Welcome to my “old” bloggy girlriends and new bloggy friends that are joining us today after reading my Proverbs 31 devotion.
Divine Appointments.
God Moments.
“God”incidents.
The King of kings, the Lord of lords, the God of Heaven and Earth steps into time to use you and me to touch the life of another.
Truly I say to you, there is no greater privilege. God certainly does not need our help, yet He CHOOSES to use us.
Why?
One of God’s greatest desires is to deepen our relationship with Him, to draw us closer to His heart, to make us more like Him. To accomplish this, He often challenges us to live beyond ourselves…to step outside our comfort zones.
Living beyond ourselves, stepping outside our comfort zones requires obedience. Obedience requires trust in the one who is asking you to obey. We can trust God.
Why?
God is Love. God loves us with an unconditional everlasting love. This is an immutable fact. His Word, from Genesis to Revelation, is a written testimony to all God has said and done to prove that love. So if you and I BELIEVE…if we have FAITH in this amazing grace-filled love, not only will we trust God but also we will desire to please Him. Obedience will be the natural outflow of this loving relationship.
When we walk in obedience to God, we open ourselves up to be used by Him. He will do something through our lives that only He can do. And we will come to know Him in a way that we never would have known Him before.
He wants to use us to do GOD-SIZED, MIGHTY, WONDERFUL, MARVELOUS, MIRACULOUS things. If you are like me that day in the grocery store, I wanted a sign, an affirmation that I should speak because it was SO stepping out of my comfort zone. Satan tried to rationalize me right out of my obedience. If I had fallen for the lies of the evil one, think of the incredible blessings we all would have missed. Each one of us in the store that day experienced the powerful presence of the LIVING GOD in our midst.
With God affirmation often FOLLOWS obedience.
And sometimes obedience does not always reap a beautiful blessing. One afternoon, my son and I hurriedly walked past a man sitting alone by the fountain at our local mall. His dirty clothes and long, greasy hair caught my eye. I felt led to buy him something from Chick-fil-a. Bo and I approached the man and offered him the meal. Much to our surprise, he refused it and looked almost offended. My heart was broken. I was embarrassed.
Did I not hear God right that day? Was that not God’s will? Did I act with the wrong motive? These thoughts plagued my mind. But as I walked to the car, the Lord impressed upon my heart…”you did what I asked, Wendy, you obeyed. That is all I require of you. The rest is up to me.”
For the next few days, pray the prayer below. Watch and see what God is doing and join Him in His work. If you have a divine appointment story today or God brings one over the next few days, please share it with us!!
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are always at work in this world…at work all around us. Thank You for inviting us to be a part of the amazing work You do. What an incredible privilege it is to join You. Draw us closer to your heart as we seek to know You more through Divine Appointments. As we leave this post today, use us, Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear. Give us beautiful stories to share.
Blessing,
Wendy
Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story 
All Things Wise and Wonderful: Applying God's Wisdom in Everyday Life (E-Book)
Wendy, your testimony about God using you and Karen to make Him "real" to Micah touched my heart. Tears are welling up in my eyes. I will pray for Micah this morning. I am so thankful her mom came back and shared that with you.
Your obedience to Him, even though it may have felt "awkward" at the time, spoke volumes to Micah's heart. Oh I am so thankful God is answering her prayers…and using you!
Wendy, I have a similar experience with a woman in a grocery store who had just gotten a divorce. I wrote about it just about a year ago. God is so good! And obviously He works mightily in grocery stores!
Love you!
http://joyinthetruth.blogspot.com/2008/10/god-who-sees.html
Thank you for sharing this wonderful testimony of God at work. I especially appreciate the story of the gentleman at the mall. I am so thankful that you heard, and shared with us, God's message; you obeyed. That's all He wants of us. I would hope that if I had been in your shoes, I would have heard His still, small voice, too, but knowing me, I think I would have clung to my feeling of having made a mistake. Thank you, again, for helping us open our eyes to God's leading.
