A Wink From God

By Kay Heitsch

Since it was getting close to Memorial Day, I wanted to get the flowers planted at home and at the cemetery. I knew I had bitten off more than I could chew, but I started with enthusiasm. But my spirit was in low gear after I had finished planting the last flowers at the cemetery.

Hot and exhausted, I gathered the sprinkling cans and started over to the water faucet. I was about halfway there when I noticed a sign hanging on the handle. As I got closer, I read, "Water available at the north end of the cemetery. Sorry for your inconvenience." I have no sense of direction, but it was clear; I wasn't at the "north end" of the cemetery.

With a super pail in one hand and a sprinkling can in the other, I headed for my car. As I walked, I started to whine to the Lord about my situation. In jest, I said, "Boy, it would sure be nice, Lord, if someone would show up with some water."

As I was about to put the pail and sprinkling can in the car, a van drove up. A man got out with two sprinkling cans full of water and a big smile. He looked at me and said, "Here I am at your service!" I stood there speechless.

Since I wasn't responding, the man said cheerfully, "Well, where do you want me to put this water?" With tears in my eyes, I choked out the words, "Over here on my son Todd's grave would be wonderful. Thank you."

Today I was watching Joyce Meyer's "Enjoying Everyday Life" program. Joyce called these moments "Winks from God." I certainly felt God had given me a wink and a smile that day.

Something Good Is Bound To Happen

By Kay Heitsch 

It was many years ago that I had this experience. When I talked to the eighth-grade boy's SS class, this life-changing event came back to my mind. After the story "In Loving Memory of Todd" went into print, I received a phone call. The call was from a woman I had known for 17 years. Dee had given me the baby shower for Todd. We had moved to other states, and finally, we're back in Ohio when Todd died. Dee knew me pretty well back in the old days, so she knew what a total transformation my life had taken. Dee also had developed a personal relationship with the Lord. Dee was calling to ask me to come and speak at her church. Talk about freaking out; I immediately told her, "NO." There was no way I could ever get up and talk about this experience. I tried to explain to her that actually, I didn't even write the letter. I knew there was "Someone" guiding me as I wrote. I hadn't even attended church in years. How on earth could I get up and speak? Dee would not take "no" for an answer and continued to call. 

After Dee's continued calls and my excuses, I received a magazine in the mail. I have no idea where it came from, but on the cover was a cartoon drawing of Moses. On the inside of the magazine were all the excuses Moses gave to the LORD for not doing what God asked him to do. Boy did this hit home. I was giving all the same reasons.

The next time Dee called, she told me that she had talked to her minister. She said that they had come up with a date that I could come over and talk. The date was going to be Super Bowl Sunday night. I agreed to go, but only because I thought no one would be there; I assumed they would stay home to watch the Super Bowl. 

I was a total wreck the day of the talk. I started to pace around the house like a caged animal. I felt sick. My hands were sweating. I was sweating all over. The more I paced, the worse I felt. Thoughts were darting in and out of my mind. Finally, it was about time to leave. I felt something running out of my nose. I put my hand up to see what it was. It was blood! What is going on? I ran into the bathroom and put my head into the sink. The blood was pouring out of my nose. I couldn't get it to stop. I sent up a quick prayer, "Help me, Lord." At that point, a Bible text came to my mind, "I did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind." 

What? It took me a few seconds to understand, but finally, I started to get it. This fear was not coming from the Lord. He wanted me to have power, love, and a sound mind. As funny as this seems, the words of an old country song also came to my mind: "Something good is bound to happen, cause the devil's working overtime." I stood up, grabbed a hand full of Kleenex, and went out and got into the van. 

