Sunday morning I woke up and tucked my engagement ring into my purse. I know it is silly, but while I was excited to give my ring to a friend I dearly love, it was also a bit of a sentimental moment. I wore that ring from 2007-2013. Through my engagement, marriage and in the 18 months of separation during which I stood for restoration. But I felt it was important to do what I had been asked, even if I didn't quite understand.
I gave my friend the ring before our second church service started, hugged her and told her she was loved and I hope that she enjoyed the ring. I even joked that I was happy it was going to a good home. I went off to teach my Sunday school class and didn't give it a second thought. During my Sunday school class, we discussed the story of Hannah and her desire to have a baby.
"12 As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. 13 Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. 14 “Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
15 “Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. 16 Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
17 “In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
18 “Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.
1st Samuel 1:12-18
Our class focused in on the fact that she poured out her heart to God, she was assured He had heard her, and she went in peace. This was such an interesting concept to me. I have been praying that God would bring me a husband one day. Now that my former husband has remarried, I feel like God is allowing me to do so, but I want to make sure it is the right person. So in my prayers, I have always contemplated at what point do I stop praying and start trusting?
At this point class was over and I went along my normal routine. I picked up the boys and said hello to friends in the hall. I was helping Chase put his shoe on when a young woman approached me and asked if I was Pastor Ron's daughter. She carried a baby and was followed by a husband. I am involved in several ministries in church, so I assumed my father had directed her to me in regard to one of those. But that was not the case.
This sweet woman began by saying that while she did not know me, she knew my father and my story. This was not a surprise to me, while I do not talk about my past, I do not hide it either. She then continued in telling me that God had put me on her heart over the past month. That she had been praying for me. And that God had asked her to tell me something about three weeks ago but that she had been shy because she did not know me. But today she decided to obey.
"God asked me to remind you about the story of Ruth and Boaz. Of the kinsmen redeemer. He is going to do that for you. I know that He can, because He did it for me."
She shared a brief bit of her history, and at this point she and I both were crying there in the church lobby. I told her about how I had just an hour ago given away my engagement ring, given away the last bit of what I had been holding on to. We shared a hug and she walked away. I really felt in that moment that God had heard me. He had seen me. He had answered. And I felt peace.
Funny how in the act of obeying and giving up the last piece of my former marriage that I had been keeping, allowed me to hear a beautiful message of hope for the future.
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