My friend Susan (name changed) and I walk together on a regular basis. She is young enough to be my daughter but I cherish our time together. We share the things of the Lord and Susan is eager to pick my brain and truly wants to follow God. When we first began walking together, things were pretty good in Susan’s life. Then suddenly, the storm began to blow against my friend. She lost her job and her husband’s income was limited. She was given a six-month severance and we just knew God would give her another job within that period, but that did not happen.
I have grown to love Susan and she shares much of her life with me. As they faced financial challenges, Susan began to cut back to the bare necessities. She is trusting God but also using wisdom in how the family spends money. In one of our conversations while walking, Susan told me that she had stopped buying Diet Coke and Baked Lay’s potato chips. The money just could not be spared. I know that seems like a small thing compared to wondering how you will make the house payment and pay the utilities, but it touched my heart.
Susan has been at my group the last two Wednesdays and she was glad when I gave her a Diet Coke as she walked through the door! Last week we shared with the group, with laughter, how she wasn’t even buying Diet Coke or Baked Lay’s.
While shopping yesterday afternoon, I saw that Diet Coke was on sale. Into my heart jumped a desire to buy Susan some Diet Coke and Baked Lay’s. I was so excited. I checked out and got home only an hour before people would start arriving for group. As I unloaded my groceries I was so disappointed – I forgot the Baked Lay’s. There was no time to go back to the store. Lord, I so wanted her to know you cared about little things. You are the God who gives us little surprises!
The group members began to arrive one by one. One member, Tommye, came in and said, “Hey, I bought Susan some Baked Lay’s. I wanted her to have her Baked Lay’s!” My jaw dropped! Susan walked in and we gave her Diet Coke and Baked Lay’s and she smiled from ear to ear.
I love it when God has big surprises for us, but how sweet when He sends a little surprise along just to let us know He’s thinking about us and hears our cries. It is truly a miracle that the God of the universe pays attention to our tiny, little lives with His loving care. To think He took time to speak to two different women to bring something to a group, so He could just say to one of his daughters facing turmoil, “I’ve been thinking about you and I’ve got a surprise for you!”
It’s not always big and showy, but it is no less a miracle when the God of the universe chooses to show us His kindness. God has heard your cries, my brothers and sisters. God is thinking about you and He just might surprise you!
“How precious is your loving kindness, O God!” – Psalm 36:7
Thank you!! That is our God! Oh yes, He cares I know He cares His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary and the long night dreary I know my Saviour care!
I’ve received some of these “little surprises” in my life. Small and meaningless to most, but for me they mean so much. Whether it be a small clip-on watch for my work badge or a prom dress on sale for my niece… God reminds me of His love for me!
Love it when the Lord does this..I have always felt him saying, “daughter I love you”
Beautiful story…He meets all our need and then above and beyond …
In April, my office staff gave me a gift card for Administrative Assistant’s day – get this, for $100 to TARGET. I was so glad I didn’t get a plant this year! They have NO idea how much I needed groceries! I was out of everything including toilet tissue! I have NEVER in 30 years of working with my office, gotten a gift card from my section for AA day. Always lunch or flowers, or plants…and NEVER have I needed money so badly! 🙂 God is so good…I’m sure he’d seen the red in my checkbook! Thank you Barbara for sharing! Thank you Father for the surprises you give us!
That is awesome, Linda!!!!!!!!
I loved this blog! It leaves me asking the question….where to even start? I wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to share about any one of the times there have been little or BIG surprises, especially for my heart, but I’m sure, later, I will wish I had mentioned something I forgot to. 🙂 Once, I was looking for a job and a dear friend contacted me and said, I think you should go apply for this one, you would be great. Well, I got that job, and loved it, and kept it for 15 years until I was laid off just prior to the business closing. It was a life-changing experience that I might have missed, except for a friend’s kindness. Twice at that job, a very precious Christian lady, and co-worker, came to me and said, the Lord just laid it on my heart to bless you, with a monetary gift. Wow! “just laid it on my heart to bless you!” Reminding me that God does love to give good gifts to his children. 14 years ago my very young mother had open heart surgery at the age of 53. It was a frightening time. During the time after the surgery, some issues arose and the saints of God gathered and prayed down the hospital walls, asking God to give her a new heart. Funny how when the test results came back, those were the doctor’s exact words, “I can’t explain it, it doesn’t match the previous ones, “aneurysm gone,….like it’s a new heart.” Wow! For years I prayed for her, through a difficult marriage, some really hard times, for God to bless her from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Today, she is remarried, lives in a beautiful home she and her husband own, has enjoyed travel, and retirement, and some real joy and peace. “Exceedingly & abundantly above….all we can ask, think or imagine.” To close, maybe I will say these are just a “few times” that have been wonderful surprises, wonderful affirmations of God’s caring presence in my life. And on the Baked Lays and Diet Coke thing, oh, that we would all have such a heart to bless others!! It means EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is that heart of love, compassion, generosity and kindness that we look the most like Jesus. God bless you Barbara for sharing. It is a wonderful reminder to look for opportunities to bless someone’s heart, in Jesus’ name. Love ya friend. <3
Wonderful testimonies, Michele. Wonderful.