In the last 2 weeks, I have shared how God kindly showed me the impact of a word I had given years before*.

God often sets you up for such a blessing. It’s a means of encouragement for us, but it also encourages others.

In my last story, I had stepped out of my comfort zone and offered to pray for a mum at the hairdressers. I had popped into the salon to buy shampoo and while there, on a nudge from God, I asked if they had time to cut my son’s hair. Weirdly enough, they did. This was in a salon that was near impossible to get a booking less than a week out. This then positioned me to bless a mum, receive a testimony regarding a word I had delivered years prior, and save substantially on a haircut in a place that never reduced their fees.

It was a win – win – win!

As I sat by my son, I spoke to a young mum with a petite 16-month-old. We started rambling on about ‘Mummy stuff,’ and in passing she mentioned her daughter was having trouble with teething. As she shared, I recalled the miracle of the teething 1-year-old who had slept through the night from the time I had laid hands on his mum and prayed for him.** Mentioning this testimony to the Mum, I offered to pray.

‘I’m Catholic. I have never heard of such a thing,’ she said.

‘I decided a couple of years ago to believe the word in the Bible that says, these signs shall follow those that believe… they shall lay hands on the sick and see them healed.’

I explained I had since seen people healed, and I shared a few more testimonies about God’s goodness.

She stood to have her hair rinsed and invited me to follow her to the washing room to pray for her daughter. Following her in, I laid hands on her daughter, releasing peace, and I told her daughter’s body to cut teeth without pain. I stopped praying when I felt it was enough.

As we kept chatting, I felt to ask her if she wanted the gift of healing.

‘Yes, I do. It intrigues me,’ she said.

‘You’ll give it a go, and it will shock you to see God heal people!’

She gave me her hands, and I knelt by her side as I prayed.

She was still leaning back in the wash chair, as a young male hairdresser put toner through her hair.

I noted he watched and listened intently.

Once I finished praying for an impartation of the gift, she poured her heart out to me. Problems in her 5-year-old marriage.

‘It’s been so tough…’ she trailed off.

‘Give me your hands,’ I said again, and I prayed, this time for her, her marriage, and her husband.

‘My heart just tightened as you prayed,’ she said.

‘You will go home today, and you think about what has happened. When you do, you will ask Jesus, “where are you for me right now?” You will feel Him, and when you do, ask Him to come into your heart.’

I did not feel I should lead her to Christ at that moment. If I had, I would have made the invitation. Instead, I explained a little about what I had said, and how we can all know where God is for us at any moment in time.

‘From that time on, things will change for the better. It will be amazing, and things will change for the better.’

She agreed.

As I spoke, I talked of God’s love, that there was no sickness in Heaven. I told her how I had given the young man washing her hair a word from God about 18 months earlier. (see the last 2 weeks’ posts). I explained how God had wanted us to know how loved we were regardless of what we had done, who we were, how we lived, that He loved us regardless.

The guy doing her hair nodded all the way through as I spoke.

The girl listened and as we spoke, when suddenly her husband rang.

Coincidence?

I think not.

As she spoke to him, I quietly prayed for unity in the marriage, knowing the timing was impeccable.

On finishing the call, I prayed for her again, speaking unity, peace, joy and the ‘shalom’ of God. I explained briefly what ‘shalom’ meant–it was not the absence of strife, but the presence of Peace, the presence of a person, Jesus Christ.

On finishing up, I gave her my number.

‘Some people call, even years later, to tell me their stories, so let me know how you get on.’

We spoke for a little longer and I said goodbye, encouraging her as I went to ask Jesus where He was and ask Him into her heart. I again confirmed things would shift for the better.

I left the salon, encouraged that the meeting was not by chance. The last-minute appointment and the discounted hair cut was not by chance. Remembering to buy my hair shampoo that morning was not by chance. God set me up. He adored me; He adored her; and, He adored the young man doing her hair at the basin. The King of Kings and the lord of Lords had planned the entire encounter.

I left encouraged that a word I had given, so nervously so long ago, had impacted a young man so much that he still carried those pieces of paper that spoke of how much God loved him.

I also left encouraged, knowing the young mum was sitting near me intentionally, during a haircut for my son, at a salon that never has openings, and that never discounts their fees.

God has a plan and a path for our lives. Most of us just need to know how loved we are by Him. He will do the rest.

The impact of words written in love for a young man; the impact of offering to pray; the impact of chatting to a young Mum who looked all shiny on the outside but hurt so much on the inside; the impact of speaking the Truth of God’s Kingdom, of healing and love and joy; the impact of taking the time to stop and chat, although I had many other things to do…

In fact, the true impact of it all I will never really know. But, that young man is a sign and an encouragement to me because I know if I will just stop, step out and release His love to people as I go, those around me will see that God loves them, and that…

God is good!

Links:

* He was loved Part one can be read here and part two can be read here

** What are you waiting for? Story of teething baby sleeping through the night can be read here

©Beth Kennedy 2022