Acts 1:8 (NIV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
CONSIDER THIS
Today’s Holy Spirit Story comes to us from a member of the Farm Team (our staff). Mike Cowart is our Story Connector and works with our Seed Team (the generous souls who provide prayer cover and financial support for this mission). Mike is a dear friend and a real Christian. He knows the verities of Jesus as well as the vicissitudes of life. I love how he keeps it real and tells the truth. I love how after a brilliant career in the field of philanthropy he shows up at Target and says “I’m here to serve” and then to Seedbed and says “I’m here to help.” This story is a short one, but something tells me it is still unfolding out there in the realm of the possibilities of God. Below you will read it in Mike’s own words and, if you listen, you will hear it in his own voice.
When my wife passed away in May 2020, I was out of emotional and physical bandwidth. My faith wavered. I had been a full-time caregiver for a year.
Loneliness began to overwhelm me.
I had two options. I could sit at home and talk to Sadie, my mini Golden Doodle, or find something to do. I became a cashier at Target, which provided socialization and kept my mind occupied.
In December 2022, I was working as a self-checkout clerk. It was the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I like to ask trivia questions. Linda came through self-checkout, and I asked, “What was the best gift you received for Christmas?”
She said, “I received hope that my daughter, Allie, would recover from anorexia.”
I said, “I’m going to pray for you.”
She said, “Thank you.”
I said, “I’m going to pray for you now.” She was shocked. I began to pray, and crocodile tears began to flow from Linda’s eyes. She completed her transaction. Upon her frequent returns, she would come to my checkout lane, and give me an update on Allie, which was not good.
Linda and Allie continually came to mind, and I prayed regardless of what I was doing or where I was.
During the summer of 2023, I took a leave of absence and did not see Linda during that time. I returned to work in the fall of 2023 but never saw Linda, as I had changed my schedule.
Last week, I was the self-checkout clerk and Linda walked into the store. She immediately shouted, “Mike!”
I immediately asked, “How’s our girl?”
She said, “Mike, Allie has been transformed!”
Did you know that miracles occur at Target? In my opinion, the most fertile soil is in the self-checkout lanes!
THE PRAYER
Father, thank you for the way you unfold your will every day, in every way and everywhere. Thank you for the self-checkout line at Target. Thank you for putting a servant like Mike at the self-checkout line. Thank you for the way the Holy Spirit modeled curiosity for us in Mike, and attunement to pain and suffering, and then the boldness of love to step beyond the social norms of a checkout line and pray. We love the way you work in and through us Jesus. Come, Holy Spirit, and increase our willingness and confidence to take the simple risks of love. Praying in Jesus’s name, amen.
THE JOURNAL PROMPTS
Have you ever taken this kind of risk to pray for someone, even a complete stranger, in public? What happened? Do you tend to lean into people you don’t yet know or lean away? How might the Spirit be challenging that posture?
THE HYMN
Today we will sing our Saturday song: “Sanctuary.” We will sing it through twice