When I arrived at the church, the parking lot was full. Somehow the large group of people didn't bother me. I knew my strength was going to come from the Lord because He was giving me His power, love, and a sound mind. I also knew something good was bound to happen, and it did. Bible text: For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

It's Not All About You

By Kay Heitsch, 

I looked over at the clock. It was my usual time to get up and spend quiet time with the Lord. Since it was Sunday, the thought of staying in bed came to my mind. After all, I was going to church, wasn't I? I would be spending time with the Lord there. Over time, I've learned not to always listen to myself, so I got up. I spent some quiet time alone with the Lord and then started to get ready for church. 

I'd turned the phone off in the bedroom, but I thought I heard the phone ring. Who on earth would be calling? I answered the phone. On the other end of the line was an old friend of mine. I hadn't talked to him in a very long time. Dave told me that he spoke to his wife about his eighth-grade boy's Sunday School class. Dave expressed to her the trouble he was having trying to talk about "witnessing." Cynthia shared with him the blog I had started less than one week ago. The last story on the blog was about witnessing. I listened, and then Dave asked if I would be willing to come over to his S.S. class and share some of my stories. 

I thought for sure Dave meant maybe sometime in the future, but he indicated that morning, in a couple of hours. I started to kind of freak out. What would I say? I hadn't talked about Todd publicly in a very long time. I certainly would have to say something about him. It was because of Todd's death that I had entered into this personal relationship with the Lord. I didn't want to cry and make these eighth-grade boys uncomfortable. Thoughts started to race around in my mind. I believe it was because I had spent time alone that morning that this thought came. "Relax, it's not all about you. I'll give you the words you need to say. Don't miss this opportunity." I told Dave I would talk to his class that morning. 

I gathered up a bunch of "In Loving Memory of Todd" handouts and left. I spoke to the boys. I'm not sure what all I said, but I remember saying something I had never said before. I kept saying, "It's not all about you." This phrase, "It's not all about you," was something that I'd learned over the years. Whenever I was asked to do something, I didn't feel comfortable with, or I felt inadequate with, I had to remind myself, "It's not all about you." I knew my strength to do anything worthwhile was coming from the Lord. It was all about Him and His ability. I knew I needed to allow Him to do His witnessing through me. I just needed to be myself.  Dave passed out the "In Loving Memory of Todd" stories. Wouldn't you know I had taken the exact number that was needed! 

After the talk, I walked over to the church. The service was about over as I arrived. When I walked into the sanctuary, I heard the minister say, "It's not all about you. It's about Him." That's it! Whatever the plan God has for our lives, we need to remember, it's not all about us. It's about Him.

Where Do You Get Your Energy From?

by Kay Heitsch

Do you ever wonder how you can be a witness to other people? I know I have. Personally, I didn't feel comfortable with the traditional way people seemed to do witnessing. I knew I wanted to share how the Lord was working in my life, but the conventional method wasn't for me. When I became a Christian, I told the Lord I wanted to be used by Him. How He was going to use me has taken several different paths.

Several years ago, I had an exciting encounter on the road where I walked in my neighborhood. I had asked the Lord to bring people out to the street who needed a touch from Him. Because of this request, the Lord has given me several "Divine connections."

There was a lot of construction going on in our neighborhood. I would always wave at the guys working on the homes as I walked by each day on my daily power walk. I felt like I halfway knew these construction workers because I saw them every morning. This particular morning I smiled and waved like always when one of the men yelled, "Wait a minute, we have a question to ask you." I was surprised and wondered what they could want to ask me.

I stopped and waited. A burly man walked out to the street and said, "Hi, my name is John. The guys and I have been talking about you. We want to know where you get all your energy." I felt John was no doubt expecting me to say something like, "From all the coffee I drink." Although I did drink coffee, I knew exactly where my energy came from. "Do I dare tell him the truth?" I quickly thought.

I looked John straight in the eye and said, "Do you really want to know where my energy comes from?" John said he did, so this is what I told him. "Well, you see, John, I spend one on one time with the Creator of the Universe before I come out to walk each day." John looked like I had hit him with a ton of bricks, then said, "How would that give you energy?" I explained, "The way I see it is that God keeps the whole Universe energized. If I spend one on one time with Him, I'll be energized too." With a look of enlightenment, John said, "I can see that it's working. I'll have to give it a try."