Blessings,
Sherry
When we walk by faith, God chooses moments to reveal Himself to us. I have had encounters with God in Walmart that I cherish as well. Thank you for sharing your story. It touches our heart hearing how personal God is. Blessings, B
Thank God for you, Wendy. How awesome to be used by God to speak into another one of His children's lives! I pray Micah hears God speaking to her heart that He loves her and wants to cherish her.
I'm such a stubborn person that I wonder if I'll know when it's God speaking to me or if it's my flesh. Being moved my compassion is one thing, ya know, but being moved by God to do something He is asking, that's something totally different. He calls for both, but to know that it's God's voice, His Spirit leading me to do something, it's what I want most right now. So many unknowns. So much to feel inadequate about. Yet, through God, I am capable of great and mighty things.
Thank you for this challenge today. This past week, I've heard stories over and over about someone being used by God… of the way God calls us and how we don't know sometimes if it's God or not. But then God shows Himself through the situation to prove that it was Him. May I be used today!
One of my favorite books is entitled, "Divine Appointments" By Bobby Jacks. It is an amazing testimony about his life and all the divine appointments over the years. I was so encouraged by this book. For years I have had some of the craziest divine appointments. I can't even list them all. I always felt like I was "crazy" until I read the book mentioned above. I always would doubt and God would always answer the same way he answered you, you obeyed and that is what I require, leave the rest up to me. I feel like I am on this amazing journey. Thanks for sharing and encouraging my heart today.
Good Morning, Sweet Friend! I just hopped over from your devo on Encouragement Today–what blessing!I so appreciate your sharing these divine moments…we never know when God is going to ask us to do something extraordinary!
It's been on my heart to talk to a young mom at church about her marriage. I do not need to know the details, but I know that she and her husband have separated. It breaks my heart. I just want to encourage her…and we are close enough to do that. But it's picking up the phone and inviting her to lunch to chat that has a stonghold on me!!! Please pray that I would be obedient and not "chicken!!" Thanks so much!!
Love ya,
Susan
I do not have a story where God worked through me in that way, but I have one where I was at the receiving side. My husband and I are in very difficult financial times at the moment as his pension had been wiped out through a bad investment and a less than honest insurance guy. We live from hand to mouth as I try and make ends meet with a little internet marketing. My husband is visually impaired and cannot work any more. A little while ago a complete stranger phoned and asked my husban's bank account so that he can make a deposit into it. He simply said God told him to do it. When we thanked him he said thank God, He told me to do it. Great was our shock when we saw the HUGE amount he paid into our account, it wil be able to keep us going for quite a while.
For me it is now very comforting to see the joy such a deed is in the person'a life that obeys God in all of this.because we are human we do sometimes feel guilty about the lot of money the man gave us, but now we will not anymore as we realise that obeying God was a great blessing to this man whose name we do not even know as he deposited it into our account as: A Gift From God!
Thanks Wendy for your encouragement to ask God for ears to hear and eyes to see. So needing to look at Him today for His marching orders, instead of at myself. Blessings, Bettina
Wendy, thanks for sharing this story this morning…it's definitely a divine appt for me! For the last few days, I've been praying for God to use me to touch the hurting people around me, to be His hands and feet. Well, I rec'd a phone call from my 21 yo daughter in Idaho (we're in NC)yesterday telling me my 24 yo son tried to end his life the night before. He's married with 2 little girls, struggling with mountains of problems…marriage, finances, life, on and on. I'm so concerned for him, he is not saved and needs the Lord. I'm praying God shows Himself to be real in mine and my son's life as well as those around us. I pray God makes a way for us to be together if this is His will. Please pray with us as we seek His divine intervention in this situation. Love, Kim
I have several. The latest one was when I picked up a gentleman on the side of the road with a will work for food sign. I asked him what he needed. He told me that he was hitchhiking to MO from SD. I had to pick my daughter up from school so asked him if he minded to ride along. I parked the car and looked up the bus depot to find out how much a bus ticket would cost. I called but they didn't answer. I told Bill that I just wanted to get him what he needed. I walked up to get my daugther and when I returned Bill told me that he had not be truthful with me.
