9:6, Acts 10:30-32, Acts 22:11, Proverbs 11:28-30, Matthew 19:13-21) A simple, "I love you, and God loves you," promotes unity.
   
4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why. (Acts 16:23-33, Romans 5:1-8)
   
5. When they are facing their mortality and want the peace you have. This may seem obvious, but I've heard believers mourn lost opportunities because they were not prepared. (Proverbs 16:20-25, Luke 3:11-17) We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
   

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good. (Matthew 19:20, Acts 8:30-36)
That isn't the same as "when they demand you to." Jesus told us to go into the world and preach the good news to every creature. The Bible show us that when Jesus spoke to those who demanded it, it resulted in hostility. We need to be ready in mind and spirit when we see this coming.
It isn't usually the openly unsaved who do this demanding. In my experience. It's marginal, or false converts who want to stay in sin. They've already heard the gospel. They want your personal testimony. Don't be fooled into thinking this might be a good opportunity to share. Those who demand your answers seek to discredit you and tear down your faith. They want to continue to walk their dark path, without your example making them look bad or wrong.
The worst time to give your testimony is when a marginal believer flatters you into sharing with strangers. Flattery is a demand with a smiling face. It's the same situation as above, but you're the straw-man they want to build up, so they can knock you down. "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they turn and tear them, and trample you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 15:26, Matthew 22:6, Matthew 24:10, Luke 20:45-47, 3 John 1:9, Ezekiel 22:25)
Again, I want to state, we should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing your personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony can be summed up as, "when people are not being genuine or fair with you." Remember Jesus' parable of the Ten Virgins? This is why the wise don't share their oil when the foolish virgins run out. (Matthew 25:5-9)
I've unintentionally ended up giving my testimony to a small gathering of unbelievers. I don't recommend doing this. We have experiences with God, which they can only compare to demonic counterfeits. They would rather believe I was psychic or delusional, than to believe God came through for me. If there is a person in your group who seems open to hearing your testimony, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character.
Our Father in heaven, your authority is over all authority. Your name is above all names. We pray that your Kingdom would come to earth through us, your servants. We dedicate ourselves and all we have to you. Give us the power, the opportunity, the words and the heart to share the good news of Jesus' payment for our sins. Help us listen for when people are open to hearing the gospel. Prepare us to be willing to give up everything for your glory. We ask that you grant us opportunities to share our testimony to those who will be strengthened by it. Give us discernment about people so we see when is best to share, or best to remain silent. We ask that you help us live honestly before you, so that our testimony is shown through our lives. Jesus said, "All men will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) Make us people of love, Father, 24/7. Grant us the power to represent you correctly. May your love and healing power flow to us and through us to heal our world, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Scripture references:
We must choose our battles wisely, so as not to suffer without a worthy cause. Some will persecute us for praying, or sharing the truth in love. We're wise to prepare for that eventuality.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 NLT

10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

Mark 8:35 NLT - 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.
The best times to witness to unsaved loved ones and make it count:
1. When they're sick of their own sin and you have experience with God that made you free.
Matthew 7:5 NLT

5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

John 12:44-47 NLT

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, "If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45 For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47 I will not judge those who hear me but don't obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.

1 Peter 4:17-18 NLT

17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? 18 And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?"

Proverbs 18:13 NLT

13 Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT

4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Psalm 86:12-13 NLT

12 With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever, 13 for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

2. When they want to know how you are able to overcome the disappointments of life.
John 6:28-29 NLT

28 They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?" 29 Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

2 Corinthians 1:1-4 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy. I am writing to God's church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Psalm 119:9 NLT

9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word.

Psalm 119:105 NLT

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 NLT

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way--with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

2 Peter 2:9 NLT

9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

Psalm 121:1-8 NLT

1 A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.

1 Samuel 2:9 NLT

9 "He will protect his faithful ones, but the wicked will disappear in darkness. No one will succeed by strength alone.

1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

3. When your help restores their faith in God's love, confirm it by agreeing that God loves them.
Acts 3:5-11 NKJV

5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them--walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed.

Acts 9:6 NKJV

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Acts 10:30-32 NKJV

30 So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 "and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.'

Acts 22:11 NKJV

11 "And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

Proverbs 11:28-30 NKJV

28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.

Matthew 19:13-21 NKJV

13 Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." 15 And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. 16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 19 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

4. When you've done them a great kindness in spite of their unkindness, and they acknowledge it, or ask why.
Acts 16:23-33 NKJV

23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. 27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. 28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here." 29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

Romans 5:1-8 NKJV

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5. When they are facing their mortality, fearing hell, or in fear of missing the Rapture. We need to have the gospel ready on our lips at all times.
Proverbs 16:20-25 NKJV

20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. 21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning. 22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the correction of fools is folly. 23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. 24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Luke 3:11-17 NKJV

11 He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." 12 Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." 14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." 15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 "His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

Most of these "best times to witness" are when they bring up God, or ask you to share why you're being good.
Matthew 19:20 NKJV

20 The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?"

Acts 8:30-36 NKJV

30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"

When marginal Christians demand or flatter you out of your personal testimony, this is the worst time to give it. Don't be their Straw-man.
Matthew 7:6 NKJV

6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Matthew 15:26 NKJV

26 But He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." (I think He's saying His help would be wasted on her, because it won't result in her being thankful and repenting. A dog will treat prime rib the same as meat scraps. In the same way some people hear life-changing truth and go right back to unclean behavior. Jesus wants us to ruminate on His goodness like a sheep, not gobble it down like a dog. Our eternity is depending on it.)

Matthew 22:6 NKJV

6 "And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

Matthew 24:10 NKJV

10 "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Luke 20:45-47 NKJV

45 Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, 46 "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 47 "who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

3 John 1:9 NKJV

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Ezekiel 22:25 NKJV

25 "The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

We should always be ready to share the good news of Messiah. Sharing the gospel isn't the same as sharing our personal testimony.
The worst times to share your testimony are when people are not being genuine or fair with you. If someone demanding seems open to truth, invite them to church. That way, you'll have back-up for your experiences, as well as your good character. Jesus spells this out in the parable of the Ten Virgins.
Matthew 25:5-9 NKJV

5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'

May God continually guide us into His heavenly Kingdom through truth and love.

