Stories of a good God

Posts tagged ‘As you go’

Synchronicity – God is Good!

I’m sure anyone who has walked with God for any length of time has experienced this … this will be nothing new to most … but no matter how often it happens and how regularly it happens, I am still like a kid in a lolly shop (a candy shop for the Americans) and am amazed at how God works in our lives, and the lives of those around us.

Our church had a women’s event on Thursday night.  In fact, I am sad to say I had not thought about it since popping it into my diary, since I tend to live in very short bursts of time right now due to my children’s’ schedules and the fact that anything around their schedules can change at the drop of a hat means I tend to look at one day at a time.  I was catching up with my pastor on Wednesday morning for a lovely chat and coffee when she asked if I would play at this womens event.  Now God had warned me that I may be asked, so I said yes … and then realised it was the very next day!

I thought … well, I’m going to be there anyway, so I am going to invite local people I love, local people who have no “spiritual home”, and anyone else God places on my heart to invite.  I trusted it was going to be a good night, a speaker from the Babes Project was coming, and there was going to be tea and chocolate later … who wouldn’t want to come!

Names popped into my spirit and I texted as I thought of people …

A number of friends couldn’t come, especially with only 24 hours notice, but others could and after speaking to them, and mentioning to one or two I was playing, they became determined to come (some didn’t even know I was a musician).

Now a few weeks ago I posted about a mum F who had wanted to meet me, and whose close friend, M, was an ex-member of my previous church.  I did invite F but she had the children that night and couldn’t come.  I didn’t have the details of M, but I had mentioned to F that it may be something that M would like.  I left it at that … and I basically said to God “if I bump into M at school I will invite her …” noting I never see her at school drop off or pick up  …

Well the following morning my little boy wanted to walk himself in, so the odds of seeing M was nil … I had a few things to do, but felt to first head up to a shopping strip and stop for a cup of tea, which I don’t usually do, and I felt strongly to head to a particular coffee shop to do so …

I headed in, and … yes … you know where this is going … there M was with her husband … She said she hardly ever goes to this particular place for coffee … but they had decided to come this morning.

The long and the short of this is that I invited M, she happily said yes, and I think she had a great time … I haven’t seen her since …

Now I know that this is a simple story, and many of you may be saying … “yeah whatever” but as for me … no matter how often this happens, I am in awe of God, a God who sets us up for His best … a God that loves us … a God that allows life to flow with synchronicity, if we will just listen …

Purely and simply because …

God is Good!

 

Category:

As you go, God is good, God loves women, synchronicity of God

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Prayer, peace and plugging in … God is Good!

A friend received some shocking news recently.  Her ex husband, who had been imprisoned for some serious crimes against her, was released without her knowledge a year or 2 before he was due to be released.  The history was nasty and not something I will cover here, suffice to say, when she received the news she went into serious shock at the news.

This girl became a friend through an activity that our children shared a few years ago.  She had been a person I had felt to stop and pray for about 3 years ago, as I went about my day.  God had shown up powerfully for her in the foyer of this place, and after the encounter with a loving God she sought me out and asked if she could come to my home to be prayed for again.  I agreed, and so a pattern was established that she would seek me out for prayer, especially when she was struggling.  She got a taste of a good God, and she wanted more …

Over the years we have prayed about her work, her children, her future, her fears and her hopes.  Healing has come for her, and she has seen God come through for her and her girls time and again … maybe not in her timing … but always His timing has been … perfect!

Each time we prayed God has encouraged her, loved her and wooed her closer.  She would visit my home for about an hour, and she would leave at peace and empowered with a “now word” from God to give her a future and a hope, all the while I encouraged her to read particular scriptures, to seek God’s face for herself, knowing that she also had direct access, that I was not the answer, just merely a messenger, a teacher and a sign post to Him.

