Not Just a Sandwich

I want to share a story with you.  This is a moment in my life that happened back when I was in college...

The night was cold.  Class was just dismissed for break.  During my break I got into my car to drive up to the gas station just a couple of blocks away from my school.  I pulled up into the parking stall and began taking those few steps to the doors of the gas station store.  Sitting next to the doors was a gentleman dressed in shabby and dirty clothes.  His face and hands were very dirty, and his eyes were filled with grief.  He didn't have to say much, but I knew that this man was lonely, cold, and hungry.  He looked at me and asked if I had any money.  I told him I didn't have any, because I didn't have any cash on me;  just my ATM card.  But he needed something more than a couple bucks.  As I proceeded into the store my mind started going.  I got myself something cold to drink and a little snack to keep my mind awake for the remainder of class that night, but I knew that God wanted me to grab something for the man outside.  I picked up a gas station sandwich and a water bottle.  I made the purchase and walked back outside. I handed the man the bag with the sandwich and water in it and I said, "Here you go sir."  His eyes grew wide and he looked up at me and said to me in a tone that I will never forget.  He said, "You got that for me?  God bless you."  He acted as if I handed him a feast.  His gratitude said it all to me.  

I got back in my car and the tears started to come.  I began to wonder what was his story.  I never saw this man again and even today I wonder sometimes what happened to him.  God told me that night to get a sandwich for the man, but it wasn't just a sandwich, no it was something more.  Jesus shown through me that night.  I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit in me and God's love was poured into the sandwich.  God uses even the smallest acts of kindness to bring others to Him.  I didn't realize until several months later that God was calling me into something more than what I was studying at school.  As I finished up my college career and graduated, God had been leading me into a ride of my life.  I am still riding it!  Between that time to today God has given me many more opportunities to spread His love to the lost and hurting people.  He has definitely given me a huge passion to share His love to those on the streets.  One of the lessons that I learn is God will use even the smallest acts of love and change someone's life.  

We may not all be called to serve around the world, or even in full-time ministry but we are all called to love.  We are all called to share God's love with those around us.  If God asks you to buy a sandwich for someone, remember it isn't just a sandwich He is asking you to give.  God works in so many ways and He even can change someone's life through a gift of a sandwich.       

Can we Trust Him?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Take a moment and read this verse carefully again. Read is as many times as you need to. Many of you may know this verse by heart. That's great! I want all of you to be honest with yourself. How much do you put your total trust in God without leaning on your own understanding? I'd say allof us in one way or another have struggled with putting our entire trust in God. I know that I have struggled with that. I want to know the why, how, when, and so forth.

God commands us to trust in Him. But why is it so hard sometimes? That is a question that only you can answer for yourself. I know that I often struggle with it because I'm someone that likes to have everything figured out. When I find myself at a seemingly dead end road my first reaction isn't usually the right one. Trusting God is something I have to work on and have worked on during these past several months of medical issues that have put me in a place I've never been in my life. I have struggled with all kinds of pain and phyisical weakness. But it has been through those times that God has proven Himself strong to me. I learn to trust God more in the darkest valleys. I need to keep saying to myself, God's got this! When I say that I feel so much more secured, and I can rest assured that He really has it all in His hands. When everything is going great in my life I forget much too quickly that I need to continue to depend on God for every little thing in life. But God knows what's best and He works everything out for the good. God promises that.

What I would like to do today is open up this blog as a prayer chain. I felt God giving me a tug on my heart to write this for a few days, and I know that He is going to use it. What I would like for you to do is pass this blog to people you know and keep it going.    Encourage them to write a comment on this blog about where they struggle with trusting in God, and/or what challenges are they facing today.  I would like you as well to write a comment sharing what areas or challenges do you struggle with trust and/or your challenges as well.   It can remain annoynomous by just entering your first name only or put the first letter of your name. However you want to address yourself is up to you. After you have shared, then write out a prayer for the person who commented ahead of you. The first person, if you could say a prayer for me, and whoever is the last person to comment I will say a prayer for you. Let's start a movement of getting more people to be in prayer for one another. I hope that you feel the tug of the Holy Spirit and do what He is asking you to do. That is my prayer for you.