I was deeply moved reading this testimony from a graduate student whose family is a Prayer Covenant partner. God has given her a special place in her heart for veterans, desiring to improve their lives. This is her account of what occurred on Christmas Eve in 2019.
It was Christmas Eve and I was on my way home from the post office when I passed the grocery store. There was a homeless man standing outside by the parking lot entrance, holding a sign. I had seen him several times over the summer and fall but had never spoken to him. As soon as I passed him, my heart was telling me, “Go back and help him.” I thought no, I’m cold and tired. I just want to go home. So, I continued on my drive home. As I entered my neighborhood the feeling became very strong, and I turned around and went back to where I had seen him. I prayed as I walked towards him and was confident that God would give me the words to say.
I asked, “Are you hungry?” He replied, “Yes ma’am, I am.”
We went to the deli and got a hot piece of chicken. He then started to tell me he had been a plumber in the navy, served on an aircraft carrier and had been called to the first gulf war. He got injured in the navy and had to be medically retired. He gets some disability money, but not enough to live on. To make matters worse, his wife got sick right before Thanksgiving and died.
He went on, “I give almost half of my disability money to my sister who is taking care of my ten-year-old daughter in Dayton. I only get to see her about once every month, and I miss her.”
Exercising Compassion
I grabbed a Visa gift card and said, “Guess what? You’re going to see your daughter tomorrow.” He immediately burst into tears and thanked me profusely. “What’s your name?” “Ally,” I responded. He looked at me with huge eyes and said, “That’s my daughter’s name, Allison Marie.” I knew right then why God had told me to go back. He gave me a hug and thanked me again. As I walked back to my car, I knew this Christmas memory was one that would stay with me forever.
In a world of me first, non-stop hustle and bustle, it takes an intentional desire to love others like Jesus. It won’t happen in our own strength; it will happen only when we open our hearts to His and follow in His steps.
