Verse: Psalm 34:14 "Pass from evil and do good, seek peace and run after it."
Aramaic Bible in Plain English (BibleHub.com) Psalm 34:14
Reflection:
I began the day in a hurry, then I posted here, and then I sought to do better than I began. After getting ready, I prayed for a lost receipt and God showed me it. This was huge, because it led me on multi-hour adventure with the Lord, leading me to bigger answers to prayer.
1) Green bean man
Rewind to 2 years ago, I was on the road and prayed for God to show me someone whom to pick up. He did, then. He showed me a man named Fred. Since then I have seen Fred on the road 5 other times and been to his house just 3 times. Well, today... after 2 years of on-and-off prayer, God supplied. Fred came to church, met my friends there, and said, "Pick me up on Sunday, I'm coming to church." Praise God. (I was driving to use the receipt when I found Fred today!)
2) Basketball dude
Rewind to 3 or more years ago, before i was on the scene, a kid came to church through midweek outreach. He liked it, but due to a move, he left the area. Well,
2 months ago, he returned, via hearing about the basketball outreach. He shared his interest in returning to the church and wanted to see his old teachers and our pastor.
He did, but during a short moment, and then he has been busy since.
Today, however, I bumped into him, while I was using the found receipt. He then said, I want to come back. I'll be there tomorrow. Praise God. I just said, "Good to see you." He wants to return.
3)
There is someone who has been on my heart for a year. I have wanted to find resolution with her. And, you guessed it, God led her to me via using that found receipt. Now, this is one of those, "I am not sure how she will like me approaching her, because of past hurt" moments. So, spying her during my shopping, I paused and prayed. "God, I can pretend I don't see her. But, I really want to talk with her. Maybe she hasn't seen me. Then again, what if she did? What if she does? Lord, help me."
Honestly, I looked for her 3 times (You know what I mean. I just looked with my eyes, but my feet did not). Then, after nearly leaving the store with my items, God did it. He compelled me to "pursue peace." I lowered my shoulders, and rolled to the very back of the store, figuring she was there.
Once I turned to the second to last aisle, I was right in front of her cart. I mean, we could have collided, we were so close. Eyes met, smiles formed, and an hour conversation of healing took place... right in the middle of the back of a store.
Eventually, to make sure all was good between us, we closed in prayer and parted ways. Praise God.
Finally:
It was not over, yet, though. God had one more major little miracle. Actually, it was God saying, "I love you" to me. I saw, above the woman's head, on the top shelf of the aisle in which we met, a trash can! My eyes lit up and she knew God did something. I said, "You don't get it. The whole reason I am here is for this kind of trash can." (Remember the receipt? it was a store credit that I originally intended for a trash can. I could not find that particular kind for the price I wanted, so I went to 3 stores, each leading me to a special person: Fred, DaVante, and Mrs. W.)
People Met: Marie, Fred, Davante, kind woman at register, & Mrs. W
Closing Notes:
i did not start the day right, by the world's standards, but God manifested Himself in amazing encounters with strangers and old and recent friends. He raised me up in my humble situations.
Unrelated: Roomy ate with Seth! (but that is a story left untold
)
--Idea
Aramaic Bible in Plain English (BibleHub.com) Psalm 34:14
Reflection:
I began the day in a hurry, then I posted here, and then I sought to do better than I began. After getting ready, I prayed for a lost receipt and God showed me it. This was huge, because it led me on multi-hour adventure with the Lord, leading me to bigger answers to prayer.
1) Green bean man
Rewind to 2 years ago, I was on the road and prayed for God to show me someone whom to pick up. He did, then. He showed me a man named Fred. Since then I have seen Fred on the road 5 other times and been to his house just 3 times. Well, today... after 2 years of on-and-off prayer, God supplied. Fred came to church, met my friends there, and said, "Pick me up on Sunday, I'm coming to church." Praise God. (I was driving to use the receipt when I found Fred today!)
2) Basketball dude
Rewind to 3 or more years ago, before i was on the scene, a kid came to church through midweek outreach. He liked it, but due to a move, he left the area. Well,
2 months ago, he returned, via hearing about the basketball outreach. He shared his interest in returning to the church and wanted to see his old teachers and our pastor.
He did, but during a short moment, and then he has been busy since.
Today, however, I bumped into him, while I was using the found receipt. He then said, I want to come back. I'll be there tomorrow. Praise God. I just said, "Good to see you." He wants to return.
3)
There is someone who has been on my heart for a year. I have wanted to find resolution with her. And, you guessed it, God led her to me via using that found receipt. Now, this is one of those, "I am not sure how she will like me approaching her, because of past hurt" moments. So, spying her during my shopping, I paused and prayed. "God, I can pretend I don't see her. But, I really want to talk with her. Maybe she hasn't seen me. Then again, what if she did? What if she does? Lord, help me."
Honestly, I looked for her 3 times (You know what I mean. I just looked with my eyes, but my feet did not). Then, after nearly leaving the store with my items, God did it. He compelled me to "pursue peace." I lowered my shoulders, and rolled to the very back of the store, figuring she was there.
Once I turned to the second to last aisle, I was right in front of her cart. I mean, we could have collided, we were so close. Eyes met, smiles formed, and an hour conversation of healing took place... right in the middle of the back of a store.
Eventually, to make sure all was good between us, we closed in prayer and parted ways. Praise God.
Finally:
It was not over, yet, though. God had one more major little miracle. Actually, it was God saying, "I love you" to me. I saw, above the woman's head, on the top shelf of the aisle in which we met, a trash can! My eyes lit up and she knew God did something. I said, "You don't get it. The whole reason I am here is for this kind of trash can." (Remember the receipt? it was a store credit that I originally intended for a trash can. I could not find that particular kind for the price I wanted, so I went to 3 stores, each leading me to a special person: Fred, DaVante, and Mrs. W.)
People Met: Marie, Fred, Davante, kind woman at register, & Mrs. W
Closing Notes:
i did not start the day right, by the world's standards, but God manifested Himself in amazing encounters with strangers and old and recent friends. He raised me up in my humble situations.
Unrelated: Roomy ate with Seth! (but that is a story left untold
)--Idea