Young Man

Tonight I was given a reminder.

After a long day at work, I came home, cleaned up, and left around 8pm to find a study spot--thus I found one; a 24/7 cafe downtown Tucson, AZ. It is probably the last place any girl should be going by herself after hours, but I just went with my intuition and went there anyway.
I was about 2 hours into my studying, when a young man approached me, and asked if he could sit at my table. At first, I was a little hesitant, because this wasn't just any young man--he was a troubled young man...but I saw this, and granted him permission to sit.

So, I asked him, "where are you from?" and from there, we began to talk.
He was high on drugs, but at the same time, he was in desperate need of someone to talk to--so, I listened.

What a story he had to share with me.

Suddenly, so many words flowed from my mouth that I never knew I had inside of me; straight from the heart...words of love and wisdom that God had given me to comfort this troubled soul. We spoke of precious matters...and before I knew it, we had been talking for 3 hours--some of that time, which was silence.

I will never forget the young man who came in, shaking like a leaf, fearful, and full of pain...with an empty hole...which by the end of the visit had been filled with hope. Where there was no joy, I watched it appear and grow as we talked.

I had no idea until the end of my time at the little cafe, that God had sent me there to comfort a lost and tormented soul. The young man has no idea of the reminder he has given me--oh how precious it is to just believe!

I pray that this young man will soon find peace, and one day finally feel at ease...

I told him that these things don't just happen, and they are not by coincidence--but that what has happened tonight was entirely a work by the hand of God.

I had my Ipod sitting with me; and he asked to hear my music. I told him it was only classical music; classical and hymnal music...but he wanted to listen anyway. He listened to a few of the hymns, and I watched his face and body language shift from solemn to uplifted...and I asked him how he was feeling... "uplifted" he said...

He told me that he originally came into the cafe with the intention of finding people to party with, but that he has been incredibly touched by what he found instead...and thankful.

A young man who had entered my life without a smile, I left, smiling... as he was smiling...hopeful...

Oh how precious; the grace of God abundant...the soul that thirsts may drink...the weary heart that seeks...he may find rest and peace.

He uses us to plant the seed of faith into the hearts of others; and in awe, I am...

Feeling so unworthy, and weak in my own flesh, yet so grateful and so blessed. God is the source of all love within me...and he, in his many mysterious ways, always takes care to remind me.