By her second or third visit she gave her heart to Jesus and she had started to seek His face for herself in her life.  Our paths continued to cross, but with less regularity, yet she would continue to seek out prayer when she was struggling.  A text would come, I would make time and she would visit.  I knew some, but not all of her back story, so it was with sadness that I received her text recently telling me of her ex husband’s release.  When I read it my heart sank … I felt so strongly for her and her girls and the fear they must have been experiencing …

In response to her text I instantly prayed – feeling quite useless knowing that I couldn’t fix this one … this one was well beyond me … it was beyond her … it was basically well beyond anyone … but God!

I felt an anointing flow as I drove and prayed. I hoped, I trusted, that she would feel God with her, she needed His tangible presence at this time … and when I got home I texted to let her know I had been praying peace for her and her girls …

I saw her later that week.  She wanted and needed more prayer, in person, and she needed a cuddle, and so my husband and I made time.  We stopped in our busyness to be with her, to give her a word of encouragement, including the word “plugged in”.  We knew it was time for her to connect … not just with us, not just with God … but into a body that could care, pray and walk with her through this time …

She said that she hadn’t known what to do when she got the news.  She was paralyzed with fear and shock. She just knew to text for prayer, and so she did … and the peace came not long after.  I couldn’t call her or text her at the time, but as soon as I saw the text I started to pray knowing the stress she would have been experiencing. She knew I would pray and she told me she felt a flow of serene peace … a peace that she just could not explain … and she knew the text had got through and been responded to … she knew I was praying for her, she knew God was there for her to hang onto.  She had said at the time that the peace was amazing, but she also felt comfort that there was someone who cared enough to be available to text and to pray …

She continues the journey.  It has not been an easy few weeks, but she has now taken the next step to get “plugged in” … she is plugging in deeper with God and she is getting plugged into a local Christian community with our family (oh the blessing of a local church!).  I believe that it will be in that community (rather than it just being me and God) that healing will come.  I am trusting and hoping that community will form around her to walk with her and her girls, and that she will continue to heal, and learn how to walk knowing that God will protect her because …

God is Good!

 

 

 

 

Category:

Body of Christ, Community, God is good, Peace, prayer

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Myer is full of the Spirit of God – A prodigal daughter comes home

I had a short amount of time to do some chores, wanting to get back home to complete some study.  I went to the local shopping centre and felt I was to walk through Myers on the way to the shops that I had to visit.  I had my first treasure hunt list in my bag and thought I may find a treasure (see Kevin Dedmon’s book – The Ultimate Treasure Hunt).

I bought a t-shirt in Myers for my husband and was served by a beautiful woman.  I asked if I could pray a blessing for her, telling her that she was obviously a blessing to so many others with her lovely disposition.  She agreed.

I felt nothing in particular as I prayed a 10 fold return on the blessing that she had been for others.  I trusted that God followed the blessing through.

I then headed towards the escalators feeling that I was to go upstairs through Myers to where I thought I was headed …

As I went up the escalator I saw C.  I had prayed for her before – she had graves disease which was causing her right eye to bulge.  She had told me it could eventually cause blindness.  I called to her as she headed up the escalators and I asked how she was.

She told me that she had been loosing more sight and pointed out that her eye was bulging.  I offered to pray a “quickie” since she was heading back to work after a break.  She agreed.

I laid my hand on the side of her face, after asking permission, and prayed, quoting the blind shall see.  She immediately felt something in her eye area.  I laughed and told her that her eye looked less bulgy than before.  I told her to go to the toilets to check it out.  She left excited, saying she would.

I checked out the sheets on sale in Myers and then felt to go to Adairs instead … where I got the best product and price … God’s favour and blessing!  I returned some shoes and then felt that I was to head straight back through the third floor of Myer to go home – I thought I would stop for a takeaway coffee  …

As I headed through the 3rd floor God reminded me that I needed to buy some pyjamas for M.  I felt great – this limited shopping time was turning out to be an excellent time of prayer, ticking off chores, and blessing and favour all rolled up in one … a smorgasbord outing with God!

