When was the last time you went to a prayer meeting in a public bathroom? Recently I found myself arm in arm with sisters I’d never met before in the women’s room at church. We prayed blessings over the life of a woman who desperately needed Jesus. It started when a slender, silver-haired woman walked up to me while I waited in line. She beamed a smile.
“Hi, my name’s Angie. Have you read this book yet?”
I was confused when she held up a copy of Rick Warren’s A Purpose-Driven Life. I said I’d already read it, so she smiled and moved on to the next person.
“How sweet,” I thought. “What a generous woman to give away a book she’s already read.”
Pretty soon, my new friend found a taker for her book. She started talking to a young Asian woman. Come to find out, this woman didn’t know Jesus. Ana was newly-divorced and still hurting.
After they talked a few minutes, Angie said, “Can I pray for you?” I was standing nearby, so I got pulled in too. A fourth woman joined us. As we interceded for Ana right there in the women’s room, tears welled up in her eyes. We hugged her, and one of the women gave Ana her phone number.
Then I followed Angie out the bathroom door to ask if she always gave books away like that.
Will you join me over at Susan B. Mead’s place to read the rest of this post? Follow this link to find what Angie taught me and to read about 6 simple ways to be a light to the people around you. Right where you are.
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I’m linking up with Arabah Joy’s Grace and Truth, Deb Wolf’s Faith ‘N Friends, Holly Barrett’s Testimony Tuesday, Kelly Balarie’s #RaRaLinkup, Tuesday Talk with Ruthie Gray, and Crystal Storms’ Intentional Tuesday. Check out these communities for more encouragement.
Betsy, this is so inspiring. How much more exciting life gets when God gets to live in us! Ordinary days are transformed into days of enjoying His presence, or seeing Him move in someone else’s life. That is miraculous! Thank you for sharing this lady’s practical way of reaching out to those around her!
That’s right, Devri! Looking for ways to shine His light makes life so much more exciting and adventuresome, don’t you think? You are such a light yourself. Keep shining!
Great reminders on how to shine His light wherever and whenever He guides us! Thanks Betsy! Happy to join you! Let’s shine our lights!
Have a great weekend, Jill. May God bring you joy as you shine for Him!
Maybe some of our holiest conversations turn out to be in the Ladies’ Room, yes?
Weekend blessings to you, Betsy …
I guess so, Linda!
I followed the link and so enjoyed your post! Wonderful suggestions! Have a blessed weekend.
Thanks for stopping by Carol.
Such a powerful testimony!! How much difference would we make if we would follow the Holy Spirit prompting and quit letting fear get ahold of us.
Amen! You are right, Miranda. So often I’ve let fear stop me, but God wants to free me!
I followed you over to Susan’s but came back here to comment. 🙂 I loved this post, Betsy – true simple ways that we can shine for Him, but so impactful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading, Tiffany. I’m lifting up a prayer that God will shine His light through you this week!
Thanks, Betsy, for this special story that serves as such a great example of being “in the moment” and available to be that light for someone. It can be so easy to be caught up in what we are doing that we fail to be observant at opportunities right in front of us. One of the things I am enjoying about retirement is that my eyes are being retrained to do a better job with that. No longer involved with counseling or the 24/7 of serving on a busy inner-city church staff, I can be available for small moments. Yesterday a younger friend of mine called to share about an upheaval in her life and soon she was crying. Because I was not involved in all those other things, I could not only listen I could also urge her to not rush away on the phone and let me pray for her right then. Today a friend who is a pastor’s wife called and asked if I had time to help her locate someone to work with a person in her family who is suicidal. Yes, I had time. I know I sometimes took time while I was still busy working, but I love being “on call” for Him these days and seeing what unfolds. It has also given me time to read and write my own blog and draw closer to Him. Happy to be your neighbor at the Linkup at Intentional Tuesday. (Another 70ish someone….)
Wow, Pam, that is a great way to look at retirement: being “on call” for God. Beautiful. I’m so glad you’re investing some of your time to help others. A powerful light indeed.
Betsy,
What a glowing example of God’s love is Angie!. I want to shine my light on a hill more consistently so that those I come in contact with are encouraged, blessed, and come to know Christ. I need to practice being more like Jesus each and every day so I can give hope to those in need! Thank you for sharing this beautiful post. Have a blessed week!
You have a good week too, Horace. I appreciate your sincerity and your desire to shine for Jesus and be like Him.
Betsy I loved your story about Angie! What an awesome way to show love and share HOPE! Your suggestions for ways to share are so practical too – and things we forget to do. Every day it needs to be uppermost in our minds – sharing this light with our dark world!
Thanks for stopping by to link up today at Tuesday Talk, girlfriend. Always enjoy seeing you!
We do forget these, don’t we, Ruthie? I know sometimes I get too caught up in me, my schedule, my life, my to-do list. It’s good to take a look at others and see how to offer hope and encouragement to them.
What a powerful interaction! So glad you guys could comfort this sister in her time of need. This is what we are here for!!
Yes, Lauren. It was a precious experience. Thank you. I hope you have many similar opportunities! (I’m sure you do.)
I love this, Betsy! It lines up with what I wrote this week, as well! Those moments are so precious, we surely do not want to miss them!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
p.s. I am going to be hosting a new link-up, Moments of Hope, starting May 2nd. Your posts are all so filled with hope. I would love to see you there!
God’s blessings on your new link-up, Lori! Blessings to you too.
Betsy, this is what I want, to be a light in the world for Jesus. I loved reading the story about the lady who gave away books. What a sweetheart. Thank you for sharing these practical tips and thank you for linking with Grace and Truth last week!
Thanks for your encouragement, Dawn. I want to be a light too!