Sacred Stories | Brief Light
“Wisdom rescued from troubles those who served her.” – Wisdom 10:9
I was elated and smiling after my new employee orientation. It was a great day; I was entering my new profession as an RN with an organization that held values and faith that resonated with mine. I could not wait to share my excitement with my children. As a single mom, nursing school had been a long journey, but it was all worth it. Things were coming together; gratitude filled my heart.
As I walked towards the exit, a voice caught my attention. Standing at the information desk were three young ladies: one in her mid twenties, another in her teens, and another about seven. What drew me closer was the pain I noticed in their eyes. The teen, standing with her arms crossed, seemed ticked off as well as scared. The child held the older girl’s hand tightly. They were looking for the emergency department. Their father had been rushed to the hospital, his condition unknown. Fresh from orientation, I knew the expectation for employees to accompany patients and visitors to their destination.
So, I offered to walk with them to the ED. The eldest thanked me, explained the situation and told me how scared they were. The little girl said she was sad because her daddy was alone. I stopped our walk briefly and told her, “No, honey, he’s not alone. God is looking over his shoulder right now.” She smiled, and we continued our walk. The teenager had big tears in her eyes.
We arrived at the ED, and I waited to make sure they were in good hands. As I said goodbye, the little girl gave me a big hug. Surprisingly, the teenager gave me a hug, too, and thanked me. I asked her why she was thanking me. With the faintest of smiles, she said, “For reminding me.” The goose bumps I experienced in that moment were something I could only describe as heavenly.
Did God place those young ladies in my path to show me that my actions make a difference? Or, did God put me there to remind them of their faith? Perhaps it doesn’t matter. God shows me each day that my actions can make a difference. Something as simple as a smile or as ordinary as escorting someone to their destination can make a difference. This has touched my heart forever. Thank you, thank you.
Shared From the Sacred Stories Archive
Questions for Reflection
Reflect on a time when a chance encounter created an opening for significant blessing. Was there anything in that encounter that alerted you to the potential for more?
How can we encourage each other to remain open to chance encounters?
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About Sacred Stories
As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of
the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.
Sacred Stories convey ways our mission is being lived out by the gifted people in our ministry. We invite you to
use these stories for inspiration, as a meeting reflection, or to encourage discussion with your team.
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