It was a windy Sabbath afternoon in Umatilla, Florida. As pastor and member stood in the parking lot conversing after church, Brother Ron made the following observation: “You know, Pastor, combing your hair in this wind is like trying to gain salvation by works!”
—Albert M. Ellis, Apopka, Florida
During the four months that my daughter Hope was in the hospital, crying became a habit. I tried to be strong for her sake. I bravely held her hand and reassured her that everything was going to be OK, even when I really wasn’t so certain of that myself.
One afternoon I was completely worn out. I needed a quiet place to pray. A place where I could break down and no one would notice. The only place I could find was the large bathroom off the lobby. I locked the bathroom stall door and began to cry.
My sobs echoed throughout the tile-floored room. I blew my nose on toilet paper and flushed the toilet, hoping the sound would drown out my weeping. After a few minutes feet began to appear, one pair after another, under my locked door. I began to hear voices.
“Are you OK in there?” a woman asked.
Another woman slid a cold paper towel under my door. “Whatever is wrong, honey, I am going to pray for you. It’ll be OK.”
A teenager rolled her unopened can of soda to me. I thanked her and drank it. Two women offered to wait for me outside in the hall and pray with me. Another young woman with two small children told me she was sorry for whatever was wrong. Many people shared words of comfort. One person even sang “Amazing Grace” to me!
I finished my crying. The tears had cleansed my soul, and strangers had buoyed my spirit. As I walked back to Hope’s room, a woman asked how I was feeling. When I asked how she knew me, she laughed and said, “I recognized your shoes!” Looking down, I recognized hers too. We hugged.
Returning to Hope’s room, I looked at our situation with new faith and with the reassurance that I was not alone. God had spoken to me through the kindness of strangers.
A bathroom stall may not have a lot of room, but it is plenty big enough for God to work wonders.
—Malinda Fillingim, Leland, North Carolina
—Pastor Ron Nickerson, during the children’s story at the Keene, New Hampshire, Seventh-day Adventist Church, on August 23, 2014
Have a prayer need? Have a few free minutes? Each Wednesday morning at 8:15 ET the Adventist Review staff meets to pray for people—children, parents, friends, coworkers. Send your prayer requests and, if possible, pray with us on Wednesday mornings. Send requests to: Let’s Pray, Adventist Review, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600; fax: 301-680-6638; e-mail: [email protected].