Average Reading Time: 38-39 minutes
Part 1: Humanitarian Part 2: Gratitude Part 3: Peacemakers Peacemakers (Continued) Peacemakers (Conclusion)
Threnlis had been deployed for a little six over months defending the planetary ring mining infrastructure in orbit above Agron Six. During that time, she had gained great fame back on the home world. On four separate occasions, she contacted and destroyed multiple raiders from The Enemy. Impressively, she had done so without losing any of the critical mining infrastructure she was tasked to defend.
For the War Department of Information, effectively the government’s propaganda arm, it was the single greatest opportunity to raise public and military moral in centuries. The gun camera footage of her battles and the resulting analysis by military experts was electrifying. Her fame had become so great that reports of her missions would instantly be breaking news.
After the discovery of broadcast equipment on one of the destroyed Enemy fighters, they realized that the hated foe equipped their ships to instantly broadcast battle footage and data to their people. Similar systems were soon put in place on all military fighters. The resulting streams would immediately be sent to all monitors to give the entirety of their civilization access to the latest in the war effort.
Millions would watch as the battles progressed in real time before their eyes. Factory production would stop, agricultural workers would come in from the fields to huddle around monitors, prayers would be lifted, lost pilots mourned, and cheers erupt when an Enemy ship was destroyed.
The fighter pilots soon became the most celebrated figures in the war, and Threnlis was ranked first among them. Her face was on posters encouraging people to work their hardest, and Information Department text encouraged all who saw that finally, after so many centuries, victory was in sight thanks to these new young warriors. They would lead their people into a new age of peace and prosperity.
It didn’t hurt that she was considered quite attractive by her race’s standards. In fact, that was a common theme among all the youth that had been sent to train with the people of Earth. All the former children that returned from training lacked common skin maladies, were well fed, had the benefits of years of state-of-the-art medical treatment, were vibrant in the colors and patterns of their scales, and had excellent musculature. They were, in a word, the very pictures of health. In a society of undernourished, overworked, and sickly people, they stood out like superheroes.
The former children had also been trained to excellence in their given fields, and had all been given impressive combat training, be they in military or civilian roles. Humans called it, “Self Defense Training,” and insisted it was not the same as military instruction. The result was that public and military support for the Human Off-World Training Initiative couldn’t have been higher.
The retuning children were highly sought after and assigned to prestigious positions. Politicians, military leaders, and industry magnates who had sufficient pull demanded they be assigned one of the returned youth, as the posting would further increase their personal standing. After all, only the most important people doing the most important things for the war effort would be allowed such a valuable resource.
As Threnlis walked through the hollowed-out asteroid that served as the base for her air wing, the head of Military Intelligence on the station met her and began walking beside her.
The officer kept up with her quick pace and said, “I must inform you that your scheduled combat patrol may be rather eventful today. We have reason to believe an elite enemy fighter detachment has been deployed to assassinate you and your team.”
She slowed at that, and asked, “What evidence do you have?”
“We have been losing fighters in multiple systems. When lined up chronologically, it shows a pattern of advancement focused on this system. If the pattern holds, we expect them anytime now.”
She stopped and closed her eyes, trying to keep the fear and anxiety from showing in her crest, “Is it the Blue Claw?”
“It is.”
The combat streams she had seen of The Enemy pilot known as Blue Claw indicated an exceptionally lethal and intelligent pilot. Credited with over twenty-five kills, that pilot was recognized as the top ace in the ranks of their adversary.
She nodded once and began again on her brisk pace toward the launch bay.
“Was there anything else?”
“No, Pilot, there is nothing else to report. On a personal note, good luck out there.”
They reached the hangar bay, and she looked over at her ship. It was relatively new, and excellently maintained thanks to the insistence of the Department of Information. It stood out in stark contrast to the other fighters there. They were ancient and showed patchwork repairs. She knew at least a quarter of them were facing some kind of mechanical issue, and despite her personal requests bordering on pleading, had not seen any additional allocations of parts or resources.
Turning to see the intelligence officer was still there, she said, “Thank you for the report,” and walked toward her ship.
She was halfway there when the alarm claxons blared and the illumination in the hanger shifted to emergency lighting.
She heard the old base commander’s gravelly voice grind out over the intercom system, “Enemy raiders spotted in extraction sector three. Battle Stations. I repeat, Battle Stations. All pilots launch immediately. You will be given orders on route.”
She broke into a run. When she reached the ship, a quick jump in the low gravity got her into the cockpit. She secured her helmet and the familiar hiss of pressurization began as she pressed a few buttons on the console. The automated launch check systems came back with an all clear. In seconds she was retracting her landing skids and thrusting out of the bay into the vacuum of space in defense of her people.
When her ship had cleared the hangar, she saw the light turn on indicating the battle recording and broadcasting equipment had been activated by the Department of Information. She knew in that moment, hundreds of millions of people, possibly billions, were watching her every move with interest.
With the professionalism she was drilled in back at the academy, she spoke, “Pilot Threnlis requesting assignment.”
She was a bit surprised to hear the base commander’s reply, “Hold position.”
That was odd. She was usually given coordinates to the nearest enemy fighters, assigned pilots to her wing, and told to engage.
With her senses keyed up and on a razor’s edge, she waited for a subjective eternity of about three minutes. As she watched, the other fighters in her wing all flew by her and diverted to where command instructed them.
When she couldn’t take it anymore, she keyed her comms to the command only channel and asked, “Command, Pilot Threnlis again requesting assignment.”
She noticed the broadcast equipment indicator go dark and a moment later heard an unfamiliar voice, “Pilot Threnlis, this is Director Heshna of the War Department of Information. You are being held back until the location of Blue Claw is identified, at which time you will be ordered to intercept and engage. It is our intention to clear the path for you to engage that pilot in single combat. When you defeat him, I will make sure your name is enshrined in memory for all time as one of the greatest heroes of this war.”
Her voice wavered as she asked “What? Blue Claw is the best pilot I have ever seen. You want me to engage the top ace of the Enemy without support?”
“Yes, I do. It will add to the glory of your victory, and inspire everyone who sees it.”
She felt her crest flare in anxiety and press against the top of her flight helmet, “But, I was never the best pilot in any of the squadrons, even back at the Academy. I do my best in a team.”
There was a long pause before she heard Heshna’s voice again, “Pilot, you will engage and kill the Blue Claw in single combat. If you fail and are destroyed, well, you will be mourned, and our nation will have a new martyr to avenge. Take pride in knowing that either way, you will be an inspiration to your people. I’ll make sure of it.”
With a click over the audio, the indicator light flared to life again.
She sat numbly in the cockpit, watching though the polyglass as the first indications of fighting started lighting up her displays. Slowly, as her mind finished processing the cold sentiments of the State toward her, she realized she needed to figure out a way to gain an advantage over the pilot that was sent out here to kill her.
Shaking off the lethargy of shock, her mind began racing through the various possibilities before her. Dismissing as irrelevant over a dozen different ideas, she finally landed on one that might just work.
The one thing she knew the enemy probably didn’t have was a detailed record of the asteroid cluster. It was riddled with hundreds of years of mineshafts, mechanical debris, gravel tailings asteroids, and an entire scrapyard of worn-out mining machines all waiting to be refurbished or recycled.
Normally, she would get her combat wing to engage and draw any aggressors out and away from the dangerous conditions in the ring. Not only would this insure the precious mining infrastructure remained intact, but also because open combat in space was much more predictable for her.
She switched her communication channel to the civilian mining bandwidth and said, “This is Pilot Threnlis, I need an immediate download of everything you have regarding the planetary ring. I want asteroid sizes, old machinery, equipment locations both active and derelict. Give me anything and everything you have.”
A quivering voice came back over the comms, “Y-you’re Calling m-m-me? I’m on the broadcast?”
Faintly, Threnlis heard in the background a momentary delay before an echo of the unnamed operator’s voice. Whomever this was, they had been watching the broadcast and were freezing up.
She didn’t have time for this. She needed information and needed it now if she had any hope of formulating a plan.
“Listen, I need that information, can you help me?”
“Threnlis n-needs m-m-my help?” the vacant voice replied.
She was weighing the possible benefits of yelling at this moron, when she heard something happen in the background of the transmission.
She faintly discerned the sound of a door being kicked open, and a gruff, unrefined voice shout, “What in the seven deserts of Broltien are you doing you idiot? A pilot is asking for your help and you freeze up like a baby plogan when it sees a predator? Get out of the way!”
There was a thud, followed by the sound of a microphone being grabbed, or adjusted, she wasn’t sure.
“This is Miner Second Class Gronlis. I am sending the first batch of files now. It will take a bit, and you will have to keep a sub-channel open to get all the data you requested.”
She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding and then asked, “First batch?”
“The system doesn’t keep everything you asked for in one file. I will have to send it in different data groups. Is your ship running a type three or better ECTU?”
She was taken aback somewhat at the technical knowledge of this Miner Second Class. He knew the acronym for the Environmental Combat Tracking Unit. That wasn’t common knowledge.
Breezing past that thought, she replied, “I’m running a type seven.”
“They are up to seven now? Good, that’s good. It should have no problem chewing on these files and integrating them then. You should have your first batch downloaded in, oh, about two minutes give or take. I’m sending the locations of all current orbital objects first. That should give the following batches the reference framework to integrate the other parts.”
Threnlis had now moved past surprised, and firmly into impressed, “How do you know all this Gronlis? Is this standard technical knowledge for a Miner Second Class?”
A gruff, almost hoarse laugh erupted as he said, “Hells no, I used to be a Technician First Class in the First Space Wing of the Home Fleet. I got a mouth on me though, and one day I may have insinuated one of my superiors would be better off in the ranks of The Enemy, as he would be a greater asset to us there than here. He busted me down into the mining core twenty years back. Fedilos, I hope you are seeing this you incompetent twit! If you got what you deserved for sending me to this hell hole your crest would fester and rot off of your head, you sorry excuse of a Shra!”
Threnlis couldn’t help but smirk a little to herself at that, and said, “Well, however it came about, I’m glad you are here to help me now, Technician First Class Gronlis.”
There was a pause, and she swore she could hear the gruff voice crack a little when he eventually responded, “You can rely on me, Pilot.”
“I will, Gronlis. I’m leaving the sub channel open and switching back to military channels now. Keep the data coming.”
Keying back to her squadron command channel she asked, “Is there any sign of the Blue Claw yet?”
“Negative, Pilot Threnlis. You will be notified as soon as we have confirmation on their location.”
The first batch of the data stream had just finished and input all the orbiting objects into her system when she got the call, “Pilot Threnlis, the location of the Blue Claw has been verified in the B ring between seventy-two and seventy-eight degrees. You are ordered to proceed to that location and engage immediately.”
“Affirmative, Command.”
She oriented her fighter and pushed her thrusters to maximum, darting off toward the crossroads that would lead her to glory, or death.

