eye contact

She walked into the office and took a seat where he indicated. She was so incredibly tired. Lack of sleep, a rigorous exercise routine and strong pain medication had taken their toll the past week so that she was not her usual sharp self. She shirked it off. Get over it! You have a job to do and there’s no time to feel sorry for yourself now. She started the usual small-talk while taking out all her material.

Something about him seemed familiar, although she knew this was her first time meeting him. Something about the surroundings seemed assuring, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She felt very much at ease in this strange location, but thought it was her imagination. After the sales talk she was getting ready to leave. He looked at her earnestly. “I feel I need to tell you something…” suddenly he seemed less at ease, like he wasn’t sure how she would react to him being so honest. “Yes?” Her brain was tired, but she was suddenly very alert. Tingles went through her arms and fingertips – she knew this was important, because that is how her Father always got her attention.

He smiled reassuring. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” She blinked. That’s it? she wondered. “Ok…?” He shook his head and she could see he was getting ready to just blurt it out. “God wants you to give yourself the same grace that you give to others. He loves you just the way you are and He wants use you just the way you are. Don’t be so hard on yourself.” She sighed and smiled. She nodded as she relaxed. “Thank you.” She picked up her handbag to leave. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that today!” He smiled. “God did!”

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God often uses the weirdest circumstances to show us that we are never alone, and that we are loved. I believe that when we are in the presence of His other children, we recognize Him in their eyes, which is why strangers can sometimes seem so familiar!