He told me that he had a car but didn't think people would be as generous if they knew he had transportation. I told him that God wanted me to give him what he needed. I drove to a gas station and bought a gas card to provide him enough fuel to get to MO. I asked if he would like to pick up anything to eat. He told me that someone else had provide him with some food. He said that gas was all he needed. I took him to his car and wished him a safe trip and prayed a blessing over him.
It was awesome. Best of all, my seven year old saw me reaching out, being unsafe but trusting in the Lord.
Hi Wendy
Thanks for the devo and post today – I needed them.
For some reason – my faith walk has always been filled with doubts – so when I hear stories like the one you shared in the devotional…. it encourages me to continue seeking Him. Thanks so much
Sweet Blessings,
Kate
I had an experience yesterday where I was in a place I shouldn't have been at that time and looking in a direction I wouldn't naormally have been looking and I believe God put me there. I forgot to pick my oldest son up form a friends house after I picked up the younger one form school and as I was pausing at the bottom of my driveway to let my youngest out to get the mail I looked down the street to the apartments and saw a woman walking up the driveway form the parkinglot toward the street and she just fell right over!….and didn't get back up! I put my car in park and ran over to her and blood was pouring from her head. I called 911 and waited with her for the EMS. While we were waiting other people that live in the apartments were arriving and wanting to turn into the driveway. I am so glad to have been there to turn those people away because she was not consious and I'm sure the approaching cars would not have seen her because of the anling down of the approach to the lot. Thank you God!! Lisa Evola
Thank you for the very encouraging P31 post, Wendy. I had tears after reading the story. May God continue to dot Micah's life with divine appointments.
I had one happen 3 mos. ago the day of my son's graduation party, when God led me all the way downtown to end up giving a homeless woman money.
The other one has not been completed yet. Yesterday, my co-worker told me about her cousin's girlfriend whose mother committed suicide. I was so moved by this that I ordered Pastor Greg Laurie's book, Hope for Hurting Hearts to give to her. I know it's God because on my own, I would not have bought the book considering for someone I do not know because we're using all our available resources to pay for my son's college tuition. But I just felt led to buy it for her. The order should be here by tomorrow (yay, Amazon Prime!). I pray that she reads it and it ministers to her.
I just read the story of Micha & wanted to share a similar story of the power of God. It actually is more about the power of prayer. My grandmother was rushed into emergency open-heart surgery three days ago. The actual surgery went great but a couple hours after, she flatlined for 15 minutes. She had to be taken back into surgery where we were told they had done everything medically and physically that could be done. Now it was up to God. My family and friends made a prayer circle and asked God's will. Her heart immediately grew stronger and she is still amazing nurses and doctors at the rate she is recovering. She is such a blessing to me and it was, in an odd way, great to see God work right before my eyes! Never underestimate the power of prayer and what God will show you!
I once felt the same overwhelming, trembling feelings when a friend of mine had recently lost a child through a late term miscarriage. She was going to walk in the March of Dimes and was asking for donations. My husband and I struggled to make ends meet at the time, but I had that overwhelming feeling that I needed to do something. After several days and much hesitation, I wrote her a check for $20 and stopped by her house to give it to her. As I was stepping onto the porch, I saw the blinds close, and no one answered the door when I knocked. I knew someone was home, and that they saw me come to the door. I was DEVESTATED!! Why would God have asked me to do that and then let someone who I thought was a friend do something that felt so very hurtful? Then, I felt God speak to me just the way you did… "You obeyed, and that's all I asked of you."
But, I am so weak. I have felt God speak to me on several other occasions, and have been too afraid of the same rejection, or of getting physically hurt by strangers, that I let myself get talked out of what I knew God was asking me to do. Your devotion has inspired me to take action in the future. Whether I get the result I would hope for or not, it's not about me… it's about obeying God.
