Oceans in the Desert

by Kathi Pelton

The other day I was walking around a “beauty/make-up” store with my daughter. As she shopped I wandered around separately. As I wandered, I spotted a lady standing at the counter of their hair salon and immediately had the thought, “Ask her about their pricing.”

Though I needed my hair done, that surely wasn’t in my current budget or in my plans to do. Plus, I was happy with the hair dresser that I currently have. But I was compelled to ask the prices and for reasons unbeknown to me, I found myself making an appointment to have my hair done by her. I walked away perplexed and wondering why in the world I did that! I didn’t even tell my daughter because I was sure that I’d cancel it.

The appointment was two days away and in those two days numerous unexpected things happened that cost hundreds of dollars (including my husband dropping his contact lens only to step on it…costing $300!). I concluded that I for sure would cancel the hair appointment because now it really wasn’t in the budget! But, every time I went to cancel it I would hesitate and felt to hold off a bit longer.

Finally, yesterday was the day for the appointment. I had about 101 reasons to cancel it! They were all legitimate and good reasons. But I felt a nudge to keep moving forward on it…so I went.

Ten minutes after sitting down in the chair for the appointment the Lord showed up. This hair dresser had been raised as a Jehovah Witness and raised her children in the same religion. But something deep within her was crying out for a relationship with God and not mere religion. After her marriage had fallen apart she began to ask questions about if Jesus was truly God or merely a “god” as taught in her religious organization. She went on a deep journey to seek out truth and the true God. She was longing to walk with someone who had the answers that she was seeking.

Then God had me sit down in her chair to get my hair done. For the next three hours what we shared went so deep. While she worked on my hair she kept a tissue box nearby as the tears poured down her face. It was a divine appointment…not because I had to have my hair done but because the God of mercy and grace heard the cry of this woman who was longing desperately for Him. She found who her heart was longing for! We will now begin meeting together regularly.

The reason that I’m sharing this testimony is to remind you to pay attention to those seemingly “random” thoughts that you have that go against your plans but order your steps into divine appointments. I hadn’t planned to go to that store with my daughter that day but at the last minute decided to go just to be with her. I hadn’t planned to make a hair appointment, especially from a stranger and at a place that I knew nothing about. I hadn’t planned to keep this “random” appointment because it made no sense financially (especially with two days of non-stop unexpected large expenses coming upon us)…but my feet were compelled to walk out steps that I had not planned.

If I had given into “reason” or my thoughts I would have missed this and though God would have found another way to reach her, I wouldn’t have had the honor of being the one to watch her encounter the love of God and hear His truth.

I am always so grateful for those who obeyed the Lord when they shared the love of God with me when I first came to know Him. I’m sure that “I” was not a part of their plans! But, as believers, we commit our plans to the Lord and ask Him to order our steps. And…He does! We must be willing to follow that nudge in directions we hadn’t planned and as we do we end up right where He needs us to be.

“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9

You may be the answer to someone else’s prayers. Your steps may not make practical sense of even financial sense but listen to that still small voice that judges you to “just keep walking” and watch what He will do.

Divine appointments await you so make your plans but yield the ordering of His steps!

———————————————-

To support this ministry with a financial gift of support or to give toward our upcoming ministry trips, go to: https://www.inscribeministries.com/