VALERIE

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." (Acts 2:42)

I spent today (Monday) in a very unusual way for me.

My wife Mary Ann insisted I take the day off and go somewhere to seek the Lord. She REALLY wanted me to get a room for the night someplace and was not real happy I chose to "take a day trip with the Lord" instead. Maybe she's right. It would take pages and pages to say WHY Mary Ann suggested that, and a lot of it is personal. Suffice it to say I've been under a lot of stress and (in her opinion and some other opinions) have been kind of out of tune and out of sorts with God. (I know at least some of these gripes ARE valid.)

I wasn't really sure WHERE I was going to go or what I was going to do, but as I awoke today I had a strong "gut feeling" to take the train into Boston. I did just that. Many of you won't understand this, but for me, SOMETIMES "seeking the Lord" and "coming into the presence of the Lord" is very easy for me and sometimes it's very difficult. Today was VERY difficult. I walked around the Prudential Mall and the Copley Place Mall, and the streets and even the Boston Public Library. I prayed and I read my Bible, but things were flat for the most part. I DID have a short but good and earnest prayer session standing outside the Roman Catholic St. Francis Chapel at the Prudential Center (obviously it was soft whispered prayer at that point, but it was good).

About an hour after that, I had found a place to sit in another part of the Prudential Center Mall. Behind me, I could hear a woman's Caribbean accent. I glanced and she was a black woman around 30 with a baby in a carriage. The woman was talking on a cell phone, exhorting her friend with Bible verses and (frankly) preaching. She was GOOD. I've heard many a professional Pentecostal preacher who was not as good. I listened for about twenty minutes. Her words were POWERFUL. In fact, much of her conversation pertained to ME as well as to her friend, and she didn't even realize that. I was getting misty-eyed and I knew God was talking to me.

I'm a big believer in "Men minister to men and Women minister to women" for obvious reasons, but God can always make an exception.

When she finished I introduced myself to her and told her she'd really ministered to me by what she said. She was surprised and delighted. She then lifted her voice in prayer for me and for the church I pastor. I verbally "amen-ed" her prayer and we each praised the Lord right out loud in the mall (this time, no obvious whispered prayer!). When she finished, I asked, "What's your first name?"

"Valerie" she replied.

"Valerie," I said with my eyes filling up with tears, "I don't know you, and I'll probably never see you again until we're in Heaven, but your ministry blessed me today and at this moment I consider you a dear friend."

She smiled, thanked me, and wheeled the baby away.

When you go off to meet the Lord, you never know what He will do.

No, my problems did not all disappear, but I DID gain a better perspective and I know God ordained that part of my day!