Sunshine Girl

Sunshine Girl

In Tulsa, one of my favorite places since my son is so near to it now that he’s in college.  I called Tanner to see if he had time for lunch but it was his busy day.  I was a little sad thinking God had given me this “surprise” reserve trip to Tulsa to see him.  I wanted to call him back and say, “I know you are going to eat lunch and I’m willing to drive all this way” but that would be playing wounded mommy and honestly God is working on me to not make things “about me” #soTannersloss ;)

I decided to go to my favorite place to write: Foolish Things, a really cool hipster coffee shop.  I’m not hipster by birth but I know a little of the language and can grow a beard if I want…on my legs ;)  God usually sits my divine appointments right in front of  me so I looked up.  A tatted up girl with a pretty low cut shirt was sitting directly across from me.   I truly truly love being around people who don’t fit what everyone thinks is God’s mold (they can be SO WRONG).  Even Jesus has a tat:  “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.” (Rev.19:16)   

I started to pray for this young woman.  I asked God if He wanted to say something.  I felt led to silently pray for her and not talk to her.   I asked God to allow her to feel His presence and know His love.  Anything else, God?  I still heard nothing and at that moment she got up and left.  God, did I miss an opportunity?  In my mind I saw the tattoos that snaked down her arms.  Have you ever met someone that had an old boyfriend’s unwanted name tattooed on them?  I felt like God was coming in through my prayers and covering her old life and loves.  Getting “inked” can be painful but little by little she would be marked with the love of her Father.   Instead of a snake He was covering her with a garden of flowers. I felt like the prayers were like little splashes of paint on a new masterpiece of a tattoo.   The brief prayer to me meant little by little as she could handle the healing of the wounds of her heart.   The masterpiece of a tattoo He was creating for this beautiful girl couldn’t be completed in one day though so my little, and what felt to me as insignificant prayer, was enough for her for that day.  

Immediately, an adorable little sweetheart of a girl came and sat in tat girl’s seat.  Once again, God’s angels had brought the next object of his affection to sit across from me.   I felt like a tattoo artist.  Next up! 

She was such a sunshine girl.  Her smile radiated and glowed.  The glory of the Lord was upon her.   I could feel it.  I’m always a little at a loss on how to get the ball rolling with “God talks.”  I had to go pee (#tmi) so a lightbulb went off.  “Hey, can you watch my computer?”

“Sure. No problem.”

When I came back, I was still at a loss for words and wasn’t feeling some divine epiphany or prophetic word so I asked her if she was having a good day.  

“Yeah.  It’s great.”

“Oh, good!”  Conversation over.  #divineappointmentfail #abortmission

She waited a few seconds and then said, “Other than I have a biology test in 2 hours and I can’t believe it but I haven’t prepared for it at all.  You wouldn’t believe all of the problems of getting my book.  It getting lost in the mail.  They wouldn’t refund my money so I had to wait to have enough money to order a new one.  I seriously can’t believe I’m in this situation.  I might fail.”  So I guess her day wasn’t so great after all…

“Well, I love to pray.  Would you like me to pray?”

“Sure.”  

I prayed for her to retain information and for God to help her succeed and to restart her biology course so she could have a fresh start without feeling like she was behind.

She said thanks and I thought the conversation was over again #missioncomplete

But just to confirm I asked God, ‘anything else?’  I saw a picture of her in my mind sitting next to a window in a sunlit room.  She was singing and her face was reflecting the sun and it was so beautiful.  

I looked over at her wondering if I should share.  She had a look of consternation on her face as she stared at her biology book. 

Nope, God, sorry, I am not going to interrupt her again from her last minute study time and I had already used the  “watch my computer” excuse.

I looked at my computer screen and an email notification popped up and the subject line said, “SINGING…”  It was from my best friend and oddly enough the email had nothing to do with singing!  LOL but I knew it was a confirmation from God that I was to share.

So tentatively, I interrupted her studying.  “Hey, I know this is a strange question but do you play an instrument or sing?”  I was expecting her to say no and then I don’t know what I would have said probably “No, yeah I didn’t think so” and then ran out of the coffee shop…but she looked a little shocked and said, “Yes! Why?”  

Well, I know this may sound funny but I felt like God showed me a picture of you sitting at a window singing and then sun coming and shining on your face.  You are truly glorious when you sing and I feel like you will have peace when you sing.”  

“I can’t believe you just asked me that!”  She shared that her sister had taken guitar lessons and just couldn’t get the hang of it but that she had picked up the guitar as a little girl and taught herself to play.    

It was a simple word but she said, “I am texting my sister what you said.  I told her that I had been struggling lately and she randomly asked me if I every played the guitar anymore because I seemed so happy when I do it.  I haven’t had time.  I just can’t handle all this anxiety of stress about money and school.   My mind won’t stop worrying.  I’ve tried to stop it.  I’ve been on my own for a long time and I’ve had a black cloud over me all day.  Actually, this whole week.  Well, it’s probably been hanging around all year.”  

I love how God broke through her dark clouds with his warm and sunny love.  First with the prayer then with a word that He knew would touch her heart. 

Lessons learned:

~We need the wisdom to know when to boldly speak and when to be silent like with the tat girl.  We can only get this by asking God.  If we are scared to do it then He is well able to confirm it for us.  If there is an open door, we must walk through it to avoid feelings of regret and see miracles!  You can never go wrong with an encouragement either in prayer or speech.

~God will allow the sunshine in our hearts to break through another’s dark clouds if we are willing to look foolish or “be wrong” I seriously didn’t know what she would say about singing and that scared me to not have the answer.   She had been struggling for a year! and God delivered her within a 5 minute conversation. God has given YOU the key to someone else’s freedom.  Will you connect with Him and be obedient to open the doors with it?  

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. (Is.60:1-2)