Donna
For most, Donna’s another name among the billions of individuals in this world, among the millions in the United States, among the hundreds of thousands in the state of California. But just as this name is as unnoticeable among all these other names, it is this name (and many others) that God chose to include in this grand plan. The God, the Father that created heaven and earth, and created stars as numerous as the sands on the beach, He chose to make this one name, this one person significant. I’m lucky enough to tell this small, short instance of time. Perhaps completing its purpose in my life, or just sowing the seeds what will entail, this is her story.
This was the week preceding The Hill, a conference in LA, a conference I looked forward to attending. Leading up to the conference, a thought lingered in my prayers: Why am I going to this conference? It was not a lack of excitement, nor a nervousness, nor a dreading of the six-hour drive down, but a loss of direction/purpose. Even as I prayed for myself and this event, I did not know how to prepare for the event.
It was October 4th. I was grabbing dinner before heading over to a friend’s house for a NBA 2K12 game launch. I walked into the Jack with this ridiculous song stuck in my head, so my head was bobbing/bouncing to this tune. As I walked to and waited in line, there was a homeless woman finishing on her sourdough jack. She noticed my head bobbing, got my attention and we started exchanging comments and thoughts. I planned to drop off a portion of my fries to her before heading of to playing virtual basketball, but I did not expect what came next.
When I poured out half of my fries on her tray, her eyes completely lit up, almost in shock. With these glistening eyes, she followed to ask, “Do you know Him?” I answered an acknowledgement of the great Jesus Christ….. and suddenly I started seeing tears pour from her eyes as she shared how precious Jesus was to her.
“When Jesus fell down, I fell down. Like how God picked him up, He picked me up also.”
…………
Her whole face out-poured this radiance as she spoke about God. As she shared, I find myself in admiration, holding back the tears I wanted to share alongside in that Jack lobby. It’s been a while seeing someone so overwhelmingly excited to talk about the Lord Jesus to a completely stranger, much less a person like myself. I instead find myself equally overwhelmed with an awe. Even after leaving, I could not stop smiling, holding back those same tears and unable to wipe this huge smile off my face. I could not stop thanking the One for crossing paths with Donna, knowing that God will take care of her long after that night.
Little did I know, God softened my heart that night. He softened my heart so that I might hear His message at the Hill; that I may be excited to sing praises to my Father alongside other brothers and sisters; that I may want to. What will result from Donna? The Hill? He knows what, and time’ll tell that tale in eternity.
This came the same day a great passed away, along with others whose lives were cut short in. While their future are unknown to me, one thing is certain: God sees Donna as His precious child.
Donna, I love you. While a simple statement of gratitude will never do His work justice, it will have to suffice.
Thank you