I thought our conversation was over when John said, "When you are spending time with the Creator, will you talk to Him about me? I have cancer." I certainly wasn't expecting this. I told him that I would pray. I then walked back home and found some Christian pamphlets that I thought would be helpful. I drove back to the site and gave them to John.

Later on, in the week, John came out to the road again when I was walking by. John told me that he had gone down to the VFW and shared what I told him with the "boys at the bar." John said he had even given out some of the pamphlets I had given him.

I know the way I did witnessing that day wasn't the traditional way, but it got the job done. I could see that the Lord not only used me to share His love, but He also used John, who didn't even know that he was also a witness for the Creator of the Universe, where all energy comes from.

God's Perfect Timing

by Kay Heitsch

The following story was published in Positive Thinking Finding Joy & Fulfillment Every Day April 2002

No one can put you in the right place as well as He can.

"I don't understand, Lord! How could this be a part of Your plan for our lives?" Over and over again, these words whirled around in my mind as I drove home from work that afternoon. I couldn't believe that we were going to be moving again. "Don't you care about us, Lord?" Tears burned my eyes as they rolled down my cheeks.

Down the road, I could see a long line of traffic. "Now what? What's going on? How long am I going to be stuck here?" I sat for what seemed an eternity. I managed, through my frustration and annoyance, to calm myself down by praying. More than ever, I needed God's guidance. Eventually, the cars ahead slowly began to move. Finally, I was on my way.

Suddenly, in my rear view mirror, I saw an older woman stumble into a ditch on the side of the road and then walk out of it. Something was obviously wrong, but no one stopped to help. So I went back.

Though frightened, she came over when I called out to her. She said she was lost, that she had gone to a convenience store for a paper and had become disoriented. I offered to help her retrace her steps, so she climbed into the van, and we soon discovered that she had taken a wrong turn at a three-way street. Together, we located her daughter's apartment, where she was staying, and her invitation for coffee soon led to a long conversation about her own life and the recent events that had affected her.

Now relaxed and in familiar soundings, Mary introduced herself and told me that her husband had died recently and that she was visiting her daughter to figure out what to do next. As Mary shared her apprehensions about her future, I did the same.

When I got ready to leave, I experienced a flash of insight. God did care and understand. Look at what just happened: I was delayed in traffic, I saw a total stranger at the exact instant she tumbled into the ditch, and then I went back to help when no one else seemed to notice. As I said goodbye, I hugged Mary.

If the God of the Universe cared enough to put me where I could help her at the exact instant she needed help, then neither one of us should have any fears about the future. God would send us the support we each needed, at the perfect time, just as He had done this day.

In Loving Memory of Todd

by Kay Heitsch

The following is a personal letter I wrote to Dr. Peale after Todd died. Dr. Peale published the letter in Plus The Magazine of Positive Thinking in 1990.

Dear Dr. Peale,

I became acquainted with your writing strictly by accident. If I had known you were a minister, I would not have touched your books with a ten-foot pole. I was searching for something; I wasn't sure what.

During my search, I had gone to the psychology section of our public library and selected your book You Can If You Think You Can. I was inspired by what you had written. Although I had picked up books by other authors, they left me cold. I returned to the library to find more of your books. In the card file, your books were also listed under "religion." This was not to my liking. But I was so inspired by the first book I had read that I checked out more.

You see, I was brought up with a religion that had left me bitter; I wanted nothing more to do with it.

As I began reading your other books, I would skip over all of the Bible texts, feeling the power of my own mind was enough. I typed pages of your tips from several books. After a while, I started to put, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) at the bottom of my typed pages. This amazed me!

I showed many of these pages to my teen-aged son, Todd. He was also inspired, and encouraged me to continue my reading and sharing.