The force of the acceleration pressed her into the shallow foam cushions of the pilot’s chair. Her breathing became labored in a way she had experienced so much that now was almost comforting. Looking down at her display, the objects in the orbital ring started slowly growing on her screens as she hurtled toward her Enemy.
It would be a few minutes before the first data stream was complete, so she opened a line back to command, “Operations, I need a list of the pilots that have been killed by the Blue Claw.”
There was a pause, and the voice of the base commander replied over the channel, “Keep your mind on the task at hand, Pilot. Get through this, and honor the fallen later.”
“Sir, with respect, I am not doing this out of some fatalistic impulse. I almost certainly trained with some of those pilots. It know how good the people I was in the academy with were, and how they flew. I knew their habits and what they would try first. It may help me to determine what opening moves to avoid.
She barely heard a breath being let out, and the commander replied, “Very well, we are sending you the information now.”
A list of names and ranks began scrolling across her screen. She nearly went into shock at the number of people, friends and acquaintances, she recognized. All but one of the twenty-seven names that came across the display were people she knew in one way or another from back at the academy. Even though it was a simple text list, she knew all their faces.
Seliss, a quiet male that had a real talent for space combat, but his first love had always been drawing. He was good at it, too.
Fenia, a girl she had lunch with two days before she left the academy. She was so excited that her brother had just been sent to a Human training program for political leadership.
Ashroka, an outwardly brash boy that you could always rely on to cheer you up if he found you downcast.
Melshia, a boy from third squadron that helped her through her orbital gravitational trajectory mid-terms back in her first year.
Sezkig, the techno-genius that played a key role in her squadron’s defeat during the final academy competition.
The list went on for over twenty more names. Each represented lives, and friends, that she would never see again.
She felt crushed, but the thing that almost broke her was when she saw two names, one right after the other, of pilots she took her final test at the academy with in her wing. Two of hers had been killed by that monster.
Despair, sadness, and fear began worming their icy tendrils around her heart and mind. Her air supply felt as if it were being cut off as she hyperventilated into her combat mask. She opened her flight helmet and pulled it off to try and get more air into her lungs, but it didn’t help.
She allowed herself to panic for about ten seconds, and then her training kicked in.
As one of her instructors from the academy used to say, “In combat, you know you aren’t dead if you can still think. On the other hand, if you aren’t thinking, you’re dead already but don’t realize it.”
She knew that in order to shut down these emotions, she needed to engage her analytical processes. She put aside the personal, emotional, and feeling part of the information she had been presented with, and focused on analyzing the combat styles of the various pilots on the list.
Immediately, the tightness in her throat and the press of her crest’s fear response against her helmet subsided.
She considered carefully the things she knew about the various skill levels and histories of the deceased pilots, and saw no unifying aspect whatsoever. That in itself gave her a valuable insight into the Blue Claw. Whoever that pilot was, they were adaptable, and dangerous.
That wasn’t much to go on, but it did tell her that she needed to figure out something above and beyond if she were going to come out of this alive.
As she came to this understanding, at about half way to her operational area, her system updated. The first packet had been completed, and a new layer of information containing fine structural details of the objects in the ring snapped onto her displays. Mining shafts, materials composition, and tailing disposal areas appeared among other things.
She still had some time, and the target area was still past the horizon of the planet below. With no real danger yet, she keyed her target area and zoomed in. Her keen mind began working over the environment and considering possible ways she could get some advantage over her assassin.
She took careful note of the various tailings asteroids and what exactly they were composed of. For the most part, they were basically larger, mineral poor rocks that had enough gravity to loosely hold on to the gravel sized debris that resulted from the mining process. She didn’t know how that might help, but she made a mental note and moved on to others.
As she was examining a strangely shaped structure, her system finished processing the last of the information sent to her from the civilian mining database. Instantly, mining equipment and other material extraction infrastructure, both used and derelict, appeared overlayed on top of, and sometimes in, the various ring bodies. She was surprised to see how many remote vehicles were in use in the area.
She keyed over to the Civilian channel and said, “Gronlis, what is the status of the mining drones in the area?”
“Some are down for maintenance reasons, but most of them are in shutdown mode to avoid detection. It’s the standard procedure when there is an attack. They make prime targets for raiders.”
She thought on that a moment and said, “How long would it take to start a few of them back up?”
There was a pause, and she heard his gruff voice reply, “About fifteen minutes usually, it can take a while to get the reactors up to functional and heat up the systems on board to operational tolerances. It all depends on the condition of the drone, really. Some of the newer ones can be up and going in a minute or two, but most of them are kept just functional enough to do their jobs. So on average, yeah, about fifteen minutes.”
“Well, in fifteen minutes this will all be over, so that does me no good. Thank you for your help, Technician First Class. I hope the information you provided will prove helpful. I, and your planet, owe you one.”
“It is my duty, Pilot. I will stand by in case you think of anything else I can help with.”
As she keyed back to military channels, an indicator lit up and informed her she needed to begin the breaking portion of her approach. With the speed she had built up, she would blow through where the Blue Claw was last reported in a few seconds, assuming she didn’t hit something going through the ring and shatter into a thousand pieces with her ship.
The thruster nozzles on her fighter reversed direction and her chair adjusted to prepare for the change of forces. She grimaced as she mentally prepared for the high force deceleration. Severe deceleration was required to minimize the chances of the Enemy pilot getting a lock on her ship. No matter how many times she did it, dropping into a combat zone was nerve wracking and painful.
It always hurt.
It was not uncommon for pilots to come back into the hanger with broken ribs and severe bruising as a result of the older harness systems cutting into them. Those exceedingly rare older pilots from before the fresh infusion of Human trained youth oftentimes had permanent scale damage. Such disfigurements were carried proudly by their possessors.
Generally, permanent injuries had been mitigated by new harness systems introduced by the Humans, but she knew she would have significant bruising from this if she lived through the next few minutes.
Normally, it was standard procedure to deploy an ECMF to cover your approach when decelerating into combat. With how significant the forces involved were, the slowing pilot is so debilitated that any effective evasive actions would nearly guarantee injury. The ECMF would protect against weapons locks in this time of operator vulnerability.
The key part of that doctrine was the assumption that every deceleration like this would be into combat. In this case, however, she was decelerating into a planetary ring environment. If the Blue Claw hadn’t detected her yet, deploying a flare would immediately alert everyone this side of the planetary horizon what general area she was in. If she was lucky, she may have enough time to safely get into the ring before her adversary detected her. Once inside, the information from the civilian mining database would give her a distinct advantage, she hoped.