I stood with my purchases at the cash register and waited.  An older lady called J was all anxious etc.  Her credit card would not work – I wanted to get home, but chose to remain calm and I offered to pay for her goods.  She accepted and then told me about her grandkids and started to cry.  I said to wait and I would pray for her.

She waited as I paid for my purchase and we stood to the side and prayed. She wept under the anointing.

She then started to pour her heart some more.  I wrote off the rest of the time I had and figured God would redeem the time and that she was far more important.  I suggested we have coffee (I knew I was getting my coffee at some stage).  I bought her a hot chocolate and listened while she told me her story in the middle of Myers.

I offered to pray some more.  She had arthritis – I held her hand, commanded the arthritis to go, and then felt to take her to her “God space”.

When she had located her God space she said God was “way up in Heaven” and she was “down here with me” (we were still sitting in Myer).  I said “ask Him to come closer”.  She did.  I asked her where He was.  She said on the couch opposite us. I said “do you want Him to come closer?” – she said “yes”.

I said “ask Him to come closer”; she did, and started to cry.  The anointing grew heavy.  I asked where He was and she said He was kneeling right in front of her and that He was saying that He had forgiven her.  I told her to tell Him what she wanted to tell Him – she wept and said sorry for being away from Him.

I then felt to say would you like to ask Him into your heart.  She said she had a long time ago, but I said do you want to ask Him again, afresh – she said “yes”.

She recommitted her life to Him and shook and wept as he started to heal her broken heart. The anointing was very strong and thick – it grew stronger and stronger each time she asked Him to come closer and closer –  I shook a bit and could feel Him all over us.  She could feel tingling on/in her hands.

We talked some more and she asked Holy Spirit to come and wash her clean, and back into her heart.

After she had recommitted her life to Jesus Christ I prayed and told the demonic to go and not come back, and for Holy Spirit to fill her completely up.  I also prayed an impartation of the gift of healing (she said she wanted it – her husband was in a wheel chair due to some condition).

I gave her my number.  We talked about church and about a seminar I was going to where Joshua Mills was talking – inviting her to come.  I told her how I had seen an arm growing out at a Joshua Mills seminar last year – she said her husband’s arm was shorter than the other (a coincidence? … no).  I said he could be healed and that it was worth coming.  She said she wanted to get back to church – I made some suggestions.

We talked a little longer and I walked her through the shopping centre to a point where I hugged and kissed her goodbye – telling her to call and how God loved her so much that He had sent someone to be there and to call her Home to Him.

Throughout the entire “encounter” she said people were watching us.  She said that there was a man during our coffee that looked just like a man from her past – a Christian that had cared for her when she had suffered from post natal depression after her first child, many years ago … I do not think that was a coincidence  either … God was so very on her case.

As we parted I told her she was an answer to my prayers – that the orphans would come home … and they are because …

God is Good!

Category:

As you go, Christian, God is good, Kevin Dedmon, Obedience, Prodigals

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Prayer at Kindy – Monday Arvo 11 October 2010

This was an early “stepping out on a word of knowledge” in front of people I knew and respected and while it may seem a mundane testimony, it wasn’t for me … for me, it was a huge step of faith … hearing a word of knowledge and stepping out to ask if it was relevant (and you will see I was the second person to ask the question so I think she got her answer in “2 or 3 witnesses”). It was also huge to even offer to pray, not just to couch the suggestion of water in everyday terms, I had a strong urging to pray … and she was touched …
In addition, while the sense of the anointing is not always present, I left the encounter greatly blessed and drenched in the Love of God … I was greatly encouraged and blessed, as was she purely because … God is Good!

Category:

As you go, God is good, God's love, Stopping for the one

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Praying in the park – Monday 11th October 2010

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As you go, Christian, God is good, prayer, Stopping for the one

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There was warmth and there was healing because God is Good!