I saw your book, and hope to read it soon. I think it might help me overcome some unfortunate situations that have taken place in my life… which strongly affect my bedroom relationship with my husband.
Thanks so much for sharing with us!
Wendy,
I loved your devo today! And your post was even better, such an encouragement to me as I step out in obedience, but yet at times full of fear. Your words were just the reminder I needed. Thank you for sharing – I look forward to seeing God's answer to the prayer you posted. Blessings to you, Jill
Wendy, thank you so much for sharing your story, I still have tears while I'm writing this. I want to share that while in service lady Sunday, my husband turned to me and told me God wanted us to give the soloist who was ministering at that time a certain amount of money. I immediately agreed. He almost forgot to give me the check because he had to close out the service. I ran to the back to catch the soloist before her van picked her up (she's handicapped). Well I was able to put the check in her hand. The following Wednesday she was at the back of our church asking for us. What she said confirmed what God wanted. She hugged us and shook her saying, "she knew that was the Lord and that we didn't know but God knew", she then said in all of her 44 years of ministering, she has never had that happen to her. My husband and I gave God all the glory. Also, I was on the train and felt led to give a man some money and he refused, I was embarassed and thought I heard God wrong, but He reasurred me with the same words that He only required my obedience and that the rest was up to Him. Thank you for confirming that for me as well.
Peace and blessings,
Precious
I loved your devo today, Wendy. I also want to read your book. I think it would be a powerful resource for many. You rock, my sweet P31 sister.
I am encouraged and amazed by your story. Yes God does ask us to obey. I was in a Walmart sometime in this past year standing in line to take something back as I noticed a young man and woman dumping bags full of coins in the change sorting machine. As I stood watching, I wondered how much money they would actually recieve as the total was added. Only $18.00… was that all? Suddenly I felt God's prompting to give them the money for the item that I was taking back. They wandered out into the store and I thought to myself, "Really God?, but I don't know them?…okay, I will do that if I happen to run accross them while I shop." Of course I did, and felt that I should add a little more to the cash. I approached them and asked if they believed in God?…they both nodded and then I told them that this may seem crazy but that God wanted me to give this to them. As I gave them the money, they both asked, "Are you sure?" "Yes," I replied.
I am really not sure who was more blessed that day. What a great feeling when we know we have been obedient. Thanks for sharing. I haven't really thought too much about that day since.
Jenny
Wendy,
May we all be so quick to obey and be used in such a powerful way! We pray that Micah's life will never be the same!
Lynn
Wendy,
My story is the power of prayer. My youngest daughter was 10 years old when she had a seizure. I remember humbly praying to God that he take away whatever had caused this. After praying, I then asked Him to give me something encouraging to read. I opened my Bible and it opened to the book of Matthew. There right in front of my eyes was the story of the Caanite woman asking for her daughter to be healed!! I promise you, I was not "searching" for something to read, God put it right there for me. He told me in His word, as He did the Caanite woman "Your child is healed." You talk about an AWESOME moment!! My daughter has not had another seizure since then and she will be 17 in December! Glory be to God!!
Thank you for your devotional today. I've been praying a lot lately that God would give me opportunities to minister to people. It's so encouraging to see God answer prayers, like Micah's. Thanks again for a good reminder to continue to allow the Holy Spirit to use us on a daily basis!
-Michelle
Wow!! Friends, I have been blessed all throughout the day by the blog comments, e-mails, and notes on Facebook. Thank you for sharing not only your stories but also your prayers to be used by God to bless others. I know His heart is so pleased. I wait expectantly for some amazing stories to come in the next few days.
Below I am posting an e-mail I just received because it helps those of us afraid of stepping out in faith to see HOW POWERFULLY God uses our obedience. Thank you to this sweet woman for sharing her story with us and for her words of encouragement for broken hurting hearts out there looking for ONE TRUE LOVE, ONE WHO WILL ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL.
