“Baby…it was like God was telling me who to go to.” That was my husband yesterday telling me about something he’s experienced this week. Let me back up a bit.
This Spring break we went with family to Tennessee, and any time I travel through Gatlinburg, I visit God’s Corner, a quaint little Christian shop where you find beautiful, inspirational, and funny faith-filled items. This trip, as usual, I picked out a handful of stuff to bring back home and give to friends and family. My hubby, too, picked out something for his co-workers. Huh? Yeah, this coming from him would’ve surprised me any other time, but it didn’t, not now.
You see, a few weeks ago, at the conclusion of one of his regular Monday morning meetings with his administrative staff, he ended simply with “…and God, please let us have a good day.” He told me that initially when he caught himself saying that, he thought oh oh that’s not gonna go down very well, you know, given the PC (politically correct) issues nowadays, specifically in the work place. Still, a week later he ended that meeting with “…and God please help us get through this stressful week.” Well, short story: word spread, people got excited, and now a weekly “prayer break” has become a regular part of his team’s work week, attendees growing steadily in numbers. Rare, I know, but hey, judging from the receptiveness, the need and want for such a thing is apparent. So anyway, knowing that’s been going on, no, it didn’t surprise me when he asked me to grab a bunch of little pocket crosses for him to give away to his people at work.
Throughout this week, as he handed away these little faith-filled souvenirs he experienced the weirdest thing he said. “Baby, I hadn’t even thought about who I was gonna give them to, but it was like God was telling me exactly who to go to.” My hubby told me how he was taken aback by some of his co-workers’ reactions. “Honey, when I gave it to him he practically broke down and confided in me a health problem he had just found out about. And other people too told me how much they needed something like this right now…and…” Okay wait, wait,” I said stopping him, “But tell me this, how did it feel?” “Oh,” he said sporting a big smile, “It felt greeeaat.”
Cool. I gotta tell you I’m so happy for him. Because that’s a great feeling indeed. The realization that God just used you to get to someone. What. You don’t seriously think that’s all us, do you? I think whenever we have anything encouraging, anything positive, anything godly to say or give in this world that surrounds us with so much negativity, then we should, we must, say it or give it. Because more than likely that’s God working through us, ’cause ain’t no way we are that good on our own; that urge, that impulse, that need to reach out must be God-induced for a purpose much more important than any self-serving feeling.
And if you’re thinking why would God use me I’m just ordinary, think again, ’cause that is exactly who God uses the most. All you need is an open and receptive heart. I mean, even Moses was reluctant to let God use him, but look at what he ultimately accomplished. Anyone can have a Moses moment here and there, but a little surrender goes a long way, and you just never know.
Experiences like my husband has had this week confirm to me that God is constantly trying to work through us, so why not let Him? Besides, the way I see it, whatever it is we give or say can always be ignored, discarded, left, or…I don’t know, sold on e-bay, but there is always a possibility, a chance that it’ll be taken, and that it’ll make a difference. Nothing for the giver to lose, everything to gain.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
~ St. Francis of Assisi
wow!!! fantastic witness of God working through us. and to finish off with my favorite prayer…. priceless
I needed this today. thank you
P.S. I like the term “Moses moment”
I so remember that is your favorite prayer…..just had a flashback of us singing it at one of our retreats….long ago. : )
Today’s message really touched me because I believe that if we let him, God works through us each day. There have been many times when I have heard my mother or friends speaking and I could tell it wasn’t just them talking to be talking, they were the messengers for me at a moment when I need it.
Thank you for sharing and inspiring us to be open to his direction.
Thanks for your words girl. I can tell you the way you carry yourself is an inspiration to me, and should be to every young woman out there. : )
That IS an awesome feeling, if not THE best feeling. Good for Ray…guess you really rubbed off on him! Maybe now I can have a back-up.
We rub off on each other (wink, wink)…LOL. As for the back-up part, don’t over do it, no es pa’ tanto. : )
It takes a lot of courage to do what Ray has done in his workplace in light of the supposed political correctness in today’s business world. I have always believed that if we change how we conduct ourselves in our jobs, make them less sterile and bring some humanity back to the business world, we might get out of this recession. If we just treated each other at work with a little love, compassion, and trust, things would change for the better. Can you imagine? I began to send “Quotes of the Day” at work and everyone loves them. If anything the quotes prompt discussion and sharing at a “human” level. I keep the God references on the light side but try to send the ones with His message disguised to be politically correct. Can you imagine if the founders of this country were as politically correct back then as we supposedly are today, they would have never wrote our Constitution. I too love the St Francis prayer that Cary shared with me.
Thanks Connie for your blogs, I have missed having time to visit your site.
Monica
You’re so right Mon. : )
Ah, CDL, you’ve done it again. One of your best, I say that a lot, don’t I? And wouldn’t it be wonderful if more workplaces picked up on this practice. Tell Ray, if he ever needs a word processor/translator, I’m there! A blessed and lovely weekend to you all.
And the best word processor/translator I know he would have. : )
What an awesome story. Isn’t it sad that although we always have “God” at our very breath when something goes wrong, like “oh my God’ or “God help us”, and yet we have to watch ourselves to say something as simple as a prayer in order to be politically correct in this world we are living. And yet, that hunger is out there. And when people find someone like Jose who candidly just said it, it opens up a whole other world. Good for him; I’m glad they’re having prayer break. We all need a lot of God in our lives!