Chance Encounters with Courageous People

This thanksgiving I decided to take a bit of drive into the city. I had some afternoon Thanksgiving plans but I just needed a bit of a drive. I was thinking about some of my own challenges and wondering what path I would take on them.

That's when I decided to look for a coffee shop that was open. I started driving to one of my favorites and passed by seeing it was dark wondering if I would find an open one. I drove by another and it was closed too. Just as I had rounded the block to head home I saw a sign in a window of a little hole in the wall coffee shop that said "We are open".

I smiled and couldn't believe I found a parking spot just a few doors away. I paid the meter for 15 minutes even though I didn't know if it was charging for holiday's thinking I would be in and out. I walked up to the door with the confidence of a woman on a mission for some hot peppermint tea not thinking anything of my odd Thanksgiving day adventure.

Then I opened the door and saw a beautiful sight. It was a room filled with beautiful people of many life cultures and from all walks of life in a huge circle. There was a man sharing something that seemed serious and I felt instantly like I was an intruder in some family gathering. I thought I had seen that open sign in the window but maybe it was open for this group of people only I wondered.

Somehow I stumbled a bit past the entryway in my insecurity and found my way through this large group of people to the counter in the back of the room. I saw a man sitting on a stool and whispered "are they open?". He shook his head yes and I asked what was going on." He said "narcotics anonymous meeting". I was a bit shocked and feeling very out of place having stumbled into a world I had never encountered before but I was curious.

I wanted to know what made these people so different from me. I wanted to know how they got there and what made them get out of bed and come here on a Thanksgiving morning to give support to each other. So I decided I needed to stay, sit and listen. God was trying to teach me something about hope.

I have someone who I know who is an alcholic that I have been praying for and wondered if they would ever seek help. Seeing these people gave me a hope and a renewed sense of urgency to pray and have trust that God can do it in their life too.

As I heard these peoples stories and sharing I couldn't help but find a sense of how incredibly courageous they were. Because of their trials and the hurts they had gone through in life they had ended up in this place. The thing about it was that became apparent to me was that they were on a journey and had a savior carrying them through on it.

These people had made a choice to stop and change. They were as couragous to me as our men who go to battle on the front lines. Near the end of their meeting I followed their example and said my name and told them I had just happened upon their meeting and thanked them for letting me see some courageous people giving me hope for those I know struggling with the same types of issues and I encouraged them keep going. I believe in never regretting not saying something and I am glad I did even though I was almost shaking for fear of speaking in the meeting. I walked out thanking God for my blessings and chance encounters with couragous people.

Fruit: Love

Song in my head: Give me your Eyes- Brandon Heath

Verse:Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.