God's Goodness

Do you ever wonder what God will put in your path for that day? How will He shine His light through you? We have become acutely aware to be prepared at all times for whatever He has for us.

We were driving through a small town in Shawmut, Montana. At the advice of a local resident 30 miles back, we stopped to grab a bite to eat at a little CAFE called Stage Stop. We watched this humble, no fuss, lady named Emily (owner, cook, dishwasher, and server) bustle about waiting on farmers transporting hay from Minnesota, an elderly couple with their handy flyswatter (just in case), and us (two Ohioans taking it all in) all the while idly chit-chatting about life. The elderly couple warned us that everything on the menu was delicious, so good luck in deciding what to get. We had no doubt that this little, yet vast, farming community was always looking out for one another.

Emily asked us where we were from and what brought us to their little part of the world. So we shared what God had been doing in our lives and that we were just obeying Him along the way. She then proceeded to share with us about how difficult it had been for her during the Covid shutdown, how she had nearly lost everything, and how frustrated she was with the rules that she had to follow now. Emily did share, however; how an anonymous donor paid for her electric bill one month to help her out during that time. As she stated, "It was almost $300 and I didn't have it, but somebody paid it for me." She was still overwhelmed from the generosity of one of her neighbors.

Emily also shared how her daughter worked for Red Cross and was helping to reacclimate soldiers into society that were coming back from Afghanistan. She shared how hard it was for them to even be around other people, especially in crowds. Emily was very proud of her daughter's efforts to help these soldiers. We were beginning to understand that Emily was much like her daughter with her selfless efforts to do for others.

The food was amazing and the conversation continued for quite awhile after we were done eating. We went up to pay for our bill and we asked Emily if she wouldn't mind if we took a picture of her in front of her restaurant since we were journaling about our journey. She shyly started laughing and said we didn't want a picture of her. We told her we absolutely did, so she agreed. A customer started teasing her and said she was going to get a big head and he was going to then have to cook his own food. The fun and laughter was enjoyed by everyone.

As we stepped outside to take Emily's picture, she once again tried to convince us that she wasn't anyone important to have her picture taken. Obviously, we didn't listen. After the picture was taken, I asked her if we could pray for her and her business. She smiled and said, "Yes!" She reached for our hands as we prayed thanking God that He brought us to this lovely lady and prayed blessings over her, her business, and her daughter. It was a simple prayer, but when we had finished praying, Emily was crying. She let go of our hands and gave me a big hug thanking me for the prayers. I asked her if there was anything else we could pray with her about. She said, "No, you covered it all." Emily thanked us again and wished us safe travels as we left.

Something to remember...people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care! We didn't go into the Stage Stop with any expectations. We went in with obedient hearts, listening to God's prompting. This might not seem like a big deal for some, but with God everything is a big deal. For Emily, it was a big deal. He cares so deeply about ALL His children that he sent two people from Ohio to let a humble lady named Emily know that He loves her. It meant something to Emily. Let's not forget...sometimes we plant seeds, sometimes we water the seeds, BUT it IS God who always gets the increase.

Let's reexamine our approach to humanity and follow the example that Jesus gave. He is the light of the world (John 8:12), and we are always to be a reflection of His light to others (Matt. 5:14-16).