Yesterday was a God Wink kind of day!! I love those days. Other than feeling like a ping pong ball bouncing between my parents’ house and the rehab center where my Dad has been for the last three weeks….yesterday was an ordinary day until….the engine light came on in my car and the car started vibrating….
The good news (a God thing for sure) is I happened to be right beside the service center that services my car when I am visiting my parents, so I pulled in….thankfully they were able to look at my car. While waiting in the lobby area, I opened my laptop to catch up on emails…..I was so caught up in my business that I barely noticed the lady who walked in….I vaguely heard her say, “Wow, working two shifts is killing me!” I looked up briefly and realized she was talking to me. With sincerity in my voice, I responded, “I can’t imagine.”
I kept right on typing and reading….a few minutes later the young woman said, “What kind of work do you do?” At that point…I had to stop and think….because my answer is very different than it was a year ago….I said, “Outside of being a wife and mother, and caring for my aging parents, I am a writer and inspirational speaker.” She said, “Wow! Do you write books?”
At that point I closed my laptop to engage in conversation with this pretty outgoing young woman. In the course of the conversation I ended up pulling out a paperback of “The Front 9” and handing it to her. As we talked, I began to share why I speak and write…..we talked about Jesus… She said, “I know this is a God thing! I have been so drained, tired and demotivated….I feel life pushing and pushing….as if there is a heavy weight on my back …I have even prayed for motivation and just talking to you is from you know who!” She then pointed up!
Dana is a single mom, with an eleven year old son. Her mom lives with her in the area. As we talked, she shared that just last April when her boyfriend came to visit, he was in a motorcycle accident and was killed. He was missing for almost 12 hours before they found him. He had somehow driven off a ravine. The tears came as we talked and she shared her fatigue and pain. I am certain she is a Christian but life is hard right now and adversity is hovering over her.
I see once again how my own personal pain allowed me to comfort and encourage her with scripture. I am so glad I know Jesus. I know from personal experience what getting alone with God and having that focus on Jesus can do. We talked and shared and I was able to encourage her to take at least 10 minutes of her day to SEEK God. Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
We talked about how important it was for her to get still, if only for a few minutes, before God. Psalm 46:10,”Be still, and know that I am God.” From my own personal experience and knowing Christ….He has met me right where I was and I am confident He will meet her right where she is…I know that Christ will comfort and strengthen her.
We also talked about finding time to worship….. and fellowship in a church where she can find people who will encourage and share with her…..There were tears, smiles and hugs with a complete stranger at “Checker Lube”. It was a God wink for sure…………..I thank God…..I didn’t miss it. Sometimes I can get so wrapped up in my own finite world and stay “packaged in my thoughts and duties”.
I urge you to always be aware….you can be a stranger to someone and minister to them…….I have been ministered to countless times by strangers…..It was awesome and a TRUE GOD WINK….I snapped out of my personal world to welcome in a stranger who is no longer a stranger….Her name is Dana and she has pretty blue eyes!!
The lesson for me? Make sure my face isn’t always in a laptop or looking at my phone. I don’t want to miss an opportunity that might be right in front of me……
May you experience a God Wink today!