I Just Thought I Was There to Shop!

I once read a quote by Rick Warren that said, "the most dangerous prayer that you can pray is GOD USE ME!"  I have to say, I agree with him!  Through my journey, that has been my cry to the Lord...use my struggles and my pain to glorify the Lord for His purposes.  And you know, He most certainly has...doors have been opened for me to share what God has done in my life and speak about His grace and mercy over and over.  Sometimes, this happens in a conventional way but at other times, the circumstances are random and very unusual.  This weekend, I had one of those unusual, "chance" event type of experiences.

I was in Dallas running errands with some friends.  I was in a store (that I wasn't even supposed to go in by the way...again, a random turn of events) and I had been helped but was waiting for the employee to get back to me.  I was leaned up against a counter and a lady started commenting on how much she liked my purse, then my boots and then my jewelery...and from that, we struck up a conversation.  I have a very nice, expensive purse and I joked to her that it was my "divorce present" to myself.  Which then caused her to blurt out, "Are you happy?"  And I answered back, "Yes, happier than I've ever been, but it has nothing to do with me or a divorce, but everything to do with God and what He has done in my life.  I can take no credit for that happiness".  No sooner than the words had left my mouth, big ol' tears started pouring down her face and I KNEW...this was God ordained and I was about to learn why I was really in this store.  She proceeded to tell me that she couldn't even talk to her friends and tell them what she was telling me and no idea why she was telling me this but...she opened her heart and shared with me all about her marriage struggles and of course, by no coincidence, I had walked a very similar path and could relate with her hurts and disappointments and very real fears. 

As I told her of God's redemptive work in my life through a situation that was similar and out of my control, she began to question me, not in a defensive way but in a searching way.  She brought up these three points:

• I'm afraid of God and I don't think He likes me very much.
• I know a lot of people who go to church and they are NOT nice people.
• I don't understand why God allows bad things to happen to good people.

Wow...that could be three different sermons right there!  I proceeded to witness to her and show her that she had the very wrong impression of God and that He loves us so much BUT we do live in a fallen world, so yes, bad things can happen to good people.  I gave her a lot of encouragement in her struggles and I hope I gave her a hope infusion after sharing my journey.  It then became her turn at the counter, so we hugged and I wished her luck...and I didn't see her again.  We never even traded names.

As I turned around, my friend was standing there with her mouth wide open wondering what the heck just happened.  It was one of those surreal, God moments that you just can't make up.  I even had to ask, "Did that just happen???"  Yep, it did.

I've thought about that situation since and I realize over and over that nothing in this world is by chance.  God placed me in her path for a very specific reason.  I planted a seed and I will most likely never know what happens next.  I prayed for her later that night for God to start to stir in her heart so she would come to find Him in her time of need.  The funny thing is I had some tough things I had to do that day that I had been dreading, and I had prayed that morning for God to work it all out and for the day to be a success.  I had confidence He was going to work out all the details, which He did...but I just didn't know that wouldn't be the best thing to happen to me during the day!

Every day, we have chances to speak to people and share our stories in just regular places, but we have to be open and looking for those moments.  God wants to use ordinary people like me to carry His extraordinary message.  It's the greatest pay it forward system in the world!  Every single one of us has a story to tell but we must be open and honest and always looking for those divine opportunities.  They are there, but often times we are just too busy to stop and give someone the time of the day, much less strike up a conversation with them.  I could have easily said, "Thanks for the compliment", and turned my back on a complete stranger...so glad I didn't.  Because in the end, I was blessed too and my faith was strengthened because I felt honored that God used me in that moment.  He's watching and He's listening and He's answering my prayers.  How cool is that?!

I knew there was a reason I bought that purse!!!

JOY