The man walked into the breakfast area of the hotel, noting its cleanliness and order. A woman was sweeping the floor between him and the breakfast station and he paused, then walked wide around her and the little pile of debris on the floor.
“You don’t have to walk around, sir,” she spoke.
He grinned at her, ”My mama would have whupped my butt if I had walked through her sweepings! It doesn’t hurt me a bit to walk around.”
The woman chuckled with him and both continued doing what they were there to do. He to eat a bite of breakfast, her to finish sweeping the floor as another woman wiped down counters and kept the area stocked and clean, making sure the coffee urns remained full and the food plentiful.
Finished eating, the man prepared to procure extra cups of coffee to take back to his wife, but stopped to talk with both the women. He told them that he and his wife loved being able to pray for the folks they meet and that before they left the hotel later, they wanted to pray for the two he’d met.
Both appeared taken aback at this request, but quickly, the woman who had been sweeping said, “I just started this job, sir, and I am asking God to provide the means for me to get back and forth to work every day until I get that first paycheck.” They chatted about this a bit, talking of God’s goodness and provision, then the man turned to the other woman who merely shrugged, reticent to share her life with a stranger, even one who said he would pray for her. He understood and didn’t press.
As the three chatted, the woman finally felt comfortable enough to share that her daughter is pregnant and nearly due. She asked the man to pray for her girl and grandbaby. That opened the door to a discussion about babies and mamas that broke through her shell, allowing her to open up wide like a beautiful magnolia blossom.
The man retrieved the extra coffee, turned to the women and said, “Y’all have a blessed rest of your day!” and returned to the room he and his wife shared. He excitedly shared the experience with her, telling the stories, describing not the faces of the women he met, but the hearts. It’s a gift he has.
The couple prepared for their day of travel, packed their belongings, and made the final check of the room to be certain they weren’t leaving anything behind. Then, standing in the middle of the room, they clasped hands and prayed. They asked for traveling grace, that God would protect them on the road, keep them safe from any wrecks or other issues, then their prayer turned to the two women.
The couple sought God for the requests of the women, but most especially that God would reveal Himself to them, providing for them in ways that neither woman could deny His intervention in her life.
