God Was Definitely Playing Matchmaker with These Divine Connections!
Ever had one of those days where everything seems to be going wrong, only to find out later that each little mishap was setting the stage for something spectacular? Yeah, me too. This past Sunday was one of those days where I was convinced God was reminding me of the lesson in trust and perfect timing. As I sleepily battled with the snooze button and debated the real necessity of early mornings, little did I know that God was lining up some life-changing connections that would remind me why we sometimes need to show up, even when we’d rather not.
A Reluctant Morning Turns Inspirational
I let out a dramatic groan as my alarm clock rudely interrupted my beauty sleep at the ungodly hour of 7am (seriously, who invented mornings?). Yet another day, yet another early morning start (thanks to my poor decision-making the night before). With heavy limbs, I dragged myself out of bed and begrudgingly shuffled to the bathroom to begin the arduous process of getting ready for church. As I attempted to shake off my sleepiness, I couldn't help but question why mornings had to be so cruel. Little did I know, this particular morning was about to be an unforgettable one.
I groaned as my alarm clock blared at an ungodly hour (not really it was 7am, but it sure felt ungodly lol). Another day, another early morning start (I stayed out way past my bedtime the night before, so I was NOT ready to get up). I dragged myself out of bed, begrudgingly making my way to the bathroom to start getting ready for church. As I’m trying to wake myself up, I couldn't help but wonder why mornings had to be so cruel.
But little did I know, this particular morning was about to be anything but ordinary.
So, a little background story: The previous day My son pulled a fast one on me by claiming there was no baseball tournament the next morning because his team lost their earlier games. I had a suspicion he was just trying to weasel his way into a sleepover at his friend's house. But I told him he could go. So I rearranged the rest of my Saturday night and Sunday plans around this fib.
At first, I was fully prepared to skip out on church because I thought there was a game on, but when plans changed, I begrudgingly agreed to attend. I admit, I wasn't exactly jumping for joy at the idea of waking up early on a Sunday, but then I had this little whisper in my ear saying, "Hey, if you've got time for all these other things in your life, you better make time for Jesus too. After all, He's the reason you even have those other options in the first place." And I couldn't argue with that logic.
The Unexpected Chain of Connections at Church
I'm in the middle of church service when I get a text from the team mom asking about Izaiah's attendance at the game starting in 30 minutes. I quickly replied, informing her of his whereabouts and told her to keep me updated on the game’s progress. If they were winning I would have him ready for the next game right after. I texted my friend that Izaiah was with to let her know because she was meeting me at the church to drop him off after service. But when service ended they were still about 30 minutes away. I decided while I waited I would meet up with one of my customers that needed to swap out a shirt she purchased that was a size too small. As I was waiting for her outside the church I bumped into an old acquaintance - the grandma of one of Izaiah's old friends.We got to chatting about business and hatched up a plan to meet.
My customer came up while we were shooting the breeze and I exchanged her shirt. She then went off to meet another friend. But get this, a few minutes later, she calls me up and says she showed her girlfriend the shirt she bought, and her friend just HAD to have it! What are the odds, right? I assured her I was still posted up in the same spot if they wanted to swing by again. Lo and behold, they came back, and she introduced me to her friend- she ended up snagging the shirt from me on the spot. Talk about an unexpected encounter!
Serendipity at the Store: Discovering a Kindred Spirit
Well, after Izaiah finally arrived at the church we bolted off to get him ready for his baseball game. I’m not even gonna lie, I was low-key irritated with him because now my carefully crafted no-game plans were shot to heck. And I knew I wasn’t going to have time to finish everything on my to-do list now. We’re driving home watching the baseball game on Game Changer to see if they are still winning (at this point they were in the lead). We get home and Izaiah gets changed into his uniform and we head to the field. We are about two minutes out when we get the text that they lost by 1 point. No next game for us. So basically, I drove all the way home for nothing. My original master plan was to head straight to the store from church to pick up some inventory for the business, which is in the opposite direction from my house. Ugh!
After hitting up the bank, I went into the store ready to take care of business. As I strolled the aisles, my eyes landed on some merchandise that would be perfect for my hustle. Of course, I had to make sure I picked out the best of the best. Suddenly, a fellow shopper caught my attention – a young lady trying to decide between two shirts. I thought she was addressing me so naturally, I had to inquire. Turns out she was just debating on which brand was superior. I decided to help her out.
