Some friends and I headed to North Carolina just get away and recoup. We waited until the last minute to book the cabin and learned that the downstairs apartment had not been rented yet I was really relieved because we would not have to worry about other people "bothering" us (or us bothering others.) Surely no one else would wait as long as we had to book their reservations...surely.
But surprise! When we arrived on top of that mountain there was already another car there. I was a bit nervous how this would play out.
On day two, one of the ladies in the group decided it was time for her to go and meet our neighbor. We could tell from the belly laughing downstairs that they had hit it off. TWO HOURS LATER our friend came back full of stories.
We migrated to the front porch hearing stories and it was not long before our friend headed out again to invite her new friend to the porch. When they returned it took us all about 1 minute to know we were going to be fast friends. Our new friend told us about her job as a counselor in South Carolina and then we began to hear the stories of her mission work. We were riveted. She told us about how she became a Christian at 20 but grew discouraged with her faith. She began to talk to the Lord about how this Christian stuff was just was not enough. She honestly told him that if what she was experiencing was all there was to him then she was going back to her old lifestyle. That day's prayer was all it took.
She was asked to go on a mission trip out of the country. It was a mission trip that was going to take medicine and the gospel to a remote people. They would be traveling by donkey and carrying all they needed with them. When they arrived at the first village the people were so in need that the team used almost every bit of medical supplies they had brought. They began to pray to the Lord about what they should do next.
The leader announced that they would continue on to all the villages (they were expected) and they would deliver what they had...the gospel. So off they went to village number two.
Upon arriving they met a man who had a machete injury. His arm was severed and remained intact by just a thread. The minster placed a towel around the arm while the group prayed for the man. After praying they removed the towel only to find the arm COMPLETELY HEALED.
With a renewed faith the pastor asked for our new friend and another team member to look in the container again and see if they had anything with which they could help these people. When they opened the chest they found their supplies COMPLETELY RESTOCKED. After using all of the supplies a second time they headed to village number three. And by the time they reached that village they found fresh supplies in their containers. This happened at every single one of the villages.
Her life was forever changed! She knew God was real and that she would forever serve and love Him.
And God took us all the way to the top of a mountain eight hours away to meet this dear woman and hear her story. We were so blessed by our time with this sister in Christ and knew that He meant for us all to meet. I cried many tears that day as we rejoiced about the goodness of God and His love for us all. And I am so thankful that this dear woman was willing to share her stories with us, complete strangers.
We all have stories about the goodness of God and how He has showed up and often showed out on our behalf. May we be willing to share the and look for opportunities to encourage those we come in contact with. And may we be willing to be encouraged by others and their stories as well. We may learn about God in a new way through another person's life. But we better be willing to have our minds blown in the process!
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