She braced herself and put on her mask again. As was her long habit, she took three short breaths before engaging the breaking thrust.
Once it was triggered, her body slammed into the restraints. The strange and agonizing sensation of her internal organs being crushed against the inside of her ribcage lit up the pain centers of her brain. Each breath was laborious, and out of long habit from training she tensed her arms and legs to inhibit blood from pooling in them.
She felt the pressure of the mask forcing air into her nose and mouth, and down into her lungs. It felt thick and cold. The compressed gasses always seemed out of place with how clean and filtered it was. There was no smell, no life to it.
As she was nearing the ring, an alarm went off indicating she was being painted with a weapons lock from two close by sources.
Missiles, and they were right on top of her.
She twisted her wrist on the joystick and the thrust pods on the sides of the ship swiveled to obey. With her other hand, fighting against the sudden change in forces, she managed to get a hold of the throttle and slammed it to maximum.
The ship responded by catapulting itself to port. She was thrown violently against the restraints on her right side. Two sharp sensations of pain accompanied by corresponding snaps she both heard and felt told her she broke something. Her system medical readouts verified she just fractured two ribs with the maneuver, and her nervous system seconded that assessment by a bloom of bright pain with every breath.
Her evasive action was immediately justified, however, when two missiles went darting by mere feet from her cockpit glass to continue off into the void. At the speed they were traveling, there was no way they would be able to turn and reacquire her before they ran out of propellant. She glanced at one of the panels on her display board and saw their tracking had been activated a mere half kilometer away.
This pilot was dangerous.
A quick look at the tactical readouts showed her the shot was taken with significant deflection. That was both good and frightening.
She could tell by the angle of the attack and where that line intersected with the ring that the Blue Claw was still some distance away, well outside the low percentage hit range for direct fire weapons. If they were outside the sensor cover of the ring, her systems would have easily picked up their fighter.
She triggered the flare release on her joystick and deployed an ECMF before returning the thrust pods to slow her approach to the ring. As she struggled to maintain her breathing through the agony of her injuries, she decided to focus her mind on something other than the pain. The now verified range of the attack and the deployment of the flare gave her a much-needed moment to collect her thoughts and analyze the situation.
With how severe the deflection of the attack was, it would be a herd to manage hit. Adding in the target velocity change and range, and it would have been an almost impossible kill. Her Assassin had seen her approach, but didn’t try for a quick and dirty kill like most pilots would. They took their time and kept a cool head. They plotted the vectors and speeds, and rather than try to take a low percentage direct fire weapon shot, they went with a missile attack.
They were smart enough to know that if they fired missiles and had them immediately go into active tracking, at that range it would have been a simple matter for her to deploy an ECMF and break their targeting lock. Her opponent chose instead to pre-program the missiles to activate their tracking when they got to a specific distance. To get even close, they would have to calculate on the fly her decreasing velocity, the missiles’ increasing velocity, and then set them to start active tracking close enough so she wouldn’t have time to react. The fact that they got the missiles to a half a kilometer before they activated tracking was unsettling to say the least. Unless the sensor packages of the Enemy were generations more sophisticated than what her fighter had, that would mean this was one incredibly skillful pilot.
On the plus side, if the Blue Claw had a standard missile loadout, they had used two of the eight missiles in their arsenal.
Some small satisfaction crossed her mind knowing she had more ordnance than her opponent, but truth be told, an enemy with one missile is just as dangerous as one with eight, and the Blue Claw still likely had six.
These thoughts crossed her mind as she was nearing the cover of the rings.
Her first order of priority would be to find a safe area to fall into the ring. Her velocity was still too high. The juke to avoid the missiles meant that she lost about two hundred meters of safe deceleration. She looked over the readings and saw an area that had been mined out extensively. There was nothing bigger than pea-sized gravel in that space. It had a note that the area was full of tailings dust, whatever that meant. Small rocks and dust wouldn’t do much, if anything, to give her a tactical advantage. The problem immediately in front of her was a safe place to slow down through, and it definitely made for that.
She redirected and pulled away from her previous course. She did so making sure to keep the flare between her and the direction the Blue Claw had to be approaching from.
The next order of business would be to find an area that gave her a tactical advantage of some kind.
She looked over the information provided by the database and saw a mining zone near a mountain-sized piece of material. She noted with frustration that the final portion of the data stream, the artificial object database, was not yet complete. She pulled up the information and saw that the connection was disrupted.
Opening the com, she asked, “Gronlis, please report? What is the status of the data feed?”
She was answered by loud static.
“Oh, of course. The flare,” she muttered to herself, realizing that the civilian communications equipment was not sufficient to break through the interference.
She looked over at the transmission light indicating she was still streaming for the general public. That struck her as odd. They must have some fairly significant technology behind that equipment. Then, she had an idea.
Opening her com, she said, “Gronlis, I am resetting the receiver to bandwidth zero six. That should be affected relatively little by the flare.”
She prepared the system to start receiving again when the data came through on that channel, and was pleased to see the download resume. It was slower at this frequency, but at least it was getting to her.
“Thanks, Tech. I would be in a lot more trouble out here without your help.”
In the last minute or so before she reached the ring, she input a series of waypoints that would lead her through the areas containing the larger, more tactically useful asteroids.
As she dropped down into the ring proper, she avoided the areas with larger pieces of rock and ice with the assistance of the updated tracking, she made her way safely into the mined-out field. The sound of smaller rocks and pebbles bouncing off the armored polyglass cockpit window was novel to her. The first one to hit made a large snapping noise, but the glass was unharmed. Soon, the It sounded like a crackling noise, or possibly static. Also present was the strange, intermittent sound of dust clouds impacting the glass, which reminded her very much of wind blowing through bushes or trees back on her planet.
It wasn’t long after that she broke through the plane of the ring that the countermeasure screen provided by her ECMF abruptly stopped. She figured it wouldn’t take long for the flare, having not changed course or decelerated as quickly as she had, to impact one of the orbital chunks and add its ruined material to the countless other drifting bits of matter.
In a few seconds, she had the Enemy ship on her sensors. It was far closer than it should have been. Her opponent must have taken advantage of the flare to exit the ring and close the distance at speed. She noticed that its trajectory put it in line to intersect with her original entry point to the ring. No doubt they intended to put her in between a rock and a hard place, having to decide between impacting asteroids, or evading incoming enemy fire.
With the ECM screen now down, she saw the Blue Claw redirect and start heading straight for her.
The thought of trying to lay a trap crossed her mind, but after considering the immediate environment she dismissed it. No, the best thing to do now was stick to the plan, follow the waypoints to the large asteroid, and use the home field advantage. Better pilots than her had gone up against this murderer and never came home. She had to outsmart this butcher.
