A knock at my hotel room startled me.

"Room service," a voice said. I hurried to let her in. “Only need fresh towels,” I said. “I’ll be fine.”

She brought them in and I smiled at her. “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“Rachel.”

We chatted about mundane stuff. But when I told her why I had visited her city, she was open to hear about my ministry.

I reached for my suitcase. “Got something for you,” I said. I put a CD in her hands.

“This is for me?” she asked, her voice gasping a bit.

“Sure it is,” I said. “Hope you like it and it inspires you.”

Two days passed, and I delivered a message to 500 women on three different occasions during the weekend. On the last day, as I entered my room, a voice got closer. “This is Rachel. I want to tell you that I heard your CD. It was so wonderful. And I gave it to my friend who really needed to be encouraged. She loved it too. Thank you.”

Her words filled with emotion made my heart leap with gratitude. I had traveled to address an audience, but the Lord had me minister to her. What a sweet thing. Every opportunity, every moment, every person we meet on the way is planted by the Lord.

I had developed a sort of crazy habit. Before I leave hotel rooms, I take the already used soap, place it in a plastic bag and bring it home. I place it on my soap dish in my bathroom. Each time I use it, I say a prayer for the person I met who touched my heart.

This time it’s Rachel, the housekeeping lady who changed my view of why the Lord sends us speakers to faraway places. It’s not always for the crowd, but for the person who knocks at our heart unexpectedly, deliberately and at the perfect time.

Heavenly Father, keep me humble, keep me open to the people You put before me. Keep me mindful of Your lead and Your prompting to reach those who brush our lives even for a moment.

Janet

Cheering you on to experience life, harvest its lessons and share their outcome.

www.janetperezeckles.com

Author #1 bestselling book, Simply Salsa: Dancing Without Fear at God’s Fiesta