Do you have days when you are just trying to keep it together?
Things at work had become increasingly stressful. Over the past few months, there had been a couple of layoffs and lots of changes. It was an emotional roller coaster, and on this day it felt like things were spiraling down in a bad way. I was overwhelmed by negative thoughts and a belief that I wasn't making a difference.
Then the phone rang. A friend called on a work related issue. After a few minutes she changed the conversation and asked; "How are you doing?" Of course, I answered... "Fine," but she didn't believe it. I began to share with her the truth about how I was really doing - lousy! I shared my frustration and the feeling of worthlessness. After a few minutes of listening, she asked... "Is it true?"
She began to speak words of encouragement and to remind me of all the things I had done in a recent situation that had been helpful to other people. The tears came running down my cheeks. Her words were so full of truth, that it was then I recognized that God was calling me. My friend couldn't have known everything I had been through but she spoke words that only God could have known I was feeling. He didn't want me to continue thinking the negative thoughts but to recognize the truth - I was making a difference!
Realizing what had happened, I said to my friend "I didn't know God was calling." I shared with her how God had used her to pick me up when I was feeling so down. A simple phone call that turned into a profound example of God's personal touch on my life.
This is the story that inspired me to start this blog. Where is God showing up in your life? Who is he using to encourage you on your journey. Please share your story so that others will be encouraged to recognize God when he shows up.
I look forward to reading your post.
Have you ever had a conversation, or been in a situation with someone that spoke right to your heart without even knowing where you were at? God brings people to us to encourage and help us along the path of our journey. "I didn't know God was calling"... He shows up when we don't expect it. We all have moments afterwards where we realize that it had to be God. This site is an opportunity for you to share how God used others to meet you in a personal way.
I'm not really sure about how to blog, but here is my story:
ReplyDeleteI am working part time this year and do not have to begin teaching on Wednesdays until 11:00. Because of this schedule change, I miss staff devotions on Wednesday mornings at 7am. This past Wednesday, I was at home and had had a difficult morning with my 21 year old son. He is still living at home and left the house Wednesday declaring emphatically that "there is no God!' As I drove to work that morning, I wept, crying out to God and asking Him to work in my son's life to "bring the prodigal home to Himself".
I told the Lord that I was hanging on to hope by a thread and I desperatley needed Him to show me that He was indeed working in my son's life.
When I arrived at school, my co-worker told me that I had missed a great morning devotion. She told me that one of our collegues had given letters to everyone. The letter was from God to His children. It was full of scripture and was a beautiful letter of love from our Heavenly Father. I was in tears as she handed me the letter. She said "we were supposed to take a letter and give it to someone that God showed us really needed it!"
God called me that day! I told her about my difficult morning. I told her that I was going to put the letter on my son's pillow, which I did as soon as I got home. Later that evening, I was scheduled to pick up my husband at the airport. We arrived home late. As I was walking by my son's room, I noticed him sitting at his desk with the light on. I peeked in to say goodnight and asked him what he was doing. He was sitting at his desk with the letter and a pen, underlying the scripture passages! God is so good! His word does not return void.
I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future!
My niece Donna works for the telephone company. She is on the phone everyday all day. One day one of her customers asked her out for a date. She laughed out loud and said "no way I don't date, I weigh 313 pounds."
ReplyDeleteHe then told her "why don't you do something about it?"
Well, from that day in April 2008 until today Feb 2009 she has lost 140 pounds.
He has called in to cheer her on several times. No they have not met.
Donna told us that after that phone call she finally had a revelation in the weight loss area. Before she had always asked God to "help" her to lose weight. Now she puts the whole thing into God's hands and sits back and watches Him work in her life. And she gives God ALL the glory!!!
As a result of her losing the weight, she has motivated my daughter and myself to lose our weight also. We meet her each week at Emmanuel Faith Church for a meeting. The meeting is put on by a Christian physican who lost 270 pounds without surgery.
He now has a website healthsteward.com and leads a 12 week study in becoming healthier. My daughter and I have each lost 20 pounds since January 6, 2009(with 20 more to go.)
As a result of this my daughter and my niece have been reconciled And myself and my niece's siblings have also been reconciled. This had to be totally of God.
We now think that the caller was "God calling"
We look forward to the meetings every week and seeing Donna each week.
Friendships and connecting with others is the key to life for me. When I think about why I'm here, it's about being in service to others.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't always have to be cooking meals when someone is sick.......you know, when you think, "What should I do to be helping others?" It can be just as easy and simple as being yourself, honestly just being yourself, while focusing on the other person. Listening, truly listening without interruption, and understanding them.
This can be an incredible gift to another. For it may change a moment in time for them; giving them clarity on some issue that they themselves found by speaking out loud to you, the caring listener. Try it. Don't fix, Don't talk, just listen and care.
AN ANSWER TO PRAYERS!!
ReplyDeleteStopping by the bank Wednesday was my last errand. As I stood at the teller's window an overwhelming feeling took over my mind. Withdraw another $__ and take it to your friend Beth. Her name really isn't Beth, but for the sake of conveying what happened, I will call her Beth.
As I drove the opposite direction from my house at dinner time with groceries in my car, I found myself sitting in her driveway. The house was empty! I looked in my phone for her number, but didn't have her listed. Now what do I do? What am I going to say anyway? "Hi, I thought I would stop by and drop off some money for you, so here it is." Or "Hi, God told me to stop by with this money, so here you go."
"Well God, I said if this is you prompting me, I’ve tried, but it just didn't work out".
Or…was this just the kooky voice in my head running me in circles?
Then I remembered that Beth had texted me the sweetest note the week before.
I should mention, that I’ve never had a text from her, nor have I ever texted her.
It said: "Hi Jan. You keep coming to my mind, so I'm praying for you! Hope you're great! Hugs, Beth" How sweet, but to the best of my knowledge nobody really prays for ME. So while it was sweet, I felt guilty about it. I felt like everything is fine with me, that somebody more deserving could probably really use these prayers. Silly huh? Well it didn't feel silly at the time. There it was, her number in my texting history, so I called her. I told her that I was in her driveway, but the place was empty. She shared her recent struggles. I knew that she had previously lost her job and now she had had to store her household goods and move into a room above a garage…WITH HER DAUGHTER!!
I told her why I was calling and that I needed to see her NOW! She was worried about me possibly expending a lot of time in 5pm traffic.
Imagine that, SHE was worried about me.
So instead I drove home wrote a check and drove back to the Post Office for their last pick up at 5:45pm. As I pulled thru the drive-thru the Postal Employee was dumping the boxes. The timing was bizarre!
Okay so what's the big deal you ask?
As I was driving back to my house and talking with her she shared a story with me.
Her story involved a situation where she needed some money. Having none she found herself asking God for His guidance and wisdom. The story was much longer, but it's personal and so in the spirit of respecting her "stuff" I'll just finish with a snip it from her follow up email:
I can't even believe this!!! Truly. Since we got off the telephone I have had chills over my entire body. This is literally a Hug from God. I KNOW he's telling me "I have you don't worry, I'm here".
Reading her note gave me chills and AN overwhelming feeling...God, I didn't know you were going to call today, but I'm so blessed and glad that you did!
You see, my prayers were also answered. I’ve been asking and pleading with Him to use me, some how, some way for His Glory.
Thank you Christ Jesus for answering prayers!
All Glory & Honor, Thanks & Praise to our Risen King, now and forever!!