Saturday, December 1
Today was one of those days that made me smile at the end. It was a day I got to see God working in the lives of the people I work with and the people I encountered at work. I don’t doubt that God is always at work. My confession is that more often than not, I don’t take the time to recognize His workings and say thank you.
think it all started when God slowed me down from the busyness of the store to help Lisa (names changed), who was looking for something that would encourage Debbie. Lisa and Debbie work in the same building, but do not know each other. They met in the women’s restroom. Lisa recognized the encounter as a divine appointment and listened to Debbie pour out her heart regarding her situation in life. She spent her forty minute commute back home praying for Debbie, and today, wanted to find something she could take back to Debbie that would encourage her.
As I listened to Lisa recount Debbie’s story, my heart broke for her as well. I’m praying for her now too. This is one of the amazing ways God works. Debbie had no idea when she walked into the restroom the other day that she would leave having made a friend. She has no idea that friend has been praying for her or that she shared her story with a complete stranger. Now there are two praying for her. My hope is that, as you read this, you too would take a moment and pray for her (God knows her real name). Pray for her health. Pray that her husband will support her and show that support. Pray for God’s peace in her life. God’s divine appointment then multiplies into people all over the country praying.
Now that’s something to smile about, but it didn’t stop there. Debbie’s story made me think of a friend that has been going through a lot and I felt compelled to call her on my break just to tell her again that God loves her and He does have a plan for her life. She was grateful.
Still smiling? There’s more. My best friend came in with another friend (we’ll call her Lynn) whom I have a great deal of respect for because the place of ministry God has put her in is difficult, and so needed. I talked to them for a few minutes, but then carried on my work. I could here them laughing across the store. They were talking to a co-worker of mine (we’ll call him Jason). Not fifteen minutes later, Jason told me that he’d need me to check him out because he was buying a Bible for Lynn who keeps giving hers away.
…There’s still more. Not too long after they left, my best friend and Lynn came back with a gift for Jason. Someone had asked him earlier if there was anything he needed and he responded “chocolate chip cookies and milk.” Guess what was in the gift? You got it…chocolate chip cookies and milk. He teared up. I smiled.
Capping the day off was an unexpected visit by a couple who had just gotten married this evening. They spend a lot of time in the store. We had all been invited to the wedding, but some of us had to work, so they stopped by to have a picture taken with us. I know you think this is a little weird. It is, but it still made me smile. It made me smile because it was so neat to get to be a part of their day even though we couldn’t be there. It made me smile because he was so handsome and she was so beautiful. It made me smile because I never would have thought I’d get to be a part of such a moment by working in a bookstore. It made me smile because all the other moments of the day came flooding back to mind and God said “this is good.”
God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.