Ten Days From Fifty...A Testimony

Today, as I walked in to the office building for work, I was stopped by a gentleman who kindly complimented what he referred to as my "classy togetherness." And as I thanked him and headed for the elevators, he added, "You always get here so early, and every time I see you, you look happy. What's the secret?" 

Man!!! God has a way of giving us such amazing impromptu opportunities to be witnesses of His goodness!

Now, I could have taken his words as obvious flirtation (which they very well may have been) and chosen to ignore him or give some sort of smug reply to let him know how unavailable and happily married I am (which I surely am). But that's why it's so important that we keep our ears to God's mouth and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Immediately when he said those words, I saw a door of opportunity open. Instead of admonishing him, I turned to him and said, "It's God." (I know that may sound cliche', but it's the honest-to-goodness truth.)

I went on to tell him that my purpose for arriving early each morning is to get into my work-space in time enough to pray and meditate without interruption. I pray over the atmosphere. I pray for God's protection over the building itself. I pray for the safe arrival of my coworkers. I pray for the success of all of our professional endeavors for the day. And my happiness, I told him, is rooted in the fact that I have Jesus in my heart. I explained to him that God has been too good to me for me to be a complainer or a killjoy. From my family life to my physical health to my faith walk...I'm living my BEST life. God is just so good! 

I've been through hell and high water. The enemy tried to take me out. He tried to make me lose my self-confidence, my hope, my faith, my mind... even my life! satan had a plot, but God had a plan. He set a trap, but God allowed me to trample on it. My personal experiences say that I should have never lived to see 40, but I'm just ten days away from turning 50! I shared with the man that my children should have never lived to become teenagers, but they are adults; grown, married, and have families of their own. We're all healthier and happier than we've ever been, and it's all because of GOD! No one gets the glory except HIM.

By the time I finished talking to the gentleman, I was almost in tears. My heart was overflowing with renewed joy at the remembrance of the extreme FAVOR of the Lord. He was quiet for a minute when I stopped talking. Then he said, "Well when you get to your floor today, will you pray for me too? I've been dealing with some things and maybe I've been telling the wrong people. Maybe God is the one who needs to know." I nodded and said, "He already knows, but I got you." And then I walked away. I don't even know the guy's name, but God does. And when I said my prayer this morning, I prayed for him just like I promised.

We never know who needs to hear our testimony. We never know who needs our prayers. We never know who's watching our life or who needs someone to be a witness of the goodness of the Lord. I'm so thankful that ten days 'til fifty years, God allowed me to be one.