Then, on a cold February day in 1988, one of my son's friends called. There had been a terrible accident. My son, Todd, had been killed.

I could not believe this had happened. Todd was so positive! He had goals. He loved life.

But it was true, My son was gone.

Because my husband, Bill, always worked long hours and we were transferred frequently, Todd and I had developed a close relationship. Todd had found that making close friends in a new town inevitably led to painful good-bys. So he made it a practice to be casual friends with everyone. We had been in Ohio less than three years when he was killed. I remember wondering if anyone would come to pay respect.

To my surprise, the funeral home was packed. People were lined up outside in the bitter cold. These teen-agers and teachers had loved Todd. They said that he was always happy and a friend to everyone. One teacher said he had never known Todd to have a bad day. This was because of you, Doctor Peale. Each morning, we read your book, "Have A Great Day."

At the funeral home, I felt as though I were the comforter. I told all of the kids, after giving them a big hug, that they could come over and talk anytime. Several of them told me that Todd had always said I was easy to talk to and that they should visit me anytime. I was surprised.

Kids started coming over to my home. They asked why Todd was always so happy, and I told them about positive thinking. I was even talking to them about the Lord, I started buying copies of "Have a Great Day" for everyone. On the inside, I would write, "In loving memory of Todd."

I began seeing the Lord in a different way. This didn't happen overnight, however. It had been eight years since I first read "You Can If You Think You Can." I knew that my strength was coming from the Lord, but I was still holding on to my own strong will.

Then one day, that all changed. It was just another day, but I couldn't muster up enough "positive thinking" on my own to face the day. I felt shaky and was afraid that I was going to fall apart. I knelt down and prayed. I finally admitted to the Lord-- and to myself--that He was the power, and I needed it right then. I felt such peace and love. This is what I had always been looking for! I felt as if He were saying, "What took you so long? I've been by your side all along."

Sometime later, the phone rang. When I answered the phone, I recognized the voice of a good friend of Todd's. She was having trouble accepting Todd's death, and needed some answers. I told her I did not know how or why this terrible accident had happened, but that I would ask the Lord and get back to her.

That night, I held the Bible and prayed that I could help this girl find her answer. I asked the Lord to speak to me throught His word. I told the Lord that I had totally accepted this tragedy. Now, with His help and guidance, I wanted to make something positive out of it. I then asked the Lord to please help me with this girl's problem.

I hadn't read the Bible much in 20 years, so I did not know where to turn for the answers I needed. Randomly, I opened the Bible to John 15:13. It read: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Was this the answer Todd's friend was looking for? I called her and read John 15:13

There was a pause. Then she said, "That was just like Todd. This is something he would have done."

Shortly thereafter, the meaning of that Scripture bacame clear. Nick, the friend who had been the passenger in the car Todd was driving, told me details of the accident I had not previously known. Nick said he remembered the day as very cold. Sections of the road were quite slippery.

All of a sudden, the car began to slide. Nick could see a tree coming closer and closer toward him. He remembered yelling. At that, Todd turned and looked over at him. Immediately, Todd turned the wheel with such force that it turned the car around. This caused the tree to come through the window on the driver's side rather than on the passenger's side The tree forced Todd to the back seat, killing him instantly.

Gradually, John 15:13 took on greater meaning. You see, I, too was Todd's friend, and he laid down his life for me that day also. If this accident had not happened, I would no doubt be going down the same road, relying on my own power.

I knew then why I had been typing the works, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." months before Todd's death. The day I had knelt down and surrendered my life to Christ, I also had died. Now I have His power and not my own.

Nothing has been the same since I surrendered my life to God.

Shortly after Todd's death, an advertisement asking for positive people to serve as Boosters for troubled kids appeared in our local paper. My husband and friends urged me to respond. I'm so glad I called that number. I could write a book on the wonderful blessings that have come from my experience as a Booster.

