A Good Day to Exercise Trust in God
Today was a beautiful day with sunshine, blue skies, and fiercely blowing winds bringing intermittent blasts of arctic-like cold. It was a good day for an exercise in trusting God.
Driving home, I braced the steering wheel as the wind pushed and pulled at my little Cooper. Making way through traffic, I saw a man standing on the narrow median, clutching a sign, defying the wind. My heart went out to him as he stood firm against the cold blasts buffeting him.
It’s not unusual to find people with signs asking for monetary help in any weather, but for some reason, this man caught my attention today.
His sign read, “Three-time veteran Afghanistan and Iraq.” He didn’t appear sloppy or unkempt. He held his post with dignity –despite the cold, forceful wind.
An Invitation
I sensed the Holy Spirit inviting me to reach out to this stranger on the far side of the road.
Shoot! The only cash I had was a $20 bill. It was my gas money.
Shoot! I would have to drive up the road, turn around at the market, then drive back to make my way to the point where he was standing. My free time was shrinking -again.
Shoot! Why do I always say shoot, thinking of myself first even when it’s an invitation from the Lord to reach out to others?
I accepted the invitation and made my way towards the man stood with his sign.
Rolling down the window, I clutched the $20 bill praying the wind wouldn’t whip it away as I waved it, beckoning the man. I thanked him for his service and gave him my gas money feeling sheepish for having questioned the Holy Spirit. His eyes revealed weariness as he smiled, “Thank you, ma’am.”
A Holy Nudge
The Holy Spirit nudged again. Your book. Give him your book.
I locked eyes with the man, “Sir, do you like to read?”
His eyebrows rose, then crinkled in confusion before he nodded, “Yeh, I do.”
I keep extra copies of my book with me for times like these. There was one on the seat beside me.
“Want a book?”
“Yeh, sure.”
I handed him my book before the traffic started moving forward again. He looked at the cover of the book back to me, then he cocked his head and replied, “Thanks.”
Thoughts swirled in my head as if caught up in the wind as well.
Lord, will this guy get anything from my story?
Street lights swung in the wind as I caught sight of pages of my book held in the man’s hand, flapping wildly in the wind.
Who Holds Your Story?
My life-story held in the hands of yet another stranger. Would it get tossed onto the street? What if pages were torn out and run over? I imagined the guts and treasures of my life blown all over, littering the road.
Lord, is this the destiny of my story?
His gentle reply settled my thoughts;
Daughter, have you forgotten you placed your story –your life in My hands? Trust me. (He has to say that to me often).
Trusting God
Without the aid of a traditional publisher, I am, for the most part, responsible for my marketing.
The destiny of each book is a faith walk for me. Days like today stretch me, but in the end, I am grateful. Perhaps it is better this way. A Book, A Stranger and a Windy Day
Could it be that God is the best marketer knowing who, when, where, and how to use what He, Himself inspired?
What if pages of my story did litter the street? Maybe some curious soul would pick up a page and read a few lines. It only takes a few words of life to pierce one’s heart. To that effect, I would gladly have pages of my story ‘litter’ on the streets.

What about your story? Have you entrusted it in the hands of God? Do you see Him woven throughout the pages of your life? Have you recognized the power and impact you can have on the lives of others?
I don’t know if that soldier will open the book and read my story, but now he will be covered in my daily prayers with all others who read my story.
Friend, our stories hold power. Be diligent in recognizing God in your story and being generous to share it wherever the Lord gives you an opportunity. You can never fully know what the Lord will do with it.
They triumphed… by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Revelation 12:11