She oriented her craft toward the first waypoint she set. The route sent her deep into the heart of the ring belt.
There was a little part in her mind musing that normally, the pain of broken ribs would detract from her ability to do complex tasks like navigating a course through an asteroid field partially by sight and partially by instruments. In the somewhat detached and analytical state she entered into during combat, however, she noted with both approval and healthy anxiety the clarifying force of being stalked by someone sent to specifically to kill her, personally.
Threnlis was glad to have the ring data. With it, her lead was increasing over her pursuer. Knowing what was behind the next asteroid, or set of asteroids, was proving immensely helpful. She increased her speed, and began pulling up more detailed information on the huge asteroid she picked to make her stand. She glanced down at the panel to read something, and when she looked back up, as she was coming over the horizon of a larger asteroid. She had to veer starboard sharply to avoid hitting a large, deactivated mining barge.
That was a sharp reminder that she didn’t yet have all the information on what was floating around out here.
She knew the more time she had to analyze the combat area, the better her chances were. It was clearly unsafe to try and split her attention in the middle of a chase, so she focused all her attention on speed, and getting to her destination as quickly as possible.
As she increased her thrust, she gasped a few times with short, pained breaths. The new speed meant she had to endure more physically as her ship darted and wove through the celestial obstacle course. Where normally such maneuvering would have been difficult, albeit within the normal course of fighter combat, with broken ribs it was abusive.
After a few long minutes of agonizing flying, she was somewhat relieved to see her display update with the remainder of the civilian mining database information. Drones of all kinds, equipment, even broken drill bits left inside mine shafts were visible. Her display of the target area looked interesting, but that would have to wait.
Visually directing her attention farther into the field up ahead, she could see it now. It was a huge. What surprised her somewhat was how clear the space around it was. There was little to no debris within at least two hundred meters of it in any direction.
She kept up her pace, and soon broke out into the clear area surrounding the mountain-sized asteroid. She looked at her readouts to see how far behind her pursuer was, and was glad to see she had about two and a half minutes lead on them.
She directed her fighter toward the huge floating rock and began looking through the information the database contained on it. There were multiple exploratory mineshafts piercing it to various depths. Apparently, this beast had previously had significant interest by the miners over the centuries.
Of the various tunnels, two stood out to her as being of particular interest. They were large enough to fly her fighter through, and they intersected deep inside. She didn’t know the rationale behind it, but the two shafts met at nearly ninety degrees to one another. Perhaps most importantly right now, however, was that one of the openings was on the same side as her pursuer’s approach. A third tunnel was an oddity and drew her notice only because it’s bore hole still had a large metallic drill bit that had broken off at some point.
In addition to the holes in and throughout the structure, she saw entire fields of its surface that were being used as a convenient place to dump tailings. While not significant by planetary standards, the gravity of this asteroid could certainly keep some loose gravel on its surface. Now that she thought of it, perhaps that was why the area immediately surrounding it was so free of debris.
A quick look at the remainder of the area revealed little else of interest. A pair of hauler drones floated inactive nearby. One had a load of rock to dump, the other was empty having just deposited its refuse.
Her analysis of the area took about a minute, and she decided to use the remaining time to lay some flares. She chose some areas just inside the clear area, and deposited a few along the perimeter in a semi-sphere shape closest to her approaching enemy. As she was dropping them off, she set them to proximity activation. After that pattern was set, she looked and saw the counter indicated only two ECMF’s remained in her ship’s countermeasures bay.
She wondered how much benefit they would even be. This entire battle, at the ranges they were going to be engaging at, would certainly come down to direct fire weapons. As one of her Human instructors back at the Academy used to say, this would be a, “Knife fight.”
She trained her passive sensors on the incoming ship, and positioned herself just above the mineshaft opening that would lead her through to the other side of the floating mountain.
As she watched the dot representing the Enemy ace get closer on the sensors, she felt the creeping doubts and anxiety penetrating her focus. She was used to battling back fear before an engagement, but this time it was different. She was in pain, and about to go up against someone that had killed better pilots than her. This monster had killed over two dozen of her friends and acquaintances.
She was intimidated, scared, and hurting. All she could do now was wait for her assassin to arrive.
As she watched, her target slowed, and came to a stop. She pulled her eyes away from the readouts and looked through the cockpit. There, on the Heads-Up Display, there was an indicator of where the other ship was. Straining her eyes, she looked and verified that there was no clear line of sight between them.
Instinctively, while keeping her nose and weapons pointed at her opponent, she began sideslipping and making other movements that would disrupt any attempt to hit her with the direct fire weapons.
As she watched, a pair of missiles darted through at an angle about fifteen degrees off from the line that would lead to her. When they had gotten about 10 meters inside the low debris zone, they went active.
Immediately, the nearest two flares lit up the electromagnetic spectrum. The munitions never got the chance to even reorient themselves. She watched them streak off, leave the cleared space, and soon one slammed into a ring object, with the second following suit seconds later with an asteroid farther into the field.
Confused, she looked back in the direction of her opponent. The HUD was being disrupted by the ECMF’s that had gone off, and it no longer had the small hexagonal indicator showing where the Enemy pilot was. Then, down about ten degrees from its original position, she saw it. Speeding through the field, slipping through the various obstacles with grace, was the Blue Claw. Then, everything snapped into clarity. Those missiles had been a test. More than that, her clever adversary had used the missiles as a distraction. They must have piled on the thrust the moment they saw the flares go off.
With her aiming computer hampered by the active countermeasures, she did her best to line up the Enemy pilot and opened fire with her recoilless cannons. Every five rounds in the ammo feeds there was a trace round. They proved extremely helpful in correcting her fire and she was positive that she scored a handful of hits on the closing craft.
Unfortunately for her, tracers work both ways.
Next: Peacemakers (Conclusion)
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So if anyone is familiar with Harvey's (canadian fast food place) angus burgers, or Denningers (a canadian bougie grocery chain focused on eurpean cuisine) prime and bacon rib burgers, but that's the style.
When frozen/raw, they're completely homogeneous (my first indication they're heavily processed/unhealthy) but they effectively sear on a hot grill, not allowing the rendered fat to escape, sealing it in almost like a sausage.
So I think what the burgers are doing is as I stated, but I'm guessing there's more to it than simply adding pork to the burger mixture...
I'm doing gourmet burgers for my dad's birthday, his fav burgers are the same as mine, but for health reasons I feel like I should make my own?
I'm a chef with 17 years kitchen experience (10 as a line cook, 7 as chef) but I'm also lazy lol. I do office work now so I do enjoy cooking much more than I used to, but if there's a shortcut, I'm gonna take it.
All thoughts and comments welcome.

