Powerful moments can be waiting for us in the least expected places.
Recently I had to take a loved one to their doctor appointment. I had to sit out in the hallway as I was not permitted in due to covid limitations.
A beautiful older lady came out, dressed so nicely, tasteful makeup and hair, and pushing her walker.
She began going down the hall and then turned to come back to me. She commented how it is hard to wait, and we started talking about the process of “Waiting” – which interestingly enough is my one word 2022.
Then she said this: “You know what I do when I wait?” She didn’t wait for me to respond but quickly continued, “I pray. Then the time is never wasted. It is put to good use. You pray while you sit there. Trust me, it will be the best use of your time ever!”
With that said, she turned and continued back down the hallway to the elevator. She was so sweet and gentle in the way she said it.
As she was walking away, I noticed her shoes. It was only then that I took note of them. She had to be a retired nun, still offering encouragement and blessing. They wore a particular kind of shoes, same as my grandmother – black and laced up.
it was such a profound moment, and I am still processing it all. She was so sweet and gentle and lovely.
She never said a thing about religion or Jesus and yet … she pointed me to the most powerful thing we can do – Pray.
You never know when or where God will send a message. May we have eyes and ears to see!
“Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NASB)
“Never stop praying.” (NLT)
“Pray continually.” (NIV)
“Pray all the time.” (MSG)
“Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly].” (AMPC)
Come, sit a spell. Bring your coffee, your posts, and your thoughts. If you link up, kindly visit those who have drawn up a seat around you.
Today I am joining …
Hi Joanne, such a lovely post, such a sweet lady. It just shows that into old age you can encourage and uplift. And yes, prayer is NEVER a waste of our time. Great post, I will be back later to link up, seems I always get here too early 🙂
God bless
Tracy
ps: I’m adding this post to my list of favourites on my page. I do that so I can find those posts that impact me the most with ease, and God-willing, others find it too.
God bless
Tracy
Tracy, you are so encouraging. It was a most sweet conversation, one I will not soon forget.
And the linkup opens at 6AM EST each week. I am so glad you have come to visit!
I love how God brought this lady across your path. Waiting is definitely not easy, but using the time to pray is the best use of it!
I am glad too as it was a lovely moment!
Sounds to me as if you were entertaining an angel…
Michele, I so thought the same thing but hesitated to say that in my post 🙂 So grateful you thought the same!
What a sweet word of encouragement. When I am out, I tend to have blinders on and try to get stuff done as soon as possible so I can get home. This is a rebuke to me to notice people and offer words of encouragement.
Barbara, that was the other lesson it brought to me although I didn’t write about it. I want to notice and encourage others.
Joanne, what a beautiful story. She must have been a lovely and sweet soul, indeed. Thanks for sharing, praying is the most powerful thing we can do. And love this, “You never know when or where God will send a message. May we have eyes and ears to see!”
She was and it seems writing about her has blessed many today. So grateful for this sweet lady.
What a holy encounter! I’m grateful for people who like this who offer bits of wisdom wherever they go, to whoever is willing to receive them. Thanks for passing along this wisdom to us today.
I like that – “a holy encounter.” And yes, may we be willing to receive!
Love this story filled with so many takeaways. Hoe God-kissed was that day for you and I can’t help but think how often we miss offering ourselves to the Lord to be used in such simple ways.
Pam, I don’t want to miss offering myself to the Lord even in the simplest of ways. Grateful you shared!
Precious!
Joanne what a wonderful lesson and wise words of wisdom this sweet lady gave. Blessings and lessons have a habit of showing up in the least expected ways.
They truly do show up in unexpected ways, and it’s those very lessons that stick for a long time. They change us in the best of ways. Paula, thank you for your encouragement!
Thank you, Joanne for sharing this sweet encounter! If we are open to God’s agenda in our days, I find He meets us in extraordinary ways!
He truly does!
Love this! We don’t have to be overpowering to make an impact.
I also love the scriptures you chose to illustrate today. I’m thinking if we are praying without ceasing then that must mean we pray over every daily detail of our lives.
Jerralea, you said it well >> “We don’t have to be overpowering to make an impact.”
What a sweet story, Joanne. It reminded me of something that happened to me many years ago. I don’t even think I had a cell phone at the time. I had car trouble on a stretch of freeway that was not close to any businesses. In addition to my own safety concerns, I had my infant grandson with me. I knew I was going to have to accept help from someone so I prayed for God to show me who and give me wisdom. About that time, an old pickup truck pulled up behind me. And out stepped an elderly man and a nun. I knew God had answered.
Donna, I love your story! God is so faithful to send help our way.
Joanne, what beautiful, special moments you shared with that lady. I love how God reminds us He sees us when He sends His messengers to point us to Him.
Jeanne, He is so faithful to bring a big lesson in the small moments.
I love that the lady came back to talk to you, Joanne. And what a beautiful picture of graceful aging. I want to be like her when I reach the walker-using stage. â¤ï¸
Me too, Lois, me too!
What a lovely divine appointment you had!
It truly was and I am so grateful.
What an encouraging story of how God shows up, and how He helps us recognize Him (in this case by shoes)!
What a lovely gift from God that He sent her to you to say that in a year you are considering the word “wait”. The Good Shepherd is caring for you.
pray.
yes, i can do that.
it’s for freedom He’s set us free.
how blessed we are to have access to the Father, through the Son.
What a beautiful encouragement, Joanne!