For Such A Time As This

Thank you for praying for Jim's journey...he made it home safely :)
 Now, if you want to hear a God story......he couldn't drive all through the night so he slept a few hours at a gas station/rest stop.  He was about 1/2 hour from home and stopped in a gas station-saw a gal with an Italian city written on her arm-realized she was a foreigner.  She was alone,  had her wallet stolen, and had to hitch-hike her way around  while busking ( you play an instrument and people put money in your case) to have money to eat.
She spent the last two nights sleeping outside in Venice and today 'just happened' to decide to leave Venice and head south.

Of course, being a father of three girls, and this gal happens to be the same age as our youngest...Jim couldn't leave her there.  He phones me and tells me the situation.  I asked if he was sure she wasn't a scammer and he felt such a peace about her and that she wasn't making the story up.  Well, a couple things-number one, we have a rule that no gals ever drive alone with Jim.   We learned this in the ministry a long time ago that it isn't something you should do.    Two, no matter how much peace you might have, there is still that one part that is a little nervous-especially for me.
I told him ok-bring her home.  Thankfully I had cleaned house yesterday.  Actually, I was mopping at 1:00am because I couldn't sleep lol!!  I had my shower and was dressed, knowing Jim would be coming home shortly so at least me and the house were prepared.

Twenty minutes go by and a little bit of panic starts to set in....that .05% of fear....wondering if he was being set up, someone might follow them to our home, etc.   My imagination was going a bit bizurk.  If you are a regular reader here, you know how easy it is for me to get my mind going :)
Anyway, they arrived here and I just looked at her and felt so sad for her.  Of course I can't help thinking like a Mom and just wanted to hug her-but I had to hold back so as not to scare her.
Now she's here-a hoarse voice, hungry and thankful for a place to stay and able to have a shower.

What's neat is that today is the day that the Calvary Chapels around here have a picnic and baptism.  It's always a great time together and I was sad that we weren't going to be able to go.  But God....He had another plan and there are so many little things that happened to orchestrate the circumstances of this gal being here.  Jim never stops where he stopped, she wasn't even planning on being at that gas station, we don't do the guy/gal driving thing and we even had a phone charger that worked for her dead phone.
I am in awe of how God works.  He takes ordinary days and makes them extraordinary.
Of course me being me, I did write a note to my friend to tell her what was happening and to pray and if she didn't hear from us she would know something was up-but I laughed at myself after reading it and decided not to send it....Miss Paranoia.  :)

I don't condone breaking rules, but in this case we knew it was okay.
Please pray for this gal and that we will shine the love of Jesus into her life-that she would see how much He cares for her and was watching over her.