DON'T MISS IT!

I observed the woman in the grocery check-out line just ahead of me. Her small children were busy climbing on the over-laden cart. The woman seemed concerned with what the total bill might be.

My husband and I bantered back and forth with the woman and her children. We even suggested some membership food stores that might help her keep the cost down. She explained that she came to this store because she was new in town and she didn't fear getting lost when she came to this store since it was an easy and direct drive from her home.

Her bill was finally totaled and it was quite high. The young woman sighed and paid the bill with a credit card.

It was the middle of the night before it hit me...I could have paid that bill! Why didn't I think of that when I was in the check-out line? I had let an opportunity go by to represent Jesus well. Why?

I wasn't really looking for a chance to represent the Lord well, was I?

Paying for that young woman's groceries would have been a big thing, at least to her, and I missed it, but I often miss the smaller opportunities, too...a chance to buy lunch for a homeless person, a simple thank you to a discouraged person, thank you notes often can be forgotten, a note of encouragement to someone who feels perhaps unnoticed.

When our children were little, we served in a Christian ministry and had cut our salary in half to join the ministry. One Sunday, I was grumbling and groaning about how little food we had in the house and how my family deserved better fare than I could give them. I continued to mumble and grumble as I perused my pantry. I found a can of pears and I also found some cream cheese in the refrigerator, so I put pieces of lettuce on individual salad plates, placed the pear on top, rolled some cream cheese into a ball and placed it in the center of the pear. My attempt to "fancy-up" the meal looked very meager to me, but my young son came into the dining area, saw the salad and said "Boy mom, we're living more like millionaires every day!"

Dear Lord, Please keep my eyes open so that I can see opportunities to represent You well. Don't let me miss my chance, Lord.

Prov. 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

Marilyn Willett Heavilin

Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker. She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America's KESWICK during the summer months.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 4:15-16
Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

It's finally here!!! Crossing the Jordan: Living Victoriously in Difficult Relationships by Diane Hunt, MaryAnn Kiernan, DeEtta Marsh, Stephanie Paul and Betsy Shoppy (several of our Victory Call writers). Today's Victory Call is just a taste of what you will find in this Bible Study for women. Although it was originally written for wives of men in addiction it has already been a blessing to women from various circumstances and relationships: moms, siblings, daughters, wives, fiancees, etc. Most of the 14 chapters are applicable to any woman in any situation. To secure your own copy contact America's Keswick Guest Services 732.350.1187 $16.00. If you have any questions contact Diane Hunt at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.