Not an all time low but one for the books. A little perspective changes everything. The craziness from the Coronavirus seems to have caused a run on toilet paper somehow. Seems the perspective is off a little here. Funny how one problem can out do another and provide a whole new perspective. For example. My divorce was almost impossible to deal with until my daughter got sick. The suddenly it changed all my focus and my perspective. One didn’t negate the other, but somehow it forced the other into the backseat. That seems to be what is happening now. What ever craziness was going on before seems to be greatly overshadowed by the new craziness over the virus. So I’ve decided to let you guys in a bit and share an Uber drive that was a little personal. So here goes: I’ve had plenty of lows in the past few years but Nonetheless this one felt epic today. I woke up to the electricity out. I hadn’t charged my cell phone or my computer. We had just gotten back from a trip and we had scattered stuff all over the floor but I hadn’t dug out my chargers yet so no charge on either device this morning. I decided I needed to go to a coffee shop nearby to work. The rain was coming down in sheets and getting inside the shop with all my equipment was a drag. Not as big of a drag though as finding out only moments later that my coffee and avocado toast would not be happening that day. Declined... it tried again... declined. Wow! Ok. I had money in there just the day before. I must have miscalculated something. I got on my computer quickly with what little juice I had left. Sure enough. Overdrawn 187.00. Yikes. With no place available to plug my computer in and my pride hurt just a bit, i left the shop and I got in the car. Uh oh... no gas. Only a quarter of a tank. My mind starts to race to problem solve. I started to feel a bit of panic set in when I realized we also didn’t have much to eat at the house. The rain poured down the windows of my car. I honestly didn’t know where to go next. Of coarse I was praying but I felt so trapped. I began to drive but the gas gauge kept me from being able to think clearly. I really wasnt able to guide myself as to where to go. I went to a few churches to just to see if God would make a way there for a book sale or two. The doors were locked on the few I tried. The door opened for one church but it was a big church and they couldn’t spare five minutes for me. So I choked back the tears and left. I drive and drive wanting around and wondered what to do next. I honestly was lost by now and I knew I couldn’t afford to waste gas and decided to turn on my LYFT app. They had a promotion going on for the week and I was guaranteed 160 if I completed fifteen rides. Shortly,I got my first request. I was somewhat lost on the road at this point. I realized that my gas tank would never sustain 15 rides and even if I did get it, the bank would eat that money and I would still have no gas. I tried to cancel the ride but I couldn’t so I went anyway. The girl was bubbly and precious. She had tattoos and a smile from ear to ear. She was beautiful and out going. Right away she asked if she could give me a cash tip. Just what I needed for a little back up. Her three dollars mattered to me that day. Although I didn’t feel much like telling the story of Jesus, she opened up and told me a little something. She said that she had been in prison for four years. She said she was so grateful for the time because it made her stronger inside of herself. She had let anger get the best of her. She had allowed others to affect her behavior. She once was afraid all the time and never wanted to take chances on engaging with others but now she felt free to I’ve more boldly and more fully.. in a good way. She told about her parole officer and how much she loved and respected her. She beamed when she told me about her Parole Officer had been so proud of her. She told me about her kids and I told her about my ministry. In the end, she blessed me so much, I gave her the wise son and the foolish son books. She lit up! She was so thankful! She was so glad that we had met. I was glad too and I prayed that day that the Lord would chose to bring His salvation to her family and that those scriptures would fill their hearts and that the walls of her household would always hear the praises of our Lord. Our focus has shifted since the media hype concerning the virus. How will we let it affect us? What we may find, is that this little pause we have in life just might be an unexpected opportunity to re-examine a few things in our own lives. I for one re-examined my checkbook that day, but Maybe we re-examine something that has been off in our lives for a long time or we get a good look at what our real priorities are... and No. It’s definitely not toilet paper! It’s our God, our immortal souls, and the lives of our friends and families. It’s time to get ready church and be working together in this harvest season, remembering what is truly important. Feeling this way for sure. “Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror. We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you. For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it. Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.” Jeremiah 14:19-22 NIV https://www.bible.com/111/jer.14.19-22.niv “Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them.”
