A Divine Encounter

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

She was walking up the driveway looking a bit dazed and confused. It is not out of the ordinary for people to walk my driveway, I manage a storage facility. People come by all the time, looking a bit lost when they are looking for the office not realizing it is my house. But this time there was something different. She walked in from the street, no car or bike could be seen. I went outside wondering what kind of encounter this was going to be.

“Can I help you?” came the unsure words out of my mouth as I approached.

She looks up asking if this is the office. “Why yes it is,” I say ready to find out how I could help her.

“Can I sit down for a minute?”

“Absolutely come sit.” I was a bit confused about her request but more than willing to let her sit on my porch steps.

She comes and sits down on the steps of the porch. I sit down next to her.

“Here is my story,” she starts off. “I recently had surgery and was going for a walk. I was going to walk to the light on the corner but can’t make it. Can I use your phone to call for a ride?”

Of course, absolutely. I step inside to grab the phone. She dials a number and asks a friend if they were free to pick her up. She hangs up after she finds out they aren’t able to come get her. So she asks if she could just rest for a minute.

I sit down next to her making sure she has some water to hydrate while she regains her strength. And then we talk. She wasn’t expecting me to sit down and be an ear. She just really was hoping she could rest in the shade. She had no idea the person who she would encounter would be willing to take time from her busy day to be a friend to a perfect stranger.

Hearing about what she was walking through at the time and the current trials she was facing, I became that confidant she needed at that moment. I can now pray for her and intercede for her while she walks through her valley.

My encounter with her was an answer to a prayer, or more like a complaint. I have friends who talk about their divine encounters. One friend has encounters all the time and I love hearing about them. I must admit that I was getting jealous though. I stay home pretty much all day every day. I am not out and about that often which means I rarely get that opportunity to be Jesus to a stranger. I asked God to give me a divine encounter. I really wanted one; I hadn’t had one in such a long time. I asked and He answered. He gave me a desire of my heart, a divine encounter.

Christmas Treasure Hunt

Wednesday night we took our junior high group downtown to give burritos to the homeless and the hungry. It was a chilly night and was raining right before we left but stopped as we headed out. The excitement of all the students was really overwhelming. It isn’t the first time we have gone downtown on a treasure hunt to bless anyone we found. Showing God’s love by meeting a simple need with no strings attached is the best way to show the gospel. Not everyone responds the same. Some actually won’t take something from you or give you a nasty look. But the ones who receive, those are the ones who you touch in a very real way. 

Before we left the church, we spent some time praying and asking God to lead us to those who needed some burrito lovin’. As we were praying students got words or pictures in their minds. One student got a lion and another got a monk. We went by a bookstore with lion in the name and there was a guy there taking shelter under the awning next to the store. So we gave him a burrito and wished him a Merry Christmas. He was very thankful and wished us a Merry Christmas as well. Then we walked toward a place in town that has monk in the name. Just past the business is a bike rack area and there was a girl sitting there. Her face lit up in shock that she would be offered anything like that. A gift with no strings attached. She took the burrito so gratefully as we said Merry Christmas. These could be coincidences or these could be more. I think these are more. We asked God to show us where to go to spread His love and He did. There were people right in the areas that we went. And honestly the bookstore was across from the direction we were originally heading and the business was several blocks down and not where the homeless would be hanging since the place was still open.

It was an amazing night. Feeding those who were hungry and praying for those who wanted prayer. Talking to those who wanted to talk and singing Christmas carols in front of a Jack in the Box with a group of homeless people. While we are celebrating the greatest gift this month, I challenge you to love someone with no strings attached who you would not normally even give a second thought to. You don’t have to do something like what we did. Just be aware of those around you and ask God to show you someone who you can show love to.

Love with no strings attached, that is Jesus; that is the gospel.

A Day at the Park

Yesterday we went to the park. (It was the last sunny day for at least a week.) Here are my honey and I with our four kiddos playing and running. I was at the swings with Gia when a mom with a little boy who is 3 weeks younger than Gia came up and put her son in the swing next to us. He was so unsure of the swing and while the mom was next to me, we started talking. It started out small just about the swings but then went from there. She was amazed when she saw I had four kids. She was saying how she and her husband just started talking about when they wanted to have another but he did not think he was ready and she was starting to think she was. She said she could not wait to tell him she met a mom with four kids.
I love that God put her in my path so she could see that it is not impossible to take care of a lot of children. I also love the fact that I had taken the time in the morning to make myself ready for the day. I was showered and put together. I looked rested and was not one who looked frazzled or overwhelmed. My clothes were clean and not worn out or ragged, and my hair was not just put back in a scrunchie.
This is a huge witness to anyone who thinks having a lot of kids is irresponsible. If you have a “lot” of kids (this term is relative some think for is a lot and I think 16 is a lot) but look like you don’t take care of yourself then you are not being a good witness to those around you. I am not saying you should look like a model with no hair out of place or dress in business cloths but you should look put together when you go out. This world looks at the outside first impression and if we fail at that then we have not done the family lifestyle justice.
The mom I met was excited to have met me and hopes that she will see me again. I am praying God crosses our paths at the one of the parks (our town has a least 12 play areas within the city park and throughout town) again when the rain that is to be here for a while moves on its way and the sun comes back.
So, I ask you as a mom, “How is your witness?”

Proverbs 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.


Proverbs 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.