Hi I read you’re daily devotional DIVINE APPOINTMENT, it really touched my heart, I have been there where the girl in the grocery store was, abandonment and abuse is a devastating and has its effects, I’m glad to say that the only true love I have ever felt was from our Father in heaven he has never left me nor forsaken me and has always provided my every need, when I saw there was no hope he always sent someone or did something amazing . He has blessed me with so many Christian girlfriends, and family. TO ALL YOU WOMAN AND YOUNG LADIES THAT ARE BROKEN HEARTED OR ABUSED OR HAVE BEEN ABANDON LET ME TELL YOU THIS THAT IF YOU PUT GOD FIRST AND LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART HE WILL SEE YOU THRU WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY.
Sweet Blessings to you all and keep the stories and prayers coming,
Wendy
Your devotional today brought tears to my eyes…
Quickly my mind drifted off to, "what if you weren't obedient?" But you were and God was glorified!
Thank you for the reminder that God is in the grocery store check out lane…if we allow His will be done through us.
God bless and keep you,
steph
Wendy, this devotion touched my heart today. I am going to be praying this prayer along with you and my sisters. I can not wait for the God moments and to see what He is going to do! To be used by Him is truly an amazing thing and to have the faith to always walk in obedience, that is what I pray for.
God Bless,
Brandee, TN
Kim – I will keep your son & your family in prayer!! I too have unsaved family members, & know how it must feel for you to know your son is so far away & in pain. I'm praying God's hand in this, that it will draw your son closer to Him. ~Alicia in NC
Wendy:
I had a couple of similar experiences. First I must tell you I am a nurse. This summer I was at a very low spot in my life. I was at the grocery store and a patient that frequents the ER that I work in was in the taco aisle. He is kind of dirty and smelly. He told me he was going to have a heart catherization later that week. I told him I would pray for him. As I walked away he said Dawn, I'll be waiting on those prayers. Then I heard Jesus saying go pray for him now. And I told Jesus I didn't want to pray for him in the taco aisle. But, I was obedient and I went back and prayed. God was so good. He took my eyes off of myself. That is exactly what I needed at that time. Another day I had a patient come in who said he was dizzy. I could tell there was much more going on. So, I told him you may be dizzy but, you need to tell me what's really going on. He began to cry and he told me that he was depressed, mean to his wife and just didn't know what to do. I shared with him that 4 days ago I was right where he was in a dark pit. And I asked for help. I told him we had a counselor at the hospital right at that time and he could talk to him. Which he did. Once again God was so good. Sometimes we just have to listen and obey even when we don't want to.
Dawn in Indiana
Years ago, I was barely surviving an excruciating divorce. We were both believers, but not able to save our marriage. After months of agony, I found myself unable to proceed with life. I just could not escape the pain of rejection. I had two young children whom I loved with all my heart and didn't want to leave them but I had lost the strength to keep going. This particular day, the switch finally flipped and I decided it was over. I looked out the window at my kids and prayed for them asking God to do what I couldn't for them. Now it was just a matter of deciding how to take care of business. At that moment, my phone rang. It was a precious sister in Christ. She said "I don't know exactly why I'm calling but God told me to. Are you ok?"
It was clear to me that God had just used her to say "I see you. I know what you're thinking. I'm not going to allow it. I love you."
Had it not been for her obedience to God's urging, things might have been very sadly different. She has since gone home to be with the Lord, and I had the privilege of being by her side during that time. I also have the privilege of pouring into her daughters' lives in her absence.
What am amazing and mighty God we have. He is the Master Networker.
Wendy,thanks for stopping by my blog!you have blessed me with your wonderful testimonies. I have not been reading P31 Devotions for a long time.But the other day I was sure that God led to P31 devotional "Divine Appointments." It was wonderful!!
As you said you love Psalm 139,I have created a picture on Psalm 139:14 on my birthday (August 13th)using a handloom silk saree(a costliest dress in India) as background picture.Knowing that God is Our Grand Weaver,who is our perfect designer.
Good article. You have a very good blog.