I was at my son’s piano lesson, waiting for him to finish after what had been a long day. I had considered sitting in my car. I was tired and so often I end up interacting with people in the parents waiting room; however, I knew that this was where God would want me to be …

The door slid open and in bounced two little poppets (5 and 7) that have a lesson after my son. I said a cheery “hello” and “konnichiwa” (my son son learns from a Japanese teacher, and most of the students have one or both parents from Japan), and I smiled asking how they all were.

The two poppets and their mum sat. I asked whether they had been doing any more origami (their mum had taught my son how to make a stork a few weeks earlier) and they shook their heads … and as the older sat she winced and rubbed her neck, speaking something to her mum in Japanese.

I looked and asked if she had a sore neck and her mother looked and said that she had slept poorly and hurt her neck … and said … “what is it called a crook neck?”

I replied, “yes, a crook neck, where the neck gets hurt due to poor sleeping position” and I mentioned that my daughter had suffered from one a few weeks earlier.

The mum asked what could be done, and so I mentioned that heat helped, that we had seen an osteopath to massage it out, and that with massage and heat it would get better …

7 year old poppet kept rubbing and looked in pain …

I felt the familiar “knowing”, not even needing to ask Him, I offered …

“Would you like me to pray for her? That can work too” I said and when queried I said “pray” and put my hands in a familiar prayer pose …

The mum said “yes” and the little girl nodded and shuffled over to my side where I gently placed my hand and prayed, explaining that she may or may not feel something, heat, cool, tingles … but that God would want her well …

I sat quietly and in Jesus name prayed for healing. The little girl melted a little in the face and I said “you feel Him don’t you?” and she nodded in response …

“What do you feel?” I asked.

She looked and said “heat, it is warm”…

I asked her, “has the pain gone”

She nodded saying “yes” and smiled.

I said “oh good there you go” … all the while her mum watched and then asked what religion I followed …

I gently explained I was a Christian, that we believe in Jesus Christ as the son of God and that the Bible says that as a Christian I can lay hands on the sick and they will be healed in Jesus name …

She nodded saying “thank you.”

I smiled and said “your so very welcome, I’m so glad she feels better”, as 7 year old poppet moved and flexed her neck with a smile.

Now, a little later I did pray again, but for the mum. I prayed favour for the family, for their destinies to be opened for their next move for work and as I did my son’s teacher came out smiled as she saw what I was doing (yes I have prayed for her too over the years) and she called her next student in.

And so I ask … where are you meant to be positioned? Where does God want you … in the car, isolated and alone, but comfortable … or out in the community ready to release His love, His light, His warmth …

I believe I know where He wants me most of the time … and I know this because …

God IS Good!

Category:

Christian, crook neck, Destiny, God is good, healing

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It was time…God is Good!

Last year I wrote a post about a teacher at my daughter’s school who had been waiting for me to pray for her for some time.  When I did pray for her she had cried, saying she had been frightened she had been overlooked by God.   Some are just waiting to be asked!  (Click here for story)  Her time had come, she had not been missed and I had prayed …

Later, I had prayed for her again, in a complete set up by God (see same post) and at that second time I had given her the same scripture reference and the same advice that the school chaplain had given her a day or two earlier … God was so clearly on her case!  She was amazed and could see God on it too!

On one of these occasions I had said that she was on a journey, that she was being pursued by God, and I had explained how easy it would be for her to step into a deeper relationship with Jesus, just by simply asking Him into her heart … I had not felt to suggest she do it at that time, nor to push the point, I knew instead that God was wooing her and her time would come, and I told her so … that perhaps she would do it in private (and I explained how) … but whenever it would be, her time would come and she would know it …

About a month ago, I was waiting for my daughter in the school reception area when this particular teacher walked into the same area.  We greeted one another and I asked her about an outing she had been on recently …

She is one of those people who are always full of joy, she makes you smile, she really is delightful.  As she spoke I felt to pray for her again, which she readily agreed to, and as I held her hand and I started to pray for her I knew it was her time to ask Jesus into her heart … it was her time to be rescued by the knight in shining armour, riding the white horse…

I said so, and stated, more than asked, that she had not yet asked Him into her heart.  She agreed that she had not …

I suggested that it might be time, and she agreed that it was …

And so, in the reception area of a local school, she gave her heart to Jesus, she asked Him to take up residence in her heart.  It was a simple prayer, it was her prayer.  He gave her the words and she prayed them.

