Three GodStops in One Day!

Beth Moore defines a Godstop as a moment in your ordinary day when you "savor the observable presence" of God. Those beautiful moments that take your breath away, and you are certain you have just received a tangible touch from God!

A Godstop could be anything from seeing a flower bloom in the crack of a sidewalk, to hitting all green lights while you drove across town. It could be a heavenly whisper. Or the physical touch of a friend. It could be a moment when someone you don't know says just what you need to hear, exactly when you needed to hear it. Godstops are all around us, just waiting to be discovered. God loves it when we discover Him in the middle of an ordinary day.

The month of October had been quite challenging for me. On top of three other very challenging months! There were spiritual attacks on every side. Family. Finances. Career. You name it, I felt pressure there. But God calls us to walk in faith, not fear, so I had trudged onward, through these difficulties.

Lowe's garden center is probably not the first place to come to mind when you think of a Godstop moment, and it was the last thing on my mind this Saturday. Rounding a corner, I stared at the gorgeous, but very expensive, cedar trellis I had fallen in love with earlier in the season. Then I saw the sign, "75% off"! It was as if God said, "Look child, I know you've not had a great time lately, but I still love you. Here's a little proof."

I did the happy dance, right there in the garden center! Praise music started playing in my head! Since the floor model was the only trellis left, I grabbed the manager of the day and asked her if I could possibly take it home. Whether she misunderstood me or what, I'm not sure. She stared at the trellis for a second, then turned to me and said, "The best I could do is $40." I almost fell over! Sometimes, God just shows out! Isn't that just like Him?

On the way home, I stopped at Panera for a hot cup of tea and a cinnamon bun the size of my head. One of my favorite treats. I tried a new green tea which was infused with ginger and honey, and it became my new favorite tea. Before leaving, I asked the manager if it was a proprietary blend or if I could actually buy it from them. He asked me to wait there and disappeared. Within a few minutes he came back with a brown paper bag and smiled. "I hope you have a great day!" he said as he walked away. Inside the bag were two canisters of the tea. Again, it was as if God said, "Child, I love you. Hang in there!" And my heart welled up with praises.

Later in the day when I was gathering things to prepare for supper, I realized I needed to make a dash to the store. Just inside the door were carts of discounted candies and gum. I almost walked right past them when something caught my eye. My favorite special sugarless chewing gum had been marked down to half price! IN EVERY FLAVOR!!! This gum had NEVER been on sale, ever, yet it was today. For the third time, it was as if God said, "Child, I see your struggle. Here's a little something extra to encourage you."

Tears flooded my eyes! After months of prolonged personal struggles with no real end in sight, God found three very special, very unique ways to let me know that He was still on His throne, He saw my struggles, and wanted to encourage me as I walked in faith, not fear.

Realistically, I do not expect to experience three Godstops in one day, but it was very special. What is your Godstop story? How has God reached out to you lately?