I recently spoke before our church and community leaders, explaining how positive thinking had changed my life and the lives of the children with whom I was working. It has been a miracle. Several people, including me, were crying when I finished.

My son had been a cross-country runner, and in November 1988, the boy and girls decided to dedicate their season to Todd, They began training without a coach, so I gave each of them the condensed edition of "The Power of Positive Thinking." Both the boys' team and the girls' team made it to the state finals! It was the first time in our school's history that either team had gone so far. I even entered a local running contest, and won the "gold."

I began starting the each day by talking to the Lord, thanking Him for another day, and asking Him what we should do with it. This prayer has led me to some unusual places.

Doctor Peale, at all times, I carry several different booklets you have written. If I believe that someone would benefit from reading one, I give it to him. I have heard some wonderful stories because of this!

I have distributed your booklets at our jail, at the laundromat, in doctors' offices and hospital wards, and at group homes for troubles teens. I also visit a nursing home every Thursday night.

Around six months after Todd's death, my younger son Brandon (then three) began stuttering. You see, Brandon and I went for a walk each night, and about this time we saw a dead, decaying bird lying on the side of the road. Brandon referred to the bird as being "dead, just like Todd." He spoke of Todd often, and many people suggested that he needed professional help to deal with Todd's death. I took the problem right to the Lord.

As I prayed about Brandon's problem, it seemed that the Lord was telling me to bury the bird. But I argued against this. After all, I did not wish to have to bury every dead animal we might see; I did not even want to touch this one!

Finally, I gave in. We scooped up the bird in a bucket and brought it home. We dug a hole in the yard, and we talked. I told Brandon to shake the bird and call it; I did the same. I then told him that only Jesus could wake the little bird. I quoted the Bible and told him that one day Jesus would come back and call with a loud voice, and all who loved Him would come alive again. I said we would see Todd the minute Jesus woke him.

The next morning when Brandon woke up, he did not stutter, and he has not stuttered since that date--the six month anniversary of Todd's death. A miracle? Yes, I believe it was, and I knew then that the Lord really did understand the problem.

Last November, our high school played the biggest football game of the year. It was dedicated to Todd, and, of course, our team won. The night before the game, I gave each player and coach one of your booklets in which I had written, "Believe , In loving memory of Todd Heitsch."

Because of Todd's death, hundreds of people have been touched by the positive power of the Lord. I thank the Lord each day that he has seen fit to use me to reach others. Todd would have been a senior this year. In his memory, I am giving each of his classmates a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking.

Dr. Peale, I started this letter by saying that I had become acquainted with your writings by accident. We both know, now, that it was no accident.

Do You Want To Get Well?

by Kay Heitsch

"Do you want to get well?" This was the question I kept hearing every morning when I spent my quiet time with the Lord. I wondered why the Lord kept asking me the same question. Of course, I wanted to "get well," or did I? These last few months since my son Todd's death had been unbelievable. The pain of losing Todd was unbearable. Because of the tremendous pressure, I had on my chest, there were times when I felt that if I took another breath, I would die. I now understood what the words "a broken heart" meant.

Todd's death had not been entirely in vain because I gave my life to the Lord as the result of his death. I just couldn't handle his death on my own. I was spending time every morning alone reading the Bible and talking to the Lord. From out of nowhere, was this same question: "Do you want to get well?" Sure I wanted to be healed of this pain. But what would happen if I actually did "get well"?

I was enjoying all of the attention people were giving me. Would all of the special attention end? Would people think I didn't love Todd if I moved forward? I also asked myself, "Would sitting in my closet, in the dark, bring Todd back?" Would anything bring Todd back? These were just some of the questions I asked myself when I finally faced the question, "Do you want to get well?" head-on.