I smiled and hugged her and said well done.

We had a brief discussion about faith and I shared some of my background and journey.  I said to her, as with any relationship it takes time to get to know someone, and with time spent together you will come to know Jesus more and more.  We talked about the open door that is Jesus, and she stepped forward and through that door prophetically, on my suggestion, as if to step into the open door before her, the open door that is Jesus, and she shone with joy and happiness. She seemed to intuitively understand that this was not a function of the mind, but of the heart and of relationship, not that she had to shut off her mind to believe, but that her mind would catch up to her heart belief … she understood …

I suggested she tell the school chaplain of her decision (the school chaplain has since given her a Bible), and we went on our respective ways … me with my daughter, and her shining and transformed with the love of Jesus not only by her side, but fully resident in her heart knowing and experiencing that …

God is Good!

Category:

As you go, God is good, salvation, Stopping for the one

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A random act of kindness…God is Good!

Last Saturday while I was waiting for my daughter’s ballet class to finish I caught up with a new friend, a friend who has already blessed my life in many ways …

As we finished up, she saw a friend of hers, a woman she had told me about, a woman who was also kind, gentle and gracious.  She said hello to her friend and as she spoke her friend suddenly said with tears …

“Please excuse me, my dog died last night …”

As her friend said this I was filled with compassion for her and nearly started crying too … I feel like a sop when that happens, because I can tear up so easily at times, especially when I am filled with compassion or love or empathy … filled with Him … for another …

I touched her hand … aware that I was a complete stranger and not wanting to “get in her space,” and I gave my condolences …

I said goodbye to my friend, and with another hour and a half to wait, I wondered what I was to do. I asked God, and with a suddenness I knew I had to buy this woman flowers … a ballet mum too … what would she think?!

I started to walk, hoping to find a florist.  I trusted she would still be in the coffee place I had met her in when I got back, thinking how she may find me a bit “odd” to do something like that, but I thought “what can it hurt to give her flowers … to do something kind …? … but still!”

I eventually ended up at one of the train stations in the city, and found my way to a flower stall.  I immediately saw some miniature cyclamens … and I knew I was to buy her the deep pink ones …

“Odd,” I thought, feeling a bit shy about it.  I looked at the other flowers on sale … she seemed so gracious that I thought I should perhaps buy her a potted orchid but I kept being drawn back to the deep pink cyclamens …

I selected the plant I felt God draw me to, bought them and asked for them to be wrapped.

I wandered back past the coffee shop … she wasn’t there …

“Blow, I thought” and decided on my friend’s suggestion (who I had just spoken to on the phone about another matter) to leave them with a person at the ballet school to pass them on …

Still with time to wait I went back to the same coffee shop to sit down outside and have another cup of tea, thinking I may see her again …

I got on with a bit of texting, sipped my tea, and contemplated life, looked at the passers-by, enjoyed the greenery of the trees over the road … and as I did she walked past …

I called out and said a bit awkwardly “… these are for you, I hope you don’t mind, but I felt to get them for you … I just wanted to bless you …”

She looked and cried, tears ran down her cheeks and she told me a little of the story.

I said I had felt to get her the pink cyclamens …

The tears kept running down her cheeks and she said that her little beloved dog’s collar was the same pink, and the dressing gown that belonged to her daughter that her little dog had been buried in, was purple (the cyclamens had touches of purple at their base, and the flowers were wrapped in purple).

