It's a good thing to have a few moments to oneself as the day winds down, to reflect on the day's events, conversations, headlines--all the things that touch us and help shape who we are.  Not every day engenders itself so, as there are many tasks, chores and responsibilities that tug at us.

In my zeal to develop this new personal relationship, I began praying that God would be able to use me as His instrument, His vessel, in whatever way He could. After all, this was 'New Testament' times and I was now a member of the Body of Christ. 

I discovered a prayer meeting that had been going on every Wednesday night in the  home of a family that had recently moved to my town. Those meetings are difficult to describe. We spent most of the time just focusing on Jesus, not just reflecting on Him historically, but basking in His presence that filled the room every time we gathered. Some spoke words of praise--praising Him for Who He is. Some spoke words of thanks--thanking Him for what He has done. After that, there was little we felt the need to actually 'pray' for when the time came for prayer requests.

At one such meeting, a few people came from out of town. They shared about a trip they had made to Christ's Center in Lexington Kentucky, a place born out of an outreach to the inner city by a few students from Asbury College (but that's another story). Anyway, they just shared about a few people they knew or met there, including a cousin, and what the Lord was doing in their midst. I asked one lady if I could have the mailing address of her cousin they she had mentioned, thinking I might send her a card of encouragement. 

The next day as I was sitting at work with a few minutes until starting time, I prayed for a few people, including the lady who's address I had been given. And as I prayed for her, I felt an 'urge' to write her a check and include it in the card. Now I was single and supporting myself on an office-worker's salary, so giving money away was not a part of my thinking process. Perceiving it was the Lord, and with my aforementioned desire to be an instrument in His hand, I reached for my checkbook. I glanced at the balance and decided I could send a $10 check, but when I started to write the amount, I keenly felt impressed to make it $15. I resisted, telling myself might this could just be my imagination, but eventually decided that for an extra $5, it would be worth finding out. 

That evening I sent off the check with a little note explaining that she didn't know me, but that I had met her cousin from Mount Vernon the night before at the prayer meeting. It felt good to at least think that the Lord had 'spoken' to me and even better that I had by some mysteriously wonderful way actually heard!

A week later, at the Wednesday night meeting, a few of the same out-of-towners came. One of them, the lady I had met the week before, handed me a letter, saying it was from her cousin at Christ's Center. Her cousin had mailed it to her to deliver to me because she didn't have my address. I thought that was odd as my address was on my check. But as I read the letter, I understood. 

It seems this cousin had gone to Lexington to work in the ministry in the inner-city. One night as they were witnessing on the streets, she met a girl who for whatever reason had no coat so she took hers off and gave it to the girl. It was late spring and she felt she didn't really need it as much as this girl who was living on the streets.

Well, summer came and went and she was thinking it was time to find herself a coat for the coming winter. Taking part of her waitress earnings, she put one on layaway. But as cold weather began to move in earlier each evening, she realized she needed to get that coat. So during her morning prayers--the same morning after last week's prayer meeting--she not only prayed that God would supply what she needed to get the coat out of layaway, but she very specifically asked for the amount she needed -- you guessed it -- $15. My check arrived the next day and in her rush to cash it and get her coat before evening, she forgot to get my address off the check. Needless to say, I was ecstatic!

I told this story with great exuberance for years afterward, emphasizing how the Lord had spoken to me and incredibly, that I actually heard Him. What a wonderful privilege to be directly used of God. Can there be any greater adventure in life? 

I guess it took some measure of growth to occur in me, before I realized one day what a wonderful, special caring thing the Lord had done  -- for her. 

~Jill