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We were out of food, or mostly out.  It’s my responsibility to make sure there is to cook in the deli.  I failed.  The weekend was busier than normal, and I was off so by Tuesday when I got back to work, our freezer was bare.  I placed an order, but I just knew that I would not be there until Friday. 

I spent most of today feeling defeated,

depressed,

like a failure.

I knew it was my fault, and there was nothing that I could do about it.   About a half hour, before I was to leave, one of my coworkers commented that sometimes the truck gets there early.  My comment; I’m praying.  

The other associate laughed and walked away. 

I prayed a simple prayer “Let them know you answer prayer.  Don’t let my prayer be in vain”

I walked back into the deli and began waiting on customers.

Fast forward ten minutes.  Another associate who had heard the conversation walked up to the deli laughing and shaking her head and said, “They just unloaded the truck.”  I was laughing and happy dancing all around the deli, at that moment.

I went to the freezer hoping that what I needed was on top.  It wasn’t.  At that moment, I wanted to admit defeat. 

I had ten minutes. 

I was tired.

I wanted to go home.

I won’t lie; I considered leaving it until tomorrow.

Then I thought, “Why did I ask God to send the truck if I was not going to get the food I needed.”  I put my big girl pants on and got to work unloading the pallet.   As I was unloading, I was thinking about how often we want easy prayers.  The kind where we pray and God answers.  Boom.  Done.   

It’s harder when the answers to our prayers require that we act.

It was not enough that I got the truck early.

It was not enough that the food was in the freezer.

If I were not going to get the food to the deli, then my prayer would have been in vain.   I had to act on the answer that God gave me.


I went home in tears of joy and thanksgiving at God’s faithfulness even when I don’t deserve it.

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