Widow's Story: The Dreaded Father's Day

How did Father's Day go for you? Last week we heard from a variety of widows how they were planning for it. And as I sat in my church on Sunday I felt for any widows attending who would have seen the pastor call forward all the fathers in the church to honor and encourage them and view a clip from a movie about fathers called "Courage."

But I heard from some widows who did go to their church and were tremendously relieved and blessed. Darlene, a widow in Illinois shares with us today about her experience on Father's Day. She said, "It was God's gift to me for sure ! What a HUG from my Father God!"

Thank you for letting me share your story today, Darlene! 

♥ ferree
 

Darlene, 17, and Chuck, 19
on their wedding day

I have to say that I've had a really interesting day. As you all know, I was NOT looking forward to today, as it was both Father's Day and my anniversary with Chuck.

I cried when I first got up, then debated if I really wanted to go to church. All I could picture was a whole sermon on "dads". I didn't know if I could hold it together. Finally, God kept prompting me to go, so I did.

Funny, Father's Day was mentioned, but that's not what the sermon was about. It was about God having us in the place that He wants us to be. Where we can be a witness to others, whether it's in our job or elsewhere. 

I've heard this many times before, but it just stuck with me all day. So, after church, I went to see the movie "Alone, Yet Not Alone," which was excellent. 

On the drive home, I had one of my "God talks", as I call them. I was talking to God about being alone like this and was this REALLY where He wants me? He just kept saying, "Trust me on this one. I have you right where I want you at this time." 

So, I stopped at the grocery store next. When I came out, I saw a man picking up some trash in the parking lot. Very scruffy looking, thin, cheeks very sunken in, just picking up garbage. He walked up to me and said, "Ma'am, could you spare a little for a homeless man?" I said "Sorry, I'm broke myself." He thanked me and said "You have a nice day, ma'am. I understand." 

I started to pull out of the parking lot, when God spoke to me. "I HAVE YOU RIGHT WHERE I WANT YOU." Then the verse about "entertaining angels unaware" came to me. I backed up and called the man over to the car. I handed him some money and, for some reason, I said "Do you know Jesus?" He looked me straight in the eyes and said "Yes, Ma'am, I do. I truly do." Then he said "Thank you very much, my sister." 

I pulled away with tears running down by now. As I looked back, I saw him with his head bowed, as if in prayer. Now, he could have just been putting me on, but I was already across the parking lot by then.  No, I will always believe that God truly DID have me where He wanted me today....