The crowd was electric with anticipation as the announcer's voice boomed through the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final match of the Kengan tournament! In the red corner, hailing from Japan, standing at 6'2", the master of devastating kicks, Jin Kazuya, also known as 'The Funeral Dove'!" Jin stepped into the ring, his pale skin almost glowing under the lights, his black fingernails and messy hair adding to his enigmatic aura. He moved with a feline grace, his eyes sharp and focused, ready for the challenge ahead.
"And in the blue corner, representing the Philippines, standing at 5'5", the queen of Panantukan, Mura Velasco, also known as 'The Valiant Warrior'!" Mura entered the ring with a determined stride, her compact frame radiating power and confidence. Despite her smaller stature, she exuded an aura of unyielding strength and agility. The crowd's cheers grew louder, a testament to the respect and admiration both fighters had earned on their way to the final.
The referee brought them to the center, giving final instructions. Both fighters nodded, their eyes locked in a silent promise of an intense battle. The bell rang, and the fight began.
Jin moved first, his long legs launching a series of high kicks with incredible speed and precision. Mura deftly dodged and blocked, her movements a blur as she countered each strike. She weaved in and out of Jin's range, her Panantukan training allowing her to stay just out of reach while looking for openings.
Jin's fighting style, a unique blend of taekwondo, capoeira, kickboxing, and karate, was designed to keep opponents at bay with powerful kicks and agile movements. His hands remained in a guarding position, ready to deflect any attacks that came his way. Mura, on the other hand, relied on her quick footwork and defensive tactics, her eyes constantly scanning for opportunities to strike.
As Jin launched another high kick, Mura saw her chance. She ducked under his leg and moved in close, delivering a rapid series of punches to his midsection. Jin grunted, feeling the impact, but quickly recovered, twisting his body and delivering a spinning back kick that Mura barely dodged.
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, the intensity of the fight palpable. Mura's speed and agility were matched by Jin's precision and power, each move a testament to their respective martial arts mastery. Mura's smaller stature allowed her to slip inside Jin's guard repeatedly, landing quick, stinging blows before darting back out of range.
Jin knew he had to adapt. He shifted his stance, lowering his center of gravity to better defend against Mura's close-quarters attacks. As Mura moved in again, Jin feinted a high kick, then pivoted into a low sweep aimed at her legs. Mura jumped, avoiding the sweep, but Jin was already spinning into a second kick that caught her in the side, sending her skidding across the ring.
Mura winced but quickly got back to her feet, her expression determined. She decided to up the ante, channeling her power into her legs with her "Focal Point" technique. She felt the energy surge through her, her legs now primed for a devastating attack.
She moved in again, her speed even more blinding. Jin tried to keep up, but Mura's enhanced agility allowed her to slip past his defenses. She delivered a powerful low kick to Jin's thigh, followed by a high kick aimed at his head. Jin blocked the high kick with his forearm, but the impact sent a shockwave through his body.
Jin knew he couldn't afford to let Mura keep the upper hand. He launched into a flurry of kicks, each one faster and more powerful than the last. Mura blocked and countered, her movements fluid and precise. The two fighters were locked in a brutal dance, each one pushing the other to their limits.
The crowd was roaring, the energy in the arena reaching a fever pitch. Both fighters were giving everything they had, their bodies glistening with sweat, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Mura saw an opening and went for it, channeling her power for one final, devastating kick.
She launched herself at Jin, her leg a blur as it aimed for his head. Jin saw it coming and reacted instinctively, ducking under the kick and sweeping Mura's standing leg out from under her. Mura hit the ground hard, and before she could recover, Jin was on her, delivering a powerful kick to her midsection that left her gasping for air.
Mura tried to get up, but Jin didn't let up. He aimed another kick at her ribs, which she barely managed to block with her arm. The impact still forced her back, her body screaming in pain. Mura knew she couldn't take many more of these hits. Summoning the last of her strength, she rolled away and sprang to her feet, her legs trembling but her spirit unbroken.
Jin could see the determination in Mura's eyes and knew this was going to end soon. He switched tactics, using his agility to close the distance rapidly. As he moved in, Mura tried to counter with a quick jab, but Jin's superior reach and speed allowed him to parry the strike and counter with a swift kick to her side.
Mura staggered, the pain almost unbearable. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay upright, focusing all her remaining energy into her legs for one final attack. She dashed towards Jin, feinting a low kick before spinning into a high roundhouse aimed at his head.
Jin anticipated the move, his reflexes honed from countless battles. He ducked under the kick and, in one fluid motion, launched a devastating upward kick that caught Mura square on the chin. The impact lifted her off the ground, her body going limp as she crashed to the mat, unconscious before she even hit the floor.
The crowd erupted in a deafening roar as the referee stepped in, signaling the end of the match. "The winner and new champion, Jin 'The Funeral Dove' Kazuya!" The arena shook with applause and cheers, celebrating the incredible display of skill and determination from both fighters.
Jin stood tall, his chest heaving with exertion. Despite his introverted and sarcastic nature, he knew a worthy opponent when he saw one. He looked down at Mura, who was being attended to by medical staff, and nodded in respect. She had given him one of the toughest fights of his life.
The crowd continued to cheer as Jin helped Mura to her feet once she regained consciousness. Despite the pain and exhaustion, she managed a smile, acknowledging Jin's victory with a nod of her own. The final match had ended, but the respect and admiration between these two warriors would last a lifetime.