“Only God!” I thought.

I said I had felt to get her the hot pink … and had thought they may be able to sit on her kitchen table in memory of her dog …

She said “thank you, it’s so kind” …

I backed away, not wanting to invade her space in any way … but I said “I just wanted to bless you … I hope it is ok … just a random act of kindness …”

And I wished her well.

We had spoken about more than just that, but the exchange was brief, in that I wanted to really respect her privacy, but I said I would sit for a while longer if she felt like stopping later, but if not, there would be no offence …

And so I finished my tea in the morning sunshine … she didn’t come back, and that was ok … she was too tender….

Regardless … I don’t believe the “coincidence” was lost on her …

I had mentioned praying for her family, but other than that I didn’t mention Jesus, I didn’t pray for her then and there, I didn’t get in her face about anything, including the God coincidence …. I just gave her the flowers that just happened to be the same colour as the collar on her little dog and the gown in her little dog was buried …

Did I feel awkward?

Yes!

But I know when God moves us to do something, it is worth feeling awkward for, it is worth taking the risk and obeying, for you never really know what is gong on in a person’s life … but He does and perhaps through that one act of obedience, that one act of kindness they too will know that …

God is Good!

Category:

blessing, Christian, coincidence, God coincidences, God is good, random act of kindness

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The Fragrance of Heaven … God is Good!

I was driving back from dropping my son at school.  I often take the route past my daughter’s school, and as I do I pray for the school, the teachers, those in authority, the children, the school community at large … I did so this morning, sensing to drive past and pray, to bless the staff, and as I drove there was one staff member in particular that came to mind …

As I drove closer, I felt Him, I felt his Joy Indescribable, and I had a flash back to earlier this morning of the same staff member hugging a student.  I knew I was to stop on my way, run in and give this person a hug, a big hug, and tell her she was loved, that she was doing a great job.  I had seen her, at drop off, bending down to one of the little ones coming into school, and giving them a cuddle.  At the time I had smiled to myself thinking of the love she was giving out.  I now knew I was to do the same for her, and in fact, as I write, I now recognise that I had felt the desire to run across the road and hug her earlier that morning … perhaps I had missed His first prompt!

I pulled over in the glorious autumn sunshine, ran in, saw another staff member and called out over my shoulder that I just had to give a particular staff member a hug.  I saw the person and said  …

“I need to give you a hug!”

She stood straight up, stepped over her papers, and with her arms open wide she let me hug her.  I said as we hugged:

“You are well loved!  You are doing a great job! I saw you hugging the girls this morning, loving on them, and now God wants me to give YOU a hug!”

We stood and hugged for ages.  Now I must say that hugging is not my “thing” … touch is not my “love language” but when God tells me to hug, I hug, and I know that if I do I get a Love hug too because the love I feel as He pours Himself through, over and around me is amazing … I get touched and saturated in Him as well!  Now, I must say, I loved this hug!  I genuinely love this person.  I feel safe around her, and the joy and love I feel for her is not just Heaven sent, it is genuinely me as well … and so it was His love and joy for her, but mine as well … and so the hug was equally a blessing to me as it was to her!

She stood back, covered in goose bumps and said “oooo that was good, you’re a good hugger … I felt that … look I’m covered in goose bumps”.

I smiled and said “He just wanted you to know you were loved and your doing a great job” and I went to leave saying “have a great day!” …

I went to walk past the first staff member I had seen, calling out my cheerio full of the Joy Indescribable that is Him and I felt the overwhelming desire to hug her as well, and so I offered a hug to which she replied:

“I’m always up for a hug”

And she ran over and threw her arms around me and as we hugged she said:

“Oh, you ARE a good hugger!”