Since nothing was going to bring Todd back, I knew I had a decision to make. I could hold on to my grief and ultimately pay the consequences of that choice. Or I could "get well" and allow the Lord to work through me to bring more positive things out of Todd's death. I finally made the decision to "get well." My choice was to trust the Lord to help me, let go of my grief, keep my good memories of Todd, and allow Him to work through me to bring even more positive things out of Todd's death.

In John Chapter 5 in the Bible, I read a story about a man who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus saw him and asked, "Do you want to get well?" The man gave Jesus several excuses, just like I did. Finally, Jesus said to him, "Pick up your mat, and walk." The man-made a choice to "get well" and move on.

Sometimes it's hard to ask yourself the tough questions. It's hard to face the fact that you just might not want to "get well" for many different reasons. The decision was mine to make. Like the man at the pool, I chose to"pick up my mat" and move on. I believe we both made a wise choice, don't you?

Silent Witness

"Do you know who that woman was?" I asked. "No, we thought you did," was the reply. Someone suggested that I look at the bottom of the dish of food she had just left. But no name was there. How will I return her dish? I wondered. This was the least of my worries. Our sixteen-year-old son, Todd, had been killed in a car accident only a few days before. My neighbors had come over to help when this stranger had knocked on the door with food in hand. Who was she? What would make a stranger come and leave food, I thought. Since I didn't know who she was, I would have to wait for her to come back and claim it. But now I thought, what will I say to her? I must know her but from where? 

Weeks went by. And then she once again appeared at my door. This time, to pick up her dish. Through our conversation, I learned that her son, Benjy, had run cross-country with Todd. This was so kind of her, I thought. I certainly would not have done the same. Yes, I would have taken food to someone I knew personally, but not to someone I didn't know. When I thought about it, I'd been noticing many behaviors I didn't really understand. What makes these people tick? was a nagging question going around in my mind. I was not a Christian. I knew I was searching for something, but "religion" was not it. Every Sunday morning, I would see my neighbors driving down the road. Probably going to church, I thought. That's nice, but not for me. I don't need "religion" in my life. But now I could see it was these same neighbors who were helping me through my crisis. 

In my search for meaning in my life, I had gone to the public library looking for answers. There, I discovered Norman Vincent Peale. I thought he was a psychologist but soon learned he was a Christian minister. In The Power of Positive Thinking and his other books, Dr. Peale told stories about people who had found what I wanted. They were able to move beyond themselves. They had the power to overcome situations in life that were overwhelming. Up to that time, I hadn't come up against anything I couldn't handle. Being strong-willed, I always managed to muster up enough strength to move on. I couldn't even remember the last time I had cried. 

Now, everything had changed. My son, Todd, was dead. How could I ever live my life without him? I was doing my best to move on. I was trying to think positively, easy to do before Todd died, but not now. Even a simple trip to the grocery store almost destroyed me when, out of habit, I automatically reached for Todd's favorite cereal. As I touched the box, the reality of his death set in. Overwhelmed with grief, I ran from the store before anyone could see the tears. I wanted to die. I knew I could not go on like this. We had two other children: Shannon was twelve, and Brandon was almost three. In his books and tapes, Dr. Peale would say, "Do you want this overcoming life? It will cost you. All of you!" I hated those words. I didn't like the sound of "Cost you. All of you!" business. 

But today, I thought, what do I have to lose? I've tried everything else. I dropped to my knees and told the Lord I was giving up. I wanted this "overcoming life" Dr. Peale talked about, but I couldn't do it independently. I needed His help. If He could use me to make something positive out of Todd's death, I was available. A flood of love and peace seemed to fill me at that instant. I stood up, and somehow, I knew I was going to start living this "overcoming life." 