Have an upcoming reservation for three soon. However I only have two in my party. What are the odds of me getting in if I just show up with two? Is it worth bribing the hostess with a twenty to seat us?

Title is a bit over the top. I don’t actually hate prime rib. It tastes fine if it is served with a nice horseradish sauce and some jus. That’s the root of my issue though. It needs sauces to keep from being too boring. A ribeye steak with a good sear only needs salt. The prime rib is missing the Maillard reaction. It’s a total waste of a great cut of beef.
I like the idea of prime rib. I was recently reminded how boring it is by going to a new restaurant near my house that everyone has been talking about. It’s a great restaurant and they have quickly made a name for themselves in part by serving up prime rib. I avoided it my first few visits but eventually ordered it as I kept hearing how great it was and it had been a few years since I’ve had prime rib. Wildly disappointed and I think I’m finally done with prime rib. I’ll gladly order it in a wedding setting or something, but never again in a restaurant. Unless the only other thing they sell is beef tenderloin. Then I’ll get the prime rib.

Hi there! We just wrapped up our wedding last weekend and I found this community super helpful when I was researching and planning my own wedding. I'm sharing this breakdown in hopes that I can give back to the group via some information sharing! I'm modeling this post after another super helpful budget breakdown post I saw a few weeks ago. Feel free to AMA in the comments - though I'm heading out on our honeymoon in two days and may be slow to reply while we're gone! :)

What is NOT included in the breakdown:

Engagement ring, wedding bands, honeymoon, bachelor & bachelorette parties. And the following things were covered by our parents as a gift: rehearsal dinner ($700 + tip for 30 people at Peking Restaurant), hotel stay (~$500 for 2 nights at Infinity Hotel), after party (~$300 + tip for 25 people at Campus Bar in the Marina)

The breakdown:

Expense	Cost	Vendor	Notes
All-Inclusive Elite Package for 90 guests	$31,353.77	Wedgewood Weddings	Included Ceremony + Reception Venue Booking, Invitations, Cake Cutting Set, DJ, Catering, Set Up/Breakdown, Open Bar, Linens, Table Settings, Cake, Floral Centerpieces, Sweetheart Table Florals, plus bonus decor they provided (votives, easels, table stands)
Additional Florals (Centerpieces & Sweetheart Table included in above line item)	$2,865.15	Angella Floral Design (WW Vendor)	Arch Florals, 1 large Bride Bouquet, 6 Bridesmaid Bouquets, Aisle Petals, Large Welcome Table Floral, Floral arrangement for base of sign
Bistro Lights and Draping	$3,310.00	Brown A/V (WW Vendor)
Photo & Video	$4,000.00	Gala Photo & Films	8 hours of photo and video, We had two photographers & 1 videographer. Includes a 3-5 min highlight reel, 30-45 min documentary style video, 500-700 edited photos, and an engagement shoot. Marc and Gia were amazing through this entire process, and I 100% recommend their team.
Save the Dates	$40.00	Canva + USPS
Boba Cart	$1,308.00	Boba Passion	Two hours of boba bar serving time (fully staffed) and a really cute boba bar cart. Sharlene and Lowell were so sweet to work with, and had a really great tasting process so that I could build my boba menu. This was a huge hit with the guests!
Misc Decor	$678.08	Etsy & Amazon	Match Bottle Favors, Seating Chart, Guest Book, Card Box, Flower Girl Baskets, Dried Florals for Table Setting, Welcome Mirror, Blankets for Guests
Donuts & Egg Tarts	$302	Dynamo Donuts & AA Bakery	Cake was included in our package, but we also ordered donuts for our vegan guests and egg tarts for our older Chinese guests. We ordered for pick up and had a family member pick up & drop off to the venue. The venue graciously provided dessert table decor (stands, donut wall holder)
Suit	$3,000	Tailor's Keep	My partner really wanted to splurge on his suit, especially because he works in finance and will have plenty of opportunities to rewear it. He got a fully custom-made suit + shirt made by the SF location of Tailor's Keep and absolutely loved the process. Definitely a splurge though!
Wedding Dress	$1,400	Blue Sky Bridal	A beautiful secondhand Louvienne Theo dress (it had pockets!) which originally retailed for close to $3K. Highly recommend Blue Sky Bridal for an amazing selection of secondhand and sample (basically new!) dresses. It was great to be able to shop "second hand" and still have a boutique-like shopping experience. All of the dresses are in amazing condition and well-taken care of.
Dress Alterations	$589.23	Le Caprice	I had my dress hemmed (had a few layers), buttons added down the back, bust adjusted to fit better, straps shortened, added a bustle, and cups put in. They also pressed my dress before pick up.
Cathedral Veil	$327.38	Le Caprice	I ordered a cheap one off of Azazie and absolutely hated how it looked/laid, so splurged for a nicer one from Le Caprice. If I had to do it again, I probably would've spent more time looking for a more affordable veil.
Hair & Make Up (Bride)	$680	Joyce Zhou Designs	Joyce was super sweet and knew exactly how to work with my Asian features. My hair held through 16MPH SF winds the day of the ceremony, which I was so grateful for! This also included a 15 minute hair & make up session for the groom.
Hair & Make Up (Trial)	$380	Joyce Zhou Designs
Hair & Make Up (Partial for Bridesmaids & Family)	$1,370	Joyce Zhou Designs	It was $230 for both hair & make up per bridesmaid, and $130 if you only did one service. We covered the full cost for our family members and $130 per bridesmaid. This total includes the full cost of single service for MOG & Best Person ($130 each), full cost of hair and make up for MOB and MOH ($230 each), and then 5 additional bridesmaids. They did services for 9 people, plus myself and my partner.
Groomsmen Suits	$1,500	SuitSupply	We contributed $500 per groomsmen for them to buy a custom suit from SuitSupply. The suits turned out great and now all of our groomsmen have something they can rewear in the future!
Bridesmaid Dresses	$643.13	Azazie	I let my bridesmaids choose the style of their dresses, and then waited for a Black Friday sale to order them. We covered the cost of the dresses.
Lion Dancers	$700	Leung's White Crane Association	We paid $700 which included 2 lions for a 15-20 minute performance that included benches + scrolls.
String Quartet	$1,170	SF Conservatory of Music	Hands down one of the best last minute decisions we made. The guests loved it, it made the ceremony music extra special, and it didn't cost and arm & a leg since we went through the SFCM. Someone on this Reddit thread suggested them and I could not be more grateful!
Tips	$990	-	There was a 22% service charge included with our WW bill, but we felt that many of our vendors went above and beyond so we tipped them. We gave $150 to our DJ, $100 to our coordinator, $350 to our photo/video team, and I can't remember the exact dollar amounts but also tipped 4 servers, a banquet captain, hair & make up, and the string quartet.

