Carol J German

In my early days of my faith, I struggled with who I was. Insecurity should have been my middle name, not Joy. Since childhood, I have been plagued with self-doubt. A plague that affected every part of me and left me wondering who am I.

Fast forward to adulthood, I am married with two children. As a stay-at-home mom, I found insecurity walking in sync with me. During this season, I was growing in my walk with God. I read from The Daily Bread devotional for guidance and growth. One particular morning the devotional read, “A well-spoken word speaks volumes”. I felt encouraged. I placed the devotional down on my bed and went about the rest of my day tending to my children. That afternoon we went to Target to pick up odds and ends.

While in the baby section, a middle-aged man with thinning hair and glasses came up to me and kindly said, “I am sorry to bother you but I have got to tell you that you are breath-taking!” Now let me tell you, no one has ever come up to me to say anything like that! He left me speechless for a moment. Needing a minute to think, I thought what planet did you just fall from? Blushing, I managed to fumble my words together and I think I said thank you. “Well, uh, I’m sorry but I am happily married,” is what came stuttering out as I felt for my left hand to touch my wedding ring. Wouldn’t you know it, I left the house without any jewelry on. I smiled sheepishly. He told me to not be sorry and he apologized for embarrassing me and he departed. The rest of the day I walked on cloud nine. I was in a bit of a daze, a happy daze, as I drove home. As soon as we arrived, I had to call Rob. “You will never guess what happened!” I told him as I explained the whole story, all giddy of course. I love my husband’s (usual) response, “Well, he found out what I have already known!” Love that man. I had to call a couple friends to relive that life-changing moment.

Later in the day, I went into the bedroom and noticed The Daily Bread laying on the bed from that morning. I picked it up and reread, “A well-spoken word speaks volumes.” “Wow Lord,” I thought, “You had that man come and tell me that You think I am breath-taking!” My heart was forever changed. On a Tuesday afternoon, I learned that God lives at Target. In this realization, I learned that His eye is always upon me. For God to hear me in the quiet moments of my bedroom one morning and care enough to send a man in the middle of a store to tell me what He thought of me. He got my attention.

What I know is this, I will see that man in heaven one day and he will get the biggest hug from me! He disappeared rather quickly, never to be seen again. My heart knew. I met an angel. This was an event that helped me to know that God is committed to me. He continually lets me know that He sees me and He hears me. He faithfully dates my heart and woos me to fall in love with Him each and every day.

As the years have gone by and my kids are now adults, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God was undoing the lies that I believed about myself. It started with a few simple words. Words that have taught me to speak lovingly to others. As He encouraged me, I am to encourage others. I’ve been entrusted to love my husband into the faith, raise children who love Jesus and others as well as speak truth into women’s lives and mentor young mothers. Now God is calling me to go public with my faith, thus United In Love has been created. I am to be like a lighthouse where people can come and find out how loved they are by God and to show others that if we would just allow His amazing love to infiltrate us, we would be a people of unity.

Yes, God lives at Target as well as every other place inhabited by people. He meets people right where they are, in the middle of their insecurities and doubts, struggles and fears. He meets us with open-arms, ready to receive us into His bosom. And it is in this warm embrace where we become whole. I am breath-taking to my God which make it well with my soul. And my friends, you also are breath-taking! It is time to stop believing lies.