Go from Ordinary to Extraordinary

"Sometimes God doesn't give us the whole route at the beginning of the trip." Author Unknown

There was a time in my life where God used an ordinary lady to accomplish something extraordinary!
It was back in 1992 or around then and I was living in Jacksonville, FL.  I was working with a temporary service and was given the job of a phone operator in a small temporary service industry.  I was trained to cover the front desk while  the permanent administrator was on vacation.  The young woman was showing me how the phone system worked along with her responsibilites,and I was doing pretty well. Then, she said one thing  that changed  the course of my life.  "Whatever you do, DO NOT hang up on the owner or she will fire you." 
Well sure enough, yep you guessed it, I hung up on her and got fired.

I was distraught. I was a single mom with two kids to feed, and at that time, it was a good paying temporary job. Well, when I woke up the next day, I went and "prayed." I 'told' God what I needed, what happened (as though he didn't know) and then made a decision to allow him to guide me.
I dressed for the day as though I was going to work, took the kids to school and was ready to show up for duty. 
I heard this inner voice say, "go to the nursing home."  I found the nursing home close to where I lived and walked in.  I was greeted by the Office Administrator. I told her how crazy this is going to sound, but I am here to meet someone and I don't know who. She said the residence were coming in for excercise and game time, and I was welcome to stay. There was a woman who was bedridden placed to the left of me.  She began talking to me by asking the question "what is the lesson is for today?"  I didn't have one for her.
I told her she was here to play games and exercise. She said she loved playing games, but she wanted a lesson.

Her name was Ruby. Ruby invited me to her room, and we had a great time getting to know each other. She told me how she had gotten her nails and hair groomed and was getting ready to meet Jesus.  I told her a little about me. After an hour of us talking, I was asked to leave.

The next day, I was dressed and ready for duty. I spent my morning in prayer with Jesus eager to know what  I was going to do for that day. I was given instructions by God to prepare a lesson. I was told to go to Wal-Mart and get a plant, an empty planter, seeds, and soil.  I asked God how I was going to buy these things since I didn't have any money.  He quickly reminded me I had jeans in the trunk of my car to return.  So off I went to exchnage the clothes and bought the items.

Next, I went back to Ruby.  As I walked into her room, she asked me "Did you just see Jesus walk past my room, I hope he's coming for me."  I told her "all I know is we have a lesson today." Ruby's brown eyes lit up when I told her that. 'Oh Good," she exclaimed. I proceeded by telling her the story of the Parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13. I told her by God's word that he was well pleased with her. We discussed how the seed sown in good soil will be nourished by the water that is poured out on it, Jesus' water. God led me to tell her that the seeds she had sown of sharing her faith and her Jesus were changing the lives of many, and he was well pleased. This is the visual of the planter, the seeds and the soil.  The plant, which was a yellow daisy, was the visual of how someone's life had grown as a result of her planting the seed.  She was so excited and so humbled by it. She claimed she saw Jesus at the door of her room. I didn't know what to say, I felt the prescence of Jesus, and I knew I had to leave.  I left the daisy, and took everything else. I never returned to the nursing home.

Years had passed and I met the administrator one day here in Palatka. We struck up a conversation, and I asked her if she remembered me. She told me,yes, and was about to tell me more, when we were quickly interrupted. I  never found out if Ruby went home that last day I was with her, but I know she is with with the Lord Jesus now.

If you think that Jesus cannot use you to accomplish extraordinary things, you are wrong. He wants to use you by showing you how he can use an ordinary person like you.

I encourage you to get dressed and show up for duty.  Today, ask God what you can do you for him and then be sensitive to what you hear. If it agrees with scripture, Christian theory, and meets the needs of others, you are listening to the right voice.

Lord, I ask you to use this story to accomplish your extraordinary work using someone ordinary. I pray their faith will grow and they will continue to sow some seeds. I pray your relationship with them will grow like a yellow daisy and one day they will hear you say "well done, good and faithful servant."