The Importance of Being Aware by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

I was out of town and my cell phone screen saver was so cracked that I struggled to type on the keyboard. I had an hour window so I decided to hunt for a cell phone store close to where I was staying and found a “T-Mobile” store down the street. While T-Mobile wasn’t my carrier, I figured they’d probably carry an i-phone 8 screen saver. 

There were two friendly twenty-something young men working at the store that day, Carlos and Josh. After Carlos found what I needed, I told them I was grateful for their store because I was visiting from out of town and needed something nearby. They asked why I was in San Antonio. I told them I was doing two different book signings. They asked “What kind of books do you write?” I told them “Christian books” and then shared about my most recent book to help the fatherless, The Only Father I Ever Knew. That’s when they both, almost simultaneously said, “I had a bad father.” 

At that moment my heart poured out to these young men with father wounds and I knew what I had to do. I asked them if they’d like a complimentary copy of the book, and they both said an enthusiastic yes! So I ran to the car to pick up two books and by the time I got back in the store, Josh was already looking me up on his phone and then perused the book while I paid for my screen saver. 

I said to them, “I don’t think I am here for a screen saver, although I thought that was why I walked into this store. I am here to tell you that God loves you and wants to be your Father.” They both were silent as they processed what I said, but they seemed to receive my words.

As I left the store, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was a Divine Appointment. I am seeing more and more that if we are willing to share about the Lord with others, He will open up doors everywhere we go—whether it’s in cell phone stores, nail salons, or airports. But we have to be looking for the openings. We have to be aware.

Today I am wondering, Did Josh and Carlos read the book? If so, what kind of impact did it have? I am also burdened as I think, Should I have taken our encounter to the next level? Should I have asked them to pray a prayer so they can begin a relationship with God as Father?

I told these young men that this blog would run today, so Josh and Carlos, if you guys are reading this, it was great meeting you and I want to invite you to pray a prayer that will change your lives forever. I promise it will, because that’s what it did for this fatherless girl years ago. Just say these words and your heavenly Father will hear you: 

Father God, I need a Father in my life, and I know that you loved me so much that you provided a willing messenger the other day at the T-Mobile store. Today I confess that I’ve made some mistakes in my life called sin, and I have fallen short of your perfect standard. I also believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, came to this Earth to pay the price for that sin. He was crucified, was buried and rose again, just for me. Today, I ask you to come into my life, so that I can begin a Father-son relationship with you.

If you prayed that prayer, congratulations! We’re now part of the same family, and if you pray daily, spend some time reading God’s Word and connect to a solid church, hold on! God will take you places you never thought you’d go and your lives will be more exciting than you ever imagined. Our Daddy’s like that. May the Lord bless you both as you begin this journey. Hopefully, I can drop in and see you the next time I am in San Antonio. 🙂

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).