God Orders My {Steps} Stops

"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

I know God orders our steps.
But I also believe He orders our stops. 


Have you ever stopped in at your favorite store & found a reaaaallly good deal,
an unadvertised special ... with just one left on the shelf?
You walk away feeling so happy to know that you were in the right place at the right time.


I have so many of those stories I could share & I thank God for each & every one of them.
I credit Him for all my good deals, special finds & great prices.
Not only does He provide for my needs, He has supplied many of my wants too.


Our Christian walk, however, is not all about us!
Sometimes God orders our {steps} stops not so we get a blessing, 
but so we can BE a blessing. 


That's precisely what happened to me a few weeks ago.
After a day of running lots of errands, quick stops here & there,
I hurriedly pulled into to the Aldi parking lot for my last stop of the day.
Believe it or not, I stopped to return cottage cheese.
That's right ... I said to return cottage cheese.

The container I bought a few days before tasted a little sour, 
so I decided to exchange it for a new one the next time I got out.

I had almost decided to pass Aldi right on by.
I was tired after all my errands, it was 103 degrees {literally, 103 degrees}
& had almost talked myself into trashing the cottage cheese & heading on home.
After all, we could do without it & it was only a couple dollars ...
but, for some reason, I pulled on in.

No sooner than I'd pulled into my parking spot, 
I glanced into the rear view mirror & my eyes landed on an almost flat tire.
As I got out of my truck, I noticed a little old lady just about to get into this very car!

She was white-headed, dressed nicely in a skirt & blouse, brown stockings & sandals.
She looked to be about 80 years old & seemed to be getting along fine, 
but her steps were very slow. 


I quickly called out to her & told her about the tire, & upon further inspection,
we found the tire was pretty much flat ...  certainly in no condition to drive on.

Seeing as how I do not know how to change a tire & I assumed she didn't either,
I asked her if she had someone she could call to pick her up to which she replied yes,
but they were all at work. 

She decided that maybe she should use her AARP card & call for roadside assistance.
She had no cell phone, so she gave me her card & asked me to do the calling & the talking.
Finally, after standing in the pounding sun & heat, going through 10 automated options,
being transferred to the roadside assistance department, 
we find out that she had no roadside assistance on her card.

I could see by the despairing look on her face that she was totally unsure of what to do now.
Even I was unsure, but I knew I could not leave this little lady stranded at Aldi.
In my mind's eye, I saw my own mom in this predicament ... 
or fast forward 40 years, I saw me in this predicament.
I would be so grateful that God sent someone to rescue me.


I decided right then & there to take her home.
I knew that's what I would want ... to go home.
When I suggested that, she seems so relieved.
She said she had sons & grandsons who could come after work & change her tire.
So, we loaded up her groceries in my Suburban, I helped her climb in,
& off we went.
She only lived a couple miles away.
I got her home, her groceries carried in, & after lots & lots of thanks, I was on my way...
on my way back to Aldi to return my cottage cheese.

As I began replaying the whole situation in my mind, I was SO thankful that I found her.
I was glad I was there at precisely the perfect time.
What if she had gotten on the road with that flat tire?
What if someone else, not so nice, stopped to help her?

I know God had a hand in it all.
He was watching out for her ... & He was directing my stops. 


This scripture comes to mind:
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way."  {Psalm 37:23}
I especially love the New Living translation.
It says, "The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."

There's such a comforting & secure feeling to know that I serve a God
who is concerned with all the details of my life.