I gave her a kiss on the cheek as I hugged her and the other staff member called out:

“It’s a good hug … I’ve got goose bumps all over me … up and down my legs …”

I called out grinning that I loved it too … that like a hose, when you turn it on and let water pour through, you get wet too, the hose gets wet with water too … that as I release Him, I get the His love too … and it’s GOOD … it’s SOOOO GOOD!

I ran out the door into the sunshine feeling Him flowing all around, and through me.  As I drove homewards I realised I could smell their perfume on my coat.  I smiled realising that I too had left a deposit of perfume on them … the Fragrance of Heaven, the Fragrance of Love, and that, like me with their perfume, they would carry His fragrance throughout the day … and in turn they would affect others … it was His fragrance of love, it is so infectious, and they had been imbued with it … as had I … as we had all stood and cuddled each other.

One of them had called, as I ran out the door “I needed that” and I can honestly say that “I needed it too!”

If  we are willing to release His Goodness in whatever form or shape it takes, we are doubly blessed by Him … in fact, I believe, we are more blessed than those who receive!  When we are willing to stop on our way and release His Goodness, His Kindness, in His way … we get wet, we get saturated by Him too … in fact, I think that these words describe it to a tee … and those words are … pure and simple …

God IS Good!

Category:

As you go, Fragrance of Heaven, God is good, hugs, joy, Joy Indescribable, Love

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God’s agenda is good…all the time because…God is Good!

I had dropped my 6 year old off at school and was headed home, when I had a fleeting thought that I should head straight up to Bunnings and buy the padlock that we needed for our new lane way gate.

“Odd” I thought, “I’m just around the corner from home” … and in my wisdom I kept driving towards home thinking I would pop back home first to collect a piece of plumbing pipe I had bought there the day before, which I needed to return … but as I checked my plan with God I sensed that “no, I was to go straight to Bunnings now” …

“Odd” I thought again and I drove straight past my home … figuring “what have I got to lose in listening and obeying as I go” … and I wondered who or what I would encounter at Bunnings when I got there …

I found a park, and headed straight into Bunnings, and as I did I saw a friend from church that worked there standing at the door giving directions to customers.  I smiled at P and said “Oh, you must be the reason I am here … a blessing for me to see you …” and I stood smiling at her as we had a brief chat before I headed off for my padlock purchase …

I found what I needed and as I headed to the check out to pay, P caught up to me and suggested I let her buy me a coffee …

I hesitated.  I had so much to do in the day.  I felt so ungracious … but I had an urgent case that I needed to attend to, workmen in my garden, a variety of jobs and a small amount of time to complete it all in … I was already behind my own agenda with this extra stop off for God …

She saw me hesitate and said “no pressure, I know you are so very busy …”

I smiled and said … “no, I’m just checking with the Holy Spirit to see what He says … I am very very busy, but He wants me to stop and have a coffee with you … so I will …thank you!” and I explained what I had on my plate and hence my hesitation, not wanting to offend or hurt her …

We chatted, and it was lovely … I felt blessed to stop for a moment and be with a friend …

With her break time up, we wandered back to the check out, me still to pay for my padlock and she walked back to her post at the door.  I stood and waited to pay for my purchase and as I did I looked at the woman serving me and knew I was to offer to pray …

I stopped after paying and said to her:

“This may sound strange, but I am a Christian and I have an overwhelming sense that I need to offer to pray for you … is there anything that I can pray for you for …?”

The woman looked at me, shook a little and teared up …

“Yes” she said … “there is something you can pray for me for … there is … but I …” and she trailed off …

I knew I was not to push for details, it was private and she was suddenly over whelmed …

I said “Its ok, no need to tell me, God knows the details I will bless you, He knows what you need … which is why He wanted me to ask you if you needed prayer … ”

She nodded and as she assented to me praying someone came up behind me to be served …

I stood back saying that I would wait … and as she finished serving that person … another one came for service … seemingly overlooking the other available checkout station … I stood and waited some more … and as she finished with that one … yet another came … and yet another again …