Wedgewood Experience

We went back and forth when booking our venue because we had heard really mixed reviews about Wedgewood Weddings. At the end of the day, my partner and I didn't have a strong preference regarding our vendors and our top priority was to have a stress-free and painless wedding planning process. Since we didn't have a "vision" for the big day, Wedgewood was absolutely perfect for us. Their planning process is well structured, organized, and saved us the headache of having to vet, source, and coordinate with our own vendors. And, because they turn over weddings on a regular basis there were so many things that they provided that we didn't need to purchase because they just have on hand for each wedding. For example, they had a cake stand, ceremony arch (those are expensive to rent!), easels for our signs, table numbers (we opted to use our own) and table number holders.
We did the Elite package (the top tier) which included almost everything we needed for the day, and then worked with our Wedgewood coordinators to make actual selections regarding menu, design/decor, and all of that fun stuff. All of the vendors we booked through Wedgewood were amazing (DJ, florist, cake, open bar, etc.) and we got really great feedback on the food as well which was probably the strongest unknown for us (we did a buffet with salads, rice pilaf, panko chicken, five cheese tortellini, and a prime rib carving station).
The coordinator was also able to handle a lot of other things the day of like tip distribution, setting up all of our personal decor, managing our timeline, and even coordinated with a few of our outside vendors (lion dancers, boba bar, photo/video, and string quartet). Their services were so comprehensive we absolutely didn't need any outside coordination services. Our day of coordinator was AMAZING and I really appreciated how on top of things he was. We had a snafu where our lion dancers were double booked (!) and 40 minutes late to our grand entrance, and our coordinator finessed our timeline and worked with the DJ to make sure the switch up was seamless. The guests didn't notice that anything had gone wrong, and it was so nice that we didn't have to worry about it ourselves.
Re: The Log Cabin specifically - We thought the venue was the perfect size for a wedding of 90 people or smaller. It was perfectly warm, cozy and intimate which is what we wanted. The outdoor ceremony area has an amazing peekaboo view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and Karl the Fog cooperated so that we could have the perfect backdrop to our ceremony. I know when I was reviewing venues, one of the concerns someone else had raised about The Log Cabin was that it is just over the freeway (where cars enter the GGB) and that there's a softball field nearby that makes parking difficult. We didn't have issues with either -- no one even noticed that the freeway was there, and the A/V system made it so it wasn't an issue even if there was any freeway noise. Our package included a parking lot buy out so parking was a breeze and it also included a security guard to ensure no one random strolled onto the property.

Areas for Cost Savings

• Wedding Party: We covered a lot of things for our wedding party because it was within our means and we wanted to show our appreciation for them. In lieu of wedding party gifts, we covered half the bridesmaids hair & make up services (and made the other half optional), subsidized the groomsmen suits, and paid for the bridesmaid dresses. This is definitely something that would have saved us several thousand dollars if we hadn't, and I think our wedding party would have been totally fine if we hadn't.
• Lights: Bistro lights and draping made for amazing photos, but this was definitely a nice to have and not a need to have.
• Party favors: Honestly, I had read so many comments about not doing them because most people leave them behind. We did custom match bottles and small dried floral magnets, and most of them got left behind. However, we went into it knowing that it might be the case but decided to still move forward because we thought it would add a nice look to the table scape. There were a few people who were extremely sentimental and thrilled to have the favors to bring home. We'll see how they look in photos once the detail pics come in. :) If you're looking for an area to cut costs though, ABSOLUTELy skip the favors.
• Wedding Dress: I definitely could have found a more affordable wedding dress via David's Bridal, Brides for a Cause, or even at Blue Sky Bridal (there were plenty of options <$1000) but I ended up falling in love with my dress. If you're on a budget, definitely stick to trying on dresses within that range or you might risk getting attached to something out of budget. I didn't want to spend $1400 on my dress, but made the mistake of pulling it off the rack without checking the price tag. I was lucky enough to be able to afford it, but would have been heartbroken if I couldn't.
• Groom's Suit: Honestly, Tailor's Keep was such a splurge but my now husband was SO SO happy with the process. I think if you're not someone who wears suits a lot, or just doesn't have a need for that nice of a suit you could rent to save $. Or if you want to get a nice custom suit that doesn't break the bank, SuitSupply did an amazing job with our groomsmen suits and had plenty of options in the $500-800 range.
• Veil: I splurged on my veil (~$300) and this is probably my biggest regret. You only wear it for the ceremony - and my ceremony was SO windy - and it honestly doesn't end up looking the way you think it will trailing behind you... unless you have a perfectly windless day. Most of my photos are without the veil, and I think they looked amazing without it. If I could do it over, I'd nix the veil and save myself a few hundred dollars.
• Extra Desserts: We had so much leftover dessert... at the end of the night most people are off at the bar, using the photo booth, or dancing. I feel like most of our guests either opted to skip or just totally forgot the desserts were there!