An Experience I Will Never Forget!

As I left a lunch meeting at Bono's today, I pulled on to Philips Hwy and quickly realized I was going the wrong direction...at least I thought I was.

I forgot I needed to go pick-up some softballs from Sports Authority. Since I was going the other way, however, I decided to go to Dick's Sporting Goods to get them even though it was a little out of the way.

As I entered the store I noticed there were a lot of staff at the door. One guy had a radio he was talking on, but I didn't think much of it. As I stood in front of their softball options I heard a women walking towards me crying and yelling the name 'Katie'. I asked her if she was OK and she shared she had lost her daughter.

She quickly walked off sobbing and yelling out her daughter's name. At that point I realized why the staff were guarding all the exits. That is protocol for stores when a child is missing. They don't let anyone with kids leave. I could not help but join in the hunt for Katie. The Jacksonville Sheriffs office showed up a minute or two later to join the search.

As I stood there I was amazed at the what was going on. For one thing, some people just continued to shop...almost like all the yelling for this young girl was annoying them. I also watched the young store manager try to calm down this frantic mother.

As the manager walked away and this mom was standing there all alone sobbing I knew God wanted me to go pray with her. I almost didn't, but I knew God really wanted me to.

I approached her and shared I was a minister at a local church and asked if I could pray with her. She said 'please'. I simply asked God to give her strength to stay focused, to protect her daughter, and to guide us to her.

After praying I shared that I would keep looking for Katie. I turned and walked down the aisle. About 20 feet later I noticed something brown between a wall and the t-shirts that were hung on it. I kept walking....then I thought it could have been the girls hair. I went back and there she was.

As I pulled the t-shirts back (there were shorts hung below the shirts that went to the ground so she was very well hidden) I noticed she was crying as well. Tears were flowing down her face and she looked panicked. I motioned for the mom to come over and she literally fell to the ground on her side when she saw Katie. I pulled the girl out from the clothes and placed her on her mom's lap.

It was an incredible moment as people began to come over, yet God was not through working on me. I stood for a moment waiting to get the 'pat on the back' from people and then God told me that was wrong. It was almost like he said, 'just go get the softballs you came for and leave...it's not about you.'

That is what I did. I went to the car and thought back over the last 30 minutes, actually shed a tear, prayed, and called Carrie to share the experience with her.

All along, God knew where I needed to go. I thought I was going the wrong direction...little did I know God had other plans for me this afternoon.