I had two very cool interactions in my favorite park that I’d like to share with you.
Some weeks ago, as I was walking, I saw a couple taking their walk. I noticed the woman the first time. She looked like she was struggling. As we were walking in opposite directions of each other, I noticed them two more times.
The woman looked to be in pain. I looked at her feet and saw that she was not wearing the proper footwear for such extended walks.
At first, I said to myself that I needed to mind my business, but upon seeing her after the second time, I said I would say something if I saw her a third time – meanwhile asking God why can’t I just mind my business.
As I saw them approaching, I paused my own timing device and asked if I could say something to them.
I explained that her sneakers looked to be the wrong one for walking and that she should consider getting something both with more room (I could see her toes imprinted through the soft material) and more support for her feet, even suggesting that she could get fitted for walking shoes.
We had a nice exchange and both were very thankful – and went our separate ways.
Fast forward to this week, as I had wondered about them as I hadn’t seen them. I was having a difficult morning as I processed life, and I see them entering the park. We greeted each other. The couple explained they had been looking for me to thank me. They took my suggestion and the woman was in a comfortable looking sneakers and you could clearly see that her feet felt better. She was no longer walking gingerly. They told me they had been praying for me and thanking God for me.
Wow! I was brought to tears – especially as a reminder that God knows just when to show up with a kind word.
The second interaction was due to a detour. I had stopped to use the bathroom and when I got out, I noticed there were two huge trucks that were headed the direction I’d be walking in. I decided to avoid them and just go back the way I had come.
After some minutes of walking, a lady stopped me. She told me that I was a financial person and that she had been meaning to reach out to me. I was curious as to how she found me and she explained that she had done a search and I was one of the people that came up.
I told her that I was there doing my walk and it’s because I was rerouted why we were able to see each other and facing each other. If I had kept going the other way, we would have likely not seen each other at all.
She explained that she had been in the middle of her quiet time, and she felt like she needed to go for a walk – so, she paused and came to the trail.
God’s timing and direction is unmatched.
As we were both already there, I told her we could have our conversation that I would normally have on a first call.
Friends, sometimes we may never know how God will lead us, but these two interactions showed me that God is not a God of coincidences.
Sometimes, He will ask us to do the uncomfortable and sometimes, He will reroute us to get us in the place we need to be in. Don’t be afraid of either.
Dear Heavenly Father, I continue to be in awe that you care so much about the details. You love and care so much about us that you will have us do and say things that will benefit others and sometimes you might just take us off the path we are on so we can have a not so chance meeting. We are so grateful for these experiences.