Last Saturday was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining and the air was warm. My friend picked me up and we headed out to the trail.
We were going hiking!
This is something I wanted to do more here, but haven’t found the time or the people to go with me.
Needless to say, I was very excited!
There were people of all ages, from young children running to see what they could explore, to elderly couples slowly walking to take in everything around them. It warmed my heart to see all of these people outside enjoying nature.
Being in nature is also a place of peace for me. And because of this, I was able to start processing the many thoughts and emotions which were crammed inside my head, making space for them to move around.
Every step I climbed and every bead of sweat that dropped off my nose, I felt a release.
When I got back home, I went kayaking with my roommate.
Water is my Happy Place!
Being as close to it, in it or on it, I am able to find complete peace and rest. (In fact it’s the place I’ve gone every time I feel stressed or overwhelmed while here at CGA.)
So, as we paddled around and floated on the water, soaking up the sun, I was able to continue verbally processing all those same thoughts and emotions. As we talked things through, I was able to start organizing things in my head. A greater sense of calm came about me.
We then headed back up to the house.
I knew I needed two things before I went into complete “get things done” mode. Food and to express the things I had been going over on paper. So I grabbed my creative journal and my pencil bag.
Because that’s a thing now.
There is a Panera nearby, so I went there. As I walked in, there was an elderly couple sitting at a table. I smiled at them as I walked by, and they attempted smiles back.
After I got my bagel and coffee, I found a booth where I could settle in for a bit. Spreading out my colored pencils, paper scraps, glue stick and markers, I opened my journal to a blank page.
I spent some time in prayer, and then started to color the page in bright colors. A few times when I looked up to grab a new color, I noticed the same couple looking at me. I smiled back and continued coloring.
My heart started to beat just a bit faster.
After the page was covered, I spent a little more time in prayer, asking the Father for words and phrases He was speaking over me in this time. Experimenting with different fonts, I started to put those words on the page.
As I looked up again, the couple was looking at me, and we made eye contact. Smiling once again, I looked back down at my page. I had noticed each time they were fairly quiet, not talking much.
Heart beating even faster.
Continuing to express the words on the page, I did not want to forget anything.
And then it happened.
That feeling like you’re going to throw up, because you know you’re supposed to do something but have no idea what the outcome will be.
“Be brave. Be bold in Me. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to love my people,” I heard the Father say.
So I took a deep breath and walked over to the table where the elderly couple was sitting. They were sharing a pastry and drinking coffee. We made a bit of small talk, and then they invited me to sit down.
We chatted a bit more, and they shared how although it may be spring and the warm weather has come, it is the time of year they feel most lonely. Their family gets busy with activities and travel, leaving them on their own a lot.
Feeling the heaviness, I asked if I could pray for them. They immediately accepted.
I asked the Father to replace this heavy burden of loneliness with a blessing of overwhelming joy. Letting them know they are known, seen and loved by their family, but more importantly by the Father. As I closed the prayer, I saw tears in their eyes.
We talked a bit more, and then I got up to go back to my journal. They both got up and each gave me a tight hug. I could feel a release, and a lightness about them.
I smiled at them one more time, and they both returned bright, beautiful smiles!
Sometimes you are in the middle of something really good. And then something else comes to your attention. But it would be an interruption.
What if that thing is better than you could ever expect or imagine?
You never know what it might lead to until you go for it. And you never know who’s life you might make a positive impact.
Trust me, those Divine interruptions are SO WORTH IT!
