God Use Me

You know how you head into a day and kind of know what to expect?  Don't get me wrong, the same ole, same ole can be pretty awesome, but some days  completely take you by surprise and turn an ordinary day into extraordinary. 

On Sunday we went to church.  We had been gone for several weeks so it was nice to be back again.  I had signed up to help with a mission project the women were doing.  A year ago our church collected  food for the local community action organization.  This year the organization called our church asking for help.  So 750 grocery bags with a needs list stapled to the front of each were made up and all the bags were taken home by churchgoers. This last Sunday those bags were being returned.  We had vans and trailers waiting by the front doors to load the sacks into.  Immediately following the second service those groceries were going to the organization to be available to help those struggling to put food on their table.  

Going to church is always a wonderful experience, but this day God had some surprises in store for us.  

The first thing that made the day so unique was seeing the generosity of the people at church. We filled a van and one trailer (grocery bags stacked floor to ceiling) by the time the first service was ready to begin.  There was a second trailer waiting to hold the donations brought by those attending the second service.  You can't help but feel full of joy and blessed when you see so many people walking in from the parking lot with full grocery bags in hand. 

As I was taking the bags and loading them into the trailer I saw a woman walk by and realized she was someone I had known about 20 years ago.  I hesitated, thinking she wouldn't know me, but then caught up to her and stopped her.  I said, "Are you Kay?"  Amazingly, she recognized me and even remembered where I had worked.  We both attended hockey games in Northern Iowa.  Two years ago she and her husband moved to our area as her daughter and family live there.  We talked a bit about what was going on in our lives and about our families.  She was so happy I had stopped her!  She gave me her phone number and asked me to call her so we could get together for lunch as she really does not know anyone in the area yet.  I totally understood that.  It took me a while to meet people when I first moved here too and I know that fish out of water feeling.  We talked so long that her daughter came back out looking for her.  As we finished up our conversation and she was ready to head into church she said, "Barb, thank you so much for stopping me.  You made my day!"  I was amazed that such a small gesture could mean so much to someone...and was thankful I didn't let the opportunity to talk to her slip by.  

With the groceries collected I headed into church, which had already started.  When I got to my spot I had to slip by a woman sitting near us to get to my seat.  Since I had missed the time where we greet those around us, after the message and before we sang the last few songs I leaned over and introduced myself to her (Michael had met her earlier).  After the service I turned to talk with her a bit more and saw she was crying.  I asked if she was okay and all she could do was nod her head. I offered her a hug, which she gladly accepted. She was visiting and apparently very touched by the service and music.  We talked for a bit.  I told her we were in those seats almost every Sunday and to please look for us again next Sunday.  All she could do was cry and ask for a second hug.  

It was amazing to see God at work.  He doesn't always need earth-shattering events to use us to share His love, often it is things that seem trivial to us that are so important to others.  Michael and I pray often for God to use us in whatever way He needs.  To see Him place us right where He wanted us on Sunday in order to interact with a familiar face and a new face, was nothing other than... divine.

It was a great reminder that God can take the smallest of actions and make them the biggest of blessings if I am only bold, like Paul. 

God is slowly getting me out of my comfort zone.