For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
~2 Peter 1:21

Finding Hope in a Grocery Store: Deborah's Testimony of Reaching out to Janet

Dear Friend,
I want to encourage you to listen to the prompting of the Spirit of God. On several occasions, God has spoken to me to pay for someones groceries at the check-out or give a stranger money on the street. You might just be the answer to someone's prayer and relief in their distress.

One day in particular, I remember that the Lord prompted me to deposit $40.00 into the ministry account. The same day, on the way home, I stopped at the grocery store. As I was walking around I noticed this woman with two young boys around the age of twelve. She had two bags of carrots in her cart and a few other things. She then left her cart and said to the boys, "Leave the cart there and come on." The boys starting whining and said "No mom...please!" Changing her mind, she then retrieved the cart and continued walking around. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me to purchase $40.00 in grocery gift certificates for her. I then approached her and asked her if I could speak to her for a minute. She said "Sure!" I told her I wanted to give her the gift certificates as a gift from Alabaster. At first she was hesitant and said "That's okay, there are probably so many other people in worse need than me." I then said to her, "Well, don't you have any needs?" She replied, "Well, yes I do." I said, "Okay, please use these certificates to buy some treats for the kids, etc." So, they all thanked me and I walked away.

Twenty minutes or so later, I was at the cash getting ready to check-out my own groceries and she walked over to me. She asked me if I just walk around stores looking for people to give money to. I chuckled and said "No." I guess it is so rare for strangers to walk up to you and bless you with gift certificates! I love how the Holy Spirit surprises people! I explained again to her that I was a Christian and about our Charity. She opened up and began to tell me her story...

She said that she was just walking around the grocery store thinking that she had to get back on her feet. She had been ill and had just returned to work. I asked her if she minded sharing with me about her illness. She told me that she just had a miscarriage and then she had a headache that wouldn't leave her. After a series of tests, they had found a brain tumour. I sympathized with her and told her I would be praying for her and would ask others to also pray for her healing. I said that Alabaster would continue to help her financially. I asked her what kind of treatment she is undergoing for the brain tumour. She said that she is taking medication to shrink it.

I was so glad that I obeyed the Holy Spirit and put money in the account that day enabling me to buy gift certificates for this woman. I know that the Lord is using Alabaster tremendously to touch hurting people. When you meet the natural needs of people and they see that you care about them, it is a wide open door for the Lord to show the love of God to a hurting world.

My friend, this is just one of so many stories I could tell you. Please pray that the Lord will send help and financial resources into Alabaster. My heart's cry is to open food banks and shelters in several cities to minister to hurting families and individuals. We can't do anything like this without help and financial assistance. We are simply paralyzed.

I have never heard from this woman again. Is she alive? I don't know! But I do know that the Lord touched her that day.

Deborah Mason ~ Scarborough, Ontario