Ever-Present Help

My daughter volunteered to serve at an event this past weekend. After I dropped her off, I had about three hours to run errands before I had to go back to pick her up. I made two stops and was heading to my third. The only reason I was making this stop was to use a coupon I received for a free gift. So, I got my coupon out and stuck it inside the flap of my cellphone wallet.

As I was nearing the store, I was prompted to stop by a different store first. I went in and searched for what I needed but couldn’t find it. So, I went to the customer service counter to ask if they had it. As I was standing in line, I heard the lady in front of me comment to her granddaughter that she couldn’t buy the soil in her basket because they had to ask the man in the garden center to help them get it in the basket, but they wouldn’t be able to get it out and into the car themselves. The little girl, who looked to be about seven or eight years old, attempted to lift the corner of the bag and sweetly told her grandmother that she would help her get it in the car.

I could tell the grandmother was still trying to decide if she was going to get it or not, so I said, “If you’re okay with me walking to your car with you, I’ll be happy to lift it and put it in your car for you.” She said, “Oh, no. You don’t have to do that.” I assured her it was no problem at all, and she went ahead and made her purchase.

I told the gentleman who was looking up my item I was going to help her load her car and I’d be right back. It was almost as if she couldn’t believe I would stop what I was doing just to help her. Once we walked out the door, she had to ask her granddaughter where she had parked the car. As we were walking, she realized she couldn’t find her keys. Once we made our way to the car, she asked her granddaughter to look to see if the keys were inside and they were still in the ignition.

She opened the trunk and attempted to come help me pick up the bag. I told her I had it and quickly put the bag in her trunk. She said, “I promise I’m never going to try to buy this forty-pound bag of soil again. Next time I’ll just get the small one.” I responded, “No, if you want the forty-pound bag you get the forty-pound bag, and God will send someone along who’s nice enough to help you get it in your car.” She smiled and said thank you. I told her it was my pleasure and began to walk back towards the store. As I was walking off, I heard her granddaughter sweetly yell, “Bye!” I was grinning from ear to ear as I turned around to wave goodbye.

I was halfway back to the entrance of the store when I realized my cellphone wallet was dangling open. “Oh, no!” I thought to myself. “My coupon!” I had all kinds of thoughts racing through my head, but I needed to get back inside since I told the customer service dude I’d be right back. After I spoke to him, I immediately started to think I needed to retrace my steps through the store to see if I had dropped my coupon somewhere . Before I got too far, I then had the hopeful thought that maybe I took it out and left it in the car when I decided to make this stop first. So, instead of walking through the whole store again, I went to look in my car. It was not there.

I then decided to retrace my steps in the parking lot before I headed back in the store. I walked around looking down and I saw nothing that looked like it could be it. Then, just to add fuel to the fire, a huge gust of wind came through to bring to my attention if I had dropped it on the ground, it would have flown far away by now.

I was about to head back in, but then I had the thought, “[gasp] The flap probably came open when I picked up the bag of soil out of the cart.” So, I raced over to the cart return and looked in the last few baskets, but no coupon.” Don’t ask me why, but in that moment, my heart started to sink. I quickly caught myself and began to talk to the One who could help me. “Lord, I know it’s just a coupon and I know me helping that sweet lady was worth way more than this little free gift. But, You feel what I’m feeling right now. And You know I really want to find it. So, Holy Spirit, please show me where it is.”

And before I could make it to the crosswalk, I was prompted to turn around to see if there was another cart return near where the sweet lady had parked; and there was. With a little pep in my step, I began to head in that direction. As I got closer, I saw a small, white something in the last cart. When I finally got up close, I realized it was my coupon! My heart was so happy glad! I once again was grinning from ear to ear! Yes, I was happy to have my coupon, but I was overwhelmed with joy that my heavenly Father would care enough about what I cared about, even to the point of telling me where my coupon was.

There is no doubt in my mind this was a divine detour. Had I gone straight to stop number three as I had planned, I never would have had the opportunity to bless that sweet lady, I never would have been able to be a good example to that precious little girl, I never would have lost my coupon and acknowledged how much something so small meant to me, and I never would have had to trust God to help me find it.

Don’t you just love how God can use you to bless someone else all while He’s using that very situation to speak to you? The lady couldn’t find her car. I couldn’t find my coupon. She lost her keys. I lost my free gift. He gave her the help she needed to do something she couldn’t do on her own, and He gave me the help I needed to do something I couldn’t do on my own. Totally different sceneries, exact same outcome. Even in the smallest of things, God is our ever-present help in our time of need.