You Just Never Know

You just never know when you are going to be in the right place at the right time to say what someone needed to hear.

The trip to the grocery store was that for me tonight. The pantry was getting a little bare. As much as I dislike grocery shopping, I know it's something I have to do, so I headed off to the grocery store. Once there, I was basically focused on my own agenda of manuevering around other shoppers and getting what I needed as quickly as possible. At one point, I remembered an item and went to get it. That's when it happened.

A recent aquaintance and her young son recognized me. She answered my question, "How are you?" truthfully: "Not very good right now." I listened as she explained that her father was recently told that his cancer had returned and that their whole family was in emotional upheaval. She apologized for being flustered and said she felt so awkward grocery shopping at a time like this.

As her story poured forth, my heart was touched with sympathy for her, her father, and their family. Immediately, I felt compelled to share my story of how many years ago, I was diagnosed with Lymphoma. As a young adult and a new mommy, my life was totally altered by a long and tiring year of chemo treatment and radiation therapy. The contradition of doing mundane daily chores and of battling a life-threatening disease is emotionally exhausting. I could truly sympathize with her.

I used to wonder why God allowed such a hard thing to happen to me. I don't wonder anymore, though, because my story has opened up so many doors to touch other people's lives. God chose to heal me through the wisdom of the doctors and the correct medications. Why He chose to heal me while others have battled cancer much longer and harder than I, I will never know. All I do know is that, because of my battle with cancer, I can truly identify with the heartbreak of those who experience it now.

My story isn't the exact same as anybody else's. Every time I share what God has done for me, I am glad for the opportunity to be in the right place at the right time to encourage someone else who is struggling. You just never know what will happen if you are willing to share what God has done for you.