Several years ago, I was attending a business conference in Pittsburgh. It was a very difficult time in my life. Details aren’t necessary right now, but I felt very alone, insignificant, and confused as to why certain things were happening in just about every area of my life.
It was early in the morning, before the business conference started, and I was in my hotel room crying out to God. I mean really crying. The ugly cry. The kind where you feel like your body is turning inside out. “Jesus, I need You. I really need Your help! I feel invisible. Like I don’t matter. I just need validated, Jesus! I just need validated!” I sat in the window of my hotel room, and just sobbed, looking down on the park where the three rivers meet, and runners were running alongside the river. I watched and cried for what seemed like hours.
Suddenly, I felt a peace come over me, and I felt the strength to get myself cleaned up and head down to the business meeting.
I chose a seat in the back, where I could hide my swollen eyes from the several thousand people gathered to hear these business leaders speak. A speaker stepped onto the stage, and I felt eager to hear what he had to say. I’d heard him before, and he always shared great information.
“Good morning!” he said. “If you’ve heard me speak before, then you know how I prepare for these talks. You know that I’m a Christian, and that I always ask God for guidance on what I should share with you – and then I research it extensively for months, so I can be prepared to give you the best information. Well, this morning I was running down by the river, and I heard God say very clearly, “Forget that other message. HERE is your NEW message for today! I felt very strongly that I should be obedient. So, here’s what God told me to tell you this morning: JESUS VALIDATES YOU!!!”
My heart stopped, and I could barely breathe. He’d heard me! Oh my gosh! God had changed an entire business meeting of over three thousand people…JUST FOR ME!
His smiles are so real!
In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. – Psalm 18:6
Marcia
Wow!