I stood waiting …

So often it  happens, I offer to pray and suddenly the check out isles  fill with customers … the teller is generally nervous with me waiting and so I know to wait looking relaxed, even if I don’t feel relaxed … and I tend to stand there feeling awkward … but I have learnt to be patient … that the time to pray will come, if I can stand my ground … and fulfil my assignment …

I quietly prayed for an opening, for the ebb of people to slow … and it came …

I walked back over, told her my name and she told me she was called “R”. I took her hand and I prayed.  I prayed a blessing, as I said I would, I prayed favour and I prayed wisdom in the pathways forward (I sensed she needed wisdom) … I prayed that God knew what her needs were and that He would meet them … and as I did, her eyes filled with tears …

There was no profound “knowing” or prophetic words that came to me that pierced her situation … just compassion that I had for her in whatever place she found herself in … she wished to remain private and I honoured that … as did God by not giving me any more insight than what I had, and I knew that me offering to pray, and her accepting the prayer, was enough for the Heavenly hosts to move on her behalf and release God’s goodness into her situation …

I finished, sensing I was to bless her with the Father’s blessing … I was to kiss her forehead … I told her that God was pleased with her, loved her, and she shook some more … and I asked if I could kiss her forehead …

She pulled back a little and shook her head, not daring to look at me, barely holding it together, and again I knew enough not to push  it … and instead I kissed my finger tips and gently placed them on her head and I thanked her for letting me pray.  As I walked away the  next customer came … and I saw her  wipe away some tears as she composed herself for the person she had to serve …

I walked past my friend P who could see what I was doing, who knew what I was doing … she had seen me do it before at Bunnings and in fact she has been doing this sort of thing for years in coffee shops and places she would visit …

I stopped by her side and suggested she watch out for R and we both looked over at R wiping away her tears …

I know that R is in good hands … P will watch out for her, as will God!

I left saying to God … “well that was an interesting morning … I saw a friend, had a tea, and had an encounter waiting for me …thank you” and I smiled at Him feeling my deep love for Him, and feeling His deep love for me … it had been a good morning …

I drove home knowing that had I rushed home instead of going to Bunnings for a padlock; had I not stopped for a cuppa I didn’t have time to stop for … I would have missed R, for she was not on the cashier when I was originally heading out … and P would have missed it to know to watch out for her …

I knew that had I not listened to God but listened to my own logic to collect the plumber’s piping that I needed to return that I may have been side tracked with workmen or other matters at home and I potentially would not have got up to Bunnings at all …

I knew that had I not stopped and listened to the fleeting idea; had I not recognised the fleeting idea as God’s idea, and not my own; had I not checked what God wanted me to do with my time that morning; had I not put my agenda on hold for God’s agenda … I would have definitely missed it … I would have missed seeing a friend, being blessed with a chat and a tea and I would have certainly missed being positioned to release God’s love into someone’s life …

Instead, I am so glad that I did listen, and through practice over time I have learnt to stop and check with God when such inconvenient or strange ideas pops into my head from seemingly nowhere … that sometimes those crazy ideas are not so crazy … but God ideas and that He is inviting us to co-labour with Him to work in the family business …

I have missed it so often … but through missing it and letting Holy Spirit speak to me in loving kindness, to teach and train me, I now miss less than I once did.  I had nothing to lose to follow the prompting I felt … and if I got it wrong, I knew my obedience would still please Him … My audience of One …  even if I was wrong I would have got the padlock that I needed.  So often He has us stop for the one as we go about our business … and because of this willingness to stop and to contemplate an idea that made no sense according to my agenda, I was given the privilege to pray for someone and to co-labour with the Creator of the Universe , and in so following God’s agenda rather than my own R now knows that God cares, God loves her and God is real … she had a real encounter to hold onto, she surely experienced a loving Father and this will show her that …

God is Good!

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As you go, Christian, God is good, Obedience, Stopping for the one

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