So, this girl starts spilling the tea about how she just started her own business and is trying to get some dope shirts made. She even throws in that she got a vision from the man upstairs for her business (I see you, girl! Praise the Lord). Then she drops the bombshell that her friend is gonna whip up some shirts using vinyl. And asked for my opinion. I had to stop her right there and school her on why vinyl ain't gonna cut it. I start breaking down all the different options and when vinyl might actually work. I even bust out my own shirt collection to show her what's good (which, by the way, I didn't even offer my services...I honestly didn’t want to poach another business’s business). But she asked me, "Oh, you make shirts, why didn’t you tell me?" Next thing I know, she tells me she needs shirts made today and wants me to do them and talking about future partnerships and collaborations. So, I help her choose the perfect shirts for her grand vision. She goes out, buys them, and hands them over to me. I completed her shirts for her and she was head over heels in love with the end result.
When she picked up her shirts she told me more about her business and her epic master plan, sending shivers of inspiration down my spine. This boss babe's dream is to create an empire and assemble a fierce squad of women to conquer the world with her, and how she could see me as a player in her empire-building game. She even swore our meeting was a divine connection forged by the hand of the Almighty. Naturally, I had to introduce her to Sistah Biz, the powerhouse women's group I'm a part of. It’s a learning community for Black Women Entrepreneurs that helps them collaborate, startup, and scale profitable businesses and break through male-dominated industries. Because who wouldn't want to join a squad of unstoppable boss ladies?
As she’s leaving she casually drops the bombshell that she'll be needing a whopping 150-350 shirts made in the near future. Fast forward to this morning, and my phone is buzzing with her call. Turns out, I've inspired her so much that she wants me to whip up 13 shirts for an upcoming photoshoot ASAP - talk about a compliment! And oh, she'll need another 17 by the end of the week. Looks like I'll be busy flexing my creative muscles!
The Blessings of Selfless Service: No Strings Attached
When I met this young lady in the store I was just offering a helping hand, I wasn’t expecting anything in return or have any thoughts of it being anything more than a simple suggestion. I wasn’t doing it for recognition or praise, simply just trying to help out how I could. And God keeps showing me that when you give without expecting anything in return, you open yourself up to receiving blessings you never could have imagined. Maybe it’s a new job opportunity that comes out of nowhere, or a chance encounter with someone who ends up changing your life. These are the kind of divine connections that make you realize that God was definitely playing matchmaker when he brought you together.
But the real beauty of selfless service is in the way it transforms you as a person. When you give freely of yourself, you become more compassionate, more loving, and more connected to the world around you. Your heart expands, and suddenly, you find yourself seeing the beauty in everything – even in the midst of chaos and darkness.
Selfless service is like a boomerang – the more you put out into the world, the more it comes back to you. It's a cosmic law that when you give without strings attached, you receive tenfold in return. The most unexpected connections can lead to the most incredible outcomes. Keep your heart and mind open, because you never know when God might be playing matchmaker in your life.
Let's all be a little more selfless, a little more generous, and a little more willing to lend a hand to those who need it. Because the truth is, we're all in this together, and the more we lift each other up, the better off we'll all be.
Divine Timing: The Magic of a Second
As I reflect on the unfolding of Sunday's events, I can't help but marvel at the precision of God's timing. It’s almost as if every decision I made, whether to hit snooze one more time or which aisle to walk down at the store, was gently guided by a divine hand. Had I been a second sooner or later to any of these locations—or had I made the decision to skip church altogether—I would have missed these incredible connections.
In the grand scheme of life, we often overlook the significance of a single moment. But let me tell you, this Sunday was a vivid reminder that timing isn’t just everything; it's the only thing when it comes to how God orchestrates our lives. Each minute, each second counts, and the choices we make can lead us to paths we never anticipated.
Take, for instance, my morning decision to drag myself to church despite every bone in my body begging for more sleep. Had I given in to the temptation to stay home, I wouldn’t have crossed paths with my customer who needed a shirt exchange, nor would I have met that acquaintance who sparked an interesting business conversation. And then, there was the store—had my son’s game not been canceled at the last minute, I wouldn’t have been there at that exact moment to meet a kindred spirit embarking on her own business journey.
This intricate dance of timing and decision isn't just happenstance; it's a reminder that we are part of a bigger plan, one that calls us to be exactly where we need to be, even if it’s not initially clear why. So, next time you're rushing through your day or lamenting a change in plans, remember that there might just be a divine reason for your every step. Maybe, just like in my case, you're exactly where you need to be for a connection that could alter the course of your life.
Stay strong and stay faithful,
Cora