Most of you know that I have a special place in my heart for moms. Moms who are struggling. Moms who just need encouragement. Moms who need hope. Moms with special children, especially.

 

Tonight on my way home from a weekend getaway, I stopped to get gas and was approached by a stranger asking for help. She was a mom. And I know this because she had her two babies in the car with her. She approached me with such sincerity and said, “I am not asking for money. I’m just asking for help.” And I usually like to listen to the stories solicitors have. Most of the time I will give whatever change I have available. Other times I literally don’t have any money on me or in my car. I have six kids and am often left with pennies because they take my silver change for the vending machines at school.

 

Anywho…. when this stranger, this mom, asked for help, I nodded my head as If saying to her to continue what she was going to say. She then started rambling about her daughter has epilepsy and she was at work when she was called home because her daughter was sent to the hospital. This was a couple days ago. Tonight she was on her way home from the hospital and realized she had no gas in her car. She also ran out of her office at work so fast, she didn’t have her purse. She said she drove as far as she could with the gas that she had and was just trying to get home. She was hoping that someone can help…

 

I knew in my heart that she was being sincere. I can tell. It was as though the Lord had stopped me in my tracks and I looked up at her and we made eye contact. I have always been the kind of person who can tell someone is lying to me. (That’s why I was so good at my job haha) But I can tell. I can tell when people are genuine and I can tell when people aren’t. I sense things about people. I sense things about peoples emotions. I am blessed with discernment.

 

So I told her that when my daughter comes back with my change from paying the gas, I will give her whatever is left over. She was so grateful… and then she said she was going to wait in her truck next to me because it was cold. Which it was… it was about 40 degrees outside… I didn’t blame her.

 

So when my daughter came back, I had $15 left in change. And, again, something told me to get more. And so I looked in my little coin slot and there was $15 more dollars. And I thought… this should get her home.

 

My daughter asked what I was doing and I told her. And then I said, “Remember what I taught you about being a cheerful giver. You give with your heart and let God take care of the rest.”

 

My Pastor has preached several times about being a cheerful giver. And one thing he has said was that … when you see a homeless person or someone who is standing on the side of the road asking or begging for money. We all have a choice to make. We either give or we don’t. And he said that growing up he was always hesitant about giving money to some people because he KNEW they were just going to go and buy liquor or alcohol. And he would get so mad and annoyed that for a long time he just refused to do that anymore.

 

Until one time someone (I don’t remember who) taught him that if he gives from a pure and cheerful heart, it shouldn’t matter what that person does with his gift. Because God is not going to bless you for what that other person does with their gift or blessing. God will know you gave to someone out of the goodness of YOUR heart. And you gave to bless someone… to help someone…

 

And I always remembered that lesson the first time he told that story. It has been very significant for me in the way that I live and why I do the things that I do. It was so important to me that I have taught my girls the same lesson. To give when they can WITHOUT caring how that recipient is going to use their blessing. Because no matter, we did OUR PART!! We did what was right and we will be blessed in Gods time. We are favored. And we should live BLESSED!! We should bless others any time we can!!

 

So as I took more money out to give, I said, “What she decides to do with this is between her and God. I am doing what I can.” And I walked over to her car and gave her the money for gas. She looked at how much I gave her and she started crying. She said that she was so sorry that she is taking my money and that when she gets home she will Venmo me some money to pay me back. I told her I did not want to be paid back!! This was for her to get home.

 

She then gave me a hug and walked to her car and she opened her back door. She showed me her daughter who was asleep in her car seat. She was obviously special needs and she had another daughter, about 6 years old, sitting there also. She began crying again and started tell me how her 6 year old daughter had a twin sister who passed about 19 months ago from Leukemia. She said her husband was killed a few years ago and she has just had such a rough time dealing with everything. She then told me “her story”. She attempted suicide shortly after her daughter passed away. She just couldn’t deal with the sadness of the life she was given. But when she survived, she knew she had to live for her two daughters. She said the Lord gave her strength and clarity.

 

She then said just moments before I drove up, she and her girls held hands in her car and prayed for God to send her someone to help her. Send her someone who is willing and able to just help them get home. And then she asked my name and I told her, angelina. She started crying again and said that she prayed for an angel to come help her. And she said here you are!! She gave ma hug again and then I shed a tear and we were both overwhelmed with HIS spirit right there in that gas station.

 

She then again said that she will pay me back! And she wants to pay me double!! I said no no… I don’t want to be paid back!!! I grabbed a business card from my wallet and I told her, that if she feels like she needs to pay me back, this is how I want her to pay it forward. I explained to her about Made For A Miracle and the family support we are able to provide. And she said she had heard about us. She said that tomorrow she is going to donate double of what I gave her to help other families.

 

What a blessing….

 

We exchanged phone numbers and said we would keep in touch. She said all I ask is for prayers. And I gave her some advice to get through the day…. one day at a time. God is going to continue to give her the strength she needs!! And she laughed and said, “I know He is hearing my prayers! He sent me an angel to help me tonight!”

 

…. many years ago  I asked God to use me to help others in any way I can. I am so incredibly blessed to have gone through everything I went through. It was hard and I still struggle every day with finding my place in this world. But one thing is for sure and I am 100% clear on… I am favored. I am blessed. And I am supposed to help people. And I will continue to do so for as long as I can….

 

God Loves a Cheerful Giver. BE A BLESSING!!

Check out our website and be a blessing to other families with kids in the hospital.

Made For A Miracle

 

blessings.

xo