The greatest gift ever

When I was 22 years old, I left Long Island to move 3 and 1/2 hours away to a rural community upstate New York. I was the single mother of a 3 year old. I had no relatives there , no job, no support network to speak of,just $600 and a 1971 Ford Pinto. I did have a small amount of personal and household possesions(enough to fill a caravan). But I was invited to take a break from working the 3 jobs it took me to support us in the grind and exhaustion that had become my life. That invitation came to me from a young married couple of Jesus hippie freaks. They had a 55 acre farm and (1) 8 year old child, A 4 bedroom farmhouse with organic gardens, a flock of sheep, an apple orchard and a huge & passionate love of Gods people. They were my first visit from Christ as his human expression thru their lives.

I stayed with them to live in extended household while my broken and sin sick soul healed. After 6 mos. I knew it was time to move out on my own with my child. I found a ramshackled apartment for $125 a mo. and believed I would find work and help in the community. Eager to get a fresh start on my own(knowing they were only 2 miles away) I moved my small treasures into our new home.

I have to say that I couldn't wait to brew a pot of coffee and relax after everyone had left. I rifled through some of my boxes( they had remained untouched in the barn for 6 mos.)to find my coffee cups and pots. In shifting the boxes I set one atop the fridge. As I turned to get the electric percolator, I bumped the fridge with my shoulder and the box of mugs came crashing down all around my feet spilling the remains of chipped and cracked cups out onto the floor. My heart sank and my excitement quickly turned to tears . I audibly cried"God I can't afford to replace this stuff, You are my Husband! You promised me in Isaiah 54 that you would take care of me! I need coffee cups now, if you are who you say you are, You'll take care of my needs!"

I drank my coffee the next morning from a jelly glass(flintstones I think)as I got ready to attend a church meeting with my hippie friends. The church was 45 minutes away. I didn't know anyone there. But when I arrived I was welcomed , recieved, hugged and treated like a long lost relative! These people were so open to me and my situation. No judgement only love came to me there. At the end of the service so many had brought picnic lunches and invited us to stay and get aquainted, we snacked a bit and talked but were unprepared to just hang out and tailgate in the muddy and gravaled grass used as a parking lot. We said our good byes and walked to the car.

It was at that moment a young women came rushing up to me, her name was Marion. She asked if there was anything I might need. I was surprised with her question, she continued to tell me that she had spent the day before cleaning out her attic storage and had a few things in her trunk. I walked over to her vehicle and stood while she opened the trunk and took out a brown cardboard box. She said" this is from God to you" . I opened the box and inside was a complete set of brand new coffee mugs. Marion had called off a wedding years before and just faced down the hard task of emptying her hope chest. She explained that she was ready to move on and needed to gift the items in her trunk to others to celebrate Gods healing.

She couldn't have Known about my prayer the night before! Only God knew that I was in need of knowing He heard me and would answer when I cried. He, the almighty creator of the universe cared about my anxious heart. He had what I needed devinely prepared to prove that no whisper, no tear, no aloneness could take His love and care away from me! He remained my Heavenly husband from that day forward!

The gift of Gods love comes in the form of those who know Him,serve Him and call Him friend. It is revealed by the obedience of others to live a life that models Christ. It is manifested in such a way as to reveal and reflect His Glory!

Be the manifestation of Christ to someone today! Change someones life with your humble gift!