she was smiling and singing on the outside, but on the inside....

I challenged my high school girls bible study to be a part of blessing others this holiday season.  The simple truth is, for many people, the holidays are a very difficult time.  There are folks all around us everyday that are just hanging on by a thread.  So our challenge was to purchase a gift card with the intension of giving it away.  We would go about our days with our radar up and trust that the Lord would direct us to someone who needed a life line of encouragement.  Then we would all share our stories when we came together again the following week. 

I put some cash into my glove box and asked the Lord to lead me to someone in the next week that I could bless and encourage.  On Wednesday afternoon I ran to Walmart to pick up a few items on my way home.  I still had the cash in my glove box and the girls and I would be meeting again in a few hours.  I had not forgotten about the money, I just had not stumbled onto an opportunity yet. 

Once inside the doors of the store I heard and then saw a middle aged woman who was greeting people as they come into the store.  I assumed she was a Walmart employee.  She was exuberantly wishing all the customers a happy holiday.  I greeter her back and went on my way.

When I had completed my purchase I was heading out the door of the store and noticed the same women who was now ringing the Salvation Army bell.  She was singing Christmas carols quite loudly and continuing to wish everyone in her path a Merry Christmas.  She was not an employee of Walmart after all.  She was the current holiday bell ringer, there to collect money for those in need.  I had a sense that she was carrying quite a bit of "need" herself.  Despite her jovial demeaner, it was not hard to imagine that her life had been filled with it's share of pain.  She greeted me again and I greeted her back and gave her my warmest smile.  I got to my car, loaded in my groceries and hopped behind the wheel to head home and get my stuff unloaded before my bible study gals would arrive.

 As I was leaving the parking lot, I once again encountered the women ringing the bell.  As I glanced  her way, this thought dropped into my heart, "Ask her what her story is".  It was an odd thought out of no where and yet it was a familiar prompting.  In the past, when I have asked the Lord to show me someone in need, He has always been faithful to do so.  This woman was not in my path by mistake.  I pulled my car up close to the building and put it in park.  I reached into my glove box and pulled out the cash I had been saving for a moment such as this.  I headed toward her and when I caught her eye she greeted me once again.  I walked up to her with my eyes locked on hers.  When I got to within a few feet of her I said, "I have a question for you."  She just looked at me and I said to her, "What is your story?"  She looked at me puzzled and asked what I meant.  I rephrased my request by asking her to tell me something about her life.  Within an instant, her facial expression faded from happy to sad and she began to cry.  She said, "I am homeless".  She proceeded to tell me her story and how she had lost her job and was now homeless.  As she continued to cry she said, "you cannot imagine what it is like to be homeless".  There was a look of pain in her eyes that I will not soon forget. 

I told her that I wanted to give her a gift and that I wanted her to know that God had not forgotten her.  I slipped the money into her pocket and that is when she really lost it.  She said, "please pray for me".  I immediately took her hands and looking into her tired eyes prayed that God would make a way for her and that He would demonstrate His love for her in undeniable ways.  She continued to cry and held on to my hands, not wanting to let go.  We talked a little while longer and I assured her that God loved her and turned and began to leave.  I had walked a few feet away and then turned to her one last time.  I pointed to her and said, "He has His eye on you and He loves you." 

It was so hard to walk away.  I wanted to take her home with me.  I wanted to solve all her problems.  I wanted to give her half of my "stuff" which I would not even miss.  I knew I had done what I was suppose to do and that the rest was up to God.  I am praying He will continue to reveal His love to her in undeniable ways.  I was humbled to be used as a messenger of love and encouragement in the life of one who needed some good news.  After all, isn't that what this time of the year is all about?  For me, that was Christmas.