This week I’d like to share how to look for and recognize opportunities to share Him, when they are packaged in normally uncomfortable or possibly unremarkable events.
I was reading a recently submitted LL journal and in it His bride said, “Lately, I have had multiple people in my life commenting that I need to "get out there." I need to "find someone new.. Often these are mere acquaintances who find out I'm divorced, but not dating. It flabbergasts me that people would talk that way. Especially because even from a worldly point of view the odds of a 62 year old woman finding a good and decent man (who isn't sick and 82) is remote. I don't expect them to understand my view on remarriage, but why can't they at least see that the odds are not in an older woman's favor?!
“ As I ponder, I see that all they can see is that I am ALONE. If I explain that I am happy, they can't believe me. I've been asking my Heavenly Love to lead me to know how to best speak of Him. My attempts with acquaintances often have them jumping to "Oh....you are religious," assuming I have lots of rules and rituals. It's an odd sort of thing, because most of these acquaintances are male--painters, construction workers. handymen. They know I am divorced, because they know I live alone and I am the one paying them. I am around them for hours at a time, in my home, yet I am discreet and quiet (unlike my normal chattiness); they are all married--they are not "making moves" on me or being rude. I believe their intentions are kind. I have the feeling that they are sort of intrigued...by my quietness, happiness and "aloneness." So, I am pondering these things, as I ask Him to lead me.”
Reading this, of course, I can relate. Yet, how He's led me is to use each of these as opportunities—each leading me to say something entirely different—each leaving me in awe and even more thankful I am only HIS!
The most recent is when my leased water cooler wasn't working. I got very excited once I was led to call—often my HH just fixes things, like when I got a strange alert on the dashboard of my car. Let me share about this first.
My son was with me when this strange alert popped up on my car’s dashboard. Immediately my son began Googling it as we drove. He began reading several things this could mean, bottom line—take it to your mechanic asap!! I also noticed some things on the car stopped working, like my cruise control. After my son got out of my car and into his car, I had time to calmly discuss it with my HH, my Darling. After talking it out with Him (isn’t He just the best listener?!? He never interrupts 🙂 After I was trying to figure out where to go, after He led me to look it up in my car's manual and the manual said it was indeed a problem needing a certified “specific type” of mechanic! Exasperated I finally said, "Honey, just fix it please."
Of course, you know that's just what happened—HE just fixed it! I’d let it go and almost forgot about it after asking Him to “just fix it”, but then He reminded me not only was the alert gone, but my cruise control worked perfectly—of course!! I called my son to tell him, “Guess what? I went to the Best Mechanic, my HH, who is not just my Physician, Provider, etc. etc. etc. I didn’t need to wait for the car to be serviced, He just did it, and of course the price was FREE!”
Back to my watercooler, which was another opportunity I took full advantage of. When I called, they told me someone would be out to bring me a new cooler, Ha-ha, already blessings were pouring out (remember when you tithe this principle in Luke 6:38 is always working behind the scenes \o/). When the young man came in with the new watercooler, I am telling you honestly—I have no idea how the conversation led to him asking me about my husband. When He asked, I replied enthusiastically, "Oh, I'm divorced, my husband left me for his girlfriend" and he replied, "Oh NO, I am soooo sorry that's horrible!!" I replied, "Oh, not at all. I am so happy for them both, now I have the best life ever!"
"I am happy all the time, I am free to bless my children financially, I can live wherever God leads me, I work from home and I plan to never retire because I love what I do so much! I am so thankful for all the Lord has brought me through. It led to ministering to other women, women who have been left by their husbands, to know He cares and will take care of them—just like He takes care of me! We encourage these women not being needy and vulnerable, which protects these sweet women from being hurt further."
After I blurted all that out, he asked me dozens of questions. For more than an hour he asked me about every subject you can imagine. He told me about his wife, his family, and shook my hand for several minutes when he was leaving, thanking me over and over again.
Dear brides, you and I know only GOD could orchestrate these sorts of opportunities, which happen all the time, most often in the midst of mini or larger crises. You just have to watch for them. This is when most believers (and a few brides) miss the opportunity. Never forget—awkward moments or when something breaks is God sending us gifts—wrapped in a pretty bow, tagged “Opportunities!!”
Unleashing the TRUTH