i told my husband as soon as i got home what had happened, opening with a very dramatic but very true, "you WILL NOT believe what just happened to me at Target..." him: "that is so awesome." me, still dramatic: "i HAVE to pay it forward. i HAVE to pass on the blessing!" him: "yes, you have to."
okay. we were in agreement on that. but my mind was still racing with thoughts and scenerios, the hows and whens i would put the $20 in someone else's hands. i wanted to pass it on right away, at the first chance i had.
but don't you know God was in charge of this? not me. i tried doing it my way. it was almost comical how God intervened. He wouldn't let me change His plan for that $20 blessing.
the very next day i had to go back to Target for the 5 things that i forgot the day before. oh goodie, i thought. i was so excited, kind of nervous, to give the checkout guy the $20 and tell him to give it to the next person in line, in the very same way that i was blessed.
so when the next person in line came up behind me, i smiled at her. she had 2 big fluffy winter coats in children's sizes. that would be so cool to help her pay for her kids' winter coats. i thought.
just as i pulled the $20 out of my wallet, the lady with the coats asked the checker, "can i do an even exchange here, or do i need to go to customer service?"
ARG! i'm sure my shoulders fell. here i was ready to pass along the $20 blessing and the lady wasn't even making a purchase!
that night i prayed over the money. i prayed that God would send the right person to stand in line behind me, and that my eyes would be open and my heart alert at the very moment He wanted me to pass along the $20 blessing.
okay. we were in agreement on that. but my mind was still racing with thoughts and scenerios, the hows and whens i would put the $20 in someone else's hands. i wanted to pass it on right away, at the first chance i had.
but don't you know God was in charge of this? not me. i tried doing it my way. it was almost comical how God intervened. He wouldn't let me change His plan for that $20 blessing.
the very next day i had to go back to Target for the 5 things that i forgot the day before. oh goodie, i thought. i was so excited, kind of nervous, to give the checkout guy the $20 and tell him to give it to the next person in line, in the very same way that i was blessed.
so when the next person in line came up behind me, i smiled at her. she had 2 big fluffy winter coats in children's sizes. that would be so cool to help her pay for her kids' winter coats. i thought.
just as i pulled the $20 out of my wallet, the lady with the coats asked the checker, "can i do an even exchange here, or do i need to go to customer service?"
ARG! i'm sure my shoulders fell. here i was ready to pass along the $20 blessing and the lady wasn't even making a purchase!
that night i prayed over the money. i prayed that God would send the right person to stand in line behind me, and that my eyes would be open and my heart alert at the very moment He wanted me to pass along the $20 blessing.
the next day, i pulled into the long drive thru line at Starbucks and thought, oh yeah this is it. i was going to give the barista the bill and tell him use it to pay for everyone's drinks in line behind me. i waited, watching to see who would be getting their lattes for free...NO ONE CAME IN LINE BEHIND ME. not. one. single. car.
at Walmart the next day, no one came in line behind me.
at the Post Office on the next day, no one came in line behind me.
the $20 bill was seriously on fire in my purse. it was all i thought about. i searched faces and places and chances, desperately looking for the right person.
and then i heard from God. quit looking so hard and just do it. the man who gave you the $20 wasn't out looking for someone to bless. he just did it.
i quit looking. three or four days passed and during the day, i forgot about the $20 tucked in my wallet. at night, i prayed over it.
exactly one week after the twenty dollar bill was handed to me, i stood in the same line at Target with a cart overflowing with groceries and a stack of coupons. i went about my business, not even thinking about the $20 or who was in line behind me. no one came in line behind me until i was paying for my groceries and just about to leave. i glanced at her. she smiled at me. she was about my age. she looked tired but happy. her cart was overflowing, too. she had a ragged piece of paper in her hand, a grocery list probably. a little girl came running up to her, bouncing around the cart and around the woman. there was nothing about her, outwardly, that said she needed $20. and then i heard from God. that's her. there was nothing about you that said you needed $20. just do it.
i discretely told the checkout guy what to do with the twenty dollar bill. he smiled, knowingly. i left the store relieved, refreshed, renewed. i prayed that the woman felt incredibly blessed, just like i did. and i pray that the $20 blessing in her wallet goes on to continue blessing others.
this is just my story of what happened to me when
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” -Acts 20:35