Many things began to happen. For one, we started going to church. One week, I noticed a woman who walked into our Sunday School class, where we were discussing the subject of witnessing. I thought I recognized her but couldn't remember from where. Then it dawned on me. This was Sandy, the woman who had brought food when Todd died. As each of us expressed views of what witnessing was, Sandy spoke up. "I don't do witnessing." She expressed an inability to talk openly to strangers about her faith. I could not keep quiet. Tears filled my eyes. You could have heard a pin drop when I said, "Oh, yes, you do! You witnessed to me." Sandy had been a silent witness, as were my neighbors, who quietly witnessed to me each week as I watched them drive off to church. 

I've learned many things through the years since Todd's death. One of which is that sometimes we are the only Bible some people will ever read. The way we live our lives can be the best witness of God's love for someone in need. There's something else. I was right in that I was not looking for "religion." What I was looking for was a personal relationship with God. And through this relationship, I've found the "overcoming life." Now I can witness God's love to others as others witnessed, through their actions, to me.

Kay Heitsch The following story was published in Positive Thinking Finding Joy & Fulfillment Every Day October 2002 

God Moment

by Kay Heitsch 

As I put on my walking shoes and sunglasses, I didn't know I was about to meet a new friend. Every morning I enjoyed going out for a walk in my neighborhood after spending time with the Lord. Somewhere in my devotional time, I always ask the Lord to help me touch someone with His love during that day. It wasn't sunny this day when I put my sunglasses on to go out for my daily walk. I didn't wear sunglasses because of the sun, anyway. I wore the sunglasses because I wear contact lens and the wind dries out my contacts. 

As I was walking in my usual fast manner, I saw another woman up ahead. It wasn't very often that anyone was out walking, so I was surprised to see her. I noticed that she also was wearing sunglasses. Since it was cloudy, I said, "I see you're wearing sunglasses too, even though it isn't sunny." In a quiet voice, she replied, "I'm crying behind mine." WHOA, I wasn't expecting that! I stopped right in my tracks. I don't remember what I said, but I found out that Julie* was going through a divorce. This divorce process was an excruciating time for her. 

My husband, Bill, had just lost his job of 27 years. This was a time of loss for me, too. I wasn't sure what was going to happen. Julie and I started to meet every day to walk. We decided that we would look for ways that the Lord was leading us and showing us His love each day. When we would meet to walk, we would share these "God moments." 

One day Julie shared the following "God Moment" with me. Julie had three teenage daughters. They were very active in sports. Julie would attend their sporting events, and so would her soon-to-be ex-husband, Tom*. One night after one of the basketball games, Julie walked to the gym door to leave. She looked out the door, and she could see that it was raining hard, and her umbrella was in the van. She started to walk to her van without her umbrella. The rain was cold as it hit her face. Julie pulled her coat around herself, trying to stay warm. All of a sudden, a car went whizzing by, splashing water from a puddle all over her. She looked up and saw that the driver of the car was Tom. He never even stopped to offer her a lift to her car. 

Thoughts of the past came to her mind. How well she remembered Tom picking her up at the door of the gym. She remembered their high school years when they were sweethearts. How had it come to this? When Julie finally reached the van, she looked at the gas gauge. She could see that she was low on gas. The gas gauge wasn't any lower than Julie felt that night. She felt unloved. Then she asked, "Lord, do you love me? If You still love me, give me a sign." Julie pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the nearest gas station. She pulled up to the gas pump. As she opened the door of the van and put her foot on the ground to get out, she looked down. There on the dirty, wet pavement was a beautiful pink rosary. Julie picked the rosary up and held it to her chest. Here was her "sign" that the Lord did care and loved her. 

Julie shared this "God Moment" with me the next day when we walked. I was awestruck by how the Lord used this rosary to express His love for her. Julie was a Catholic, and I was a Protestant. This experience taught me that God does know each of us personally. He knew that a rosary would bring comfort to Julie, right when she needed it most. God gave her a "sign" and used a rosary to do it, a "sign" that she would recognize. The Bible says in Matthew 10:30, "The very hairs of your head are all numbered." If God knows the number of hairs on our heads, He certainly knows how to show us His love when we need it. 

* Names have been changed.