Tripped For God’s Purpose

There they sat. A concerned daughter was sitting next to her wheelchair-bound mother in a crowded waiting room, waiting to see the doctor. But I didn’t focus on them. Not right away, anyhow. I was on my way to see my doctor. And then I tripped over the mother’s purse lying on the floor. Out popped the contents of my purse. Everywhere.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left my purse in the middle of the floor,” the mother embarrassingly mumbled.

“No worries,” I responded, smiling as I began gathering the mess. I thought to myself, this is an effective way to clean up one’s purse, right? Mine needed it.

“Hey, what’s that book about?”

They were pointing at a copy of Halo Found Hope that popped out of my purse, intended for my physician.

“I’m too tired to explain it. Here would you like to read the back?”

The daughter eagerly took the copy from my hand, read the back and exclaimed, “Wow, is this about you?”

“Yep.”

“You’re a miracle, you know.”

“I’ve heard that before. You’re a miracle too, you know.” I commented. “Everyone that God made is.”

“Can, I look inside?” the daughter asked.

“Sure.”

“Nice cover!”

“Yep, I like it.” Halo Found Hope along this challenging journey. I admit I filled in that blank with thoughts other than hope when feelings of discouragement, fear, and doubt consumed me, but eventually, God showed me where you and I can always find hope.”

The daughter became pensive. She was staring at the Table of Contents. She looked her mom straight in the eye. “Mom, Helo wrote chapter eight for you.”

The mom grumbled, “Yeah right.”

“Yes, Mom, Helo wrote chapter eight for you.”

She grumbled once again. “I am so tired of being in a wheelchair. I am so tired of seeing doctors. I love you, but I am so tired of having you take care of me. I’d rather do something fun, and I am grumpy.”

They went back and forth a bit, and I thought, I don’t want to get in the middle of their discourse, Time to pray. So I closed my eyes for just a moment. “Dear God, Please stay with and comfort this mother and daughter. I think they need you right now. Show them how much You love them.”

“Hey Helo, are you okay?”

I quickly opened my eyes, “Oh, yes I am,” and began smiling once again.

The daughter reiterated, “Mom, Helo wrote chapter eight for you! It’s titled RESILIENCE.”

Her mother wasn’t and didn’t want to listen.

So the daughter repeated, louder. “Mom, Helo wrote chapter eight for you! It’s titled RESILIENCE.”

This Halo Found Hope copy was not going to make it into my doctor’s hands.

“What are your names?” I asked.

I signed the copy and inscribed a personal note. Little did I know then, as much as I would later the divine purpose behind tripping over the mother’s purse.

The daughter contacted me shortly after our encounter.

“This was the first time in several months, which my Mom and I stayed up late, laughed, cried, and ate popcorn together. We read past Chapter eight and couldn’t put it down. My mom wants to know who God is now.”

Now I am stunned.

His purpose revealed.

God has an unfathomable way of directing our paths.

He did this. Not me, I thought.

I now understood that His blessings come down upon us, sometimes when we least expect them. This mother and daughter were encouraged. And so was I. He revealed a purpose behind my journey with a mean brain tumor, that I admittedly question at times.

God is not finished with me yet. And neither is He finished with you. We all have a story to tell. And the battles, challenges, and frustrations we face — once endured or conquered, may be the exact chapter that someone else needs to hear or read, in God’s perfect timing. Having our downtrodden souls lifted up by Him in inexplicable ways is remarkable.

I was reminded this day, once again, that we all need God. We all need hope. In Him, we can stay strong. And “The difference between a strong man and a weak one is that the former does not give up after a defeat.” — Woodrow Wilson.

“We need to understand that drawing near to Him, and asking Him to equip us with strength and determination, results in resiliency. God imparts hope to the hopeless, rest to the restless, and courage to the discouraged.” Excerpt from Halo Found Hope’s Chapter Eight, RESILIENCE.

I invite you to visit amazon.com to purchase a copy of award-winning Halo Found Hope for yourself or for someone you know who needs to find hope. https://www.amazon.com/Halo-Found-Hope-Helo-Matzelle/dp/145753133X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495211039&sr=8-1&keywords=halo+found+hope

God bless you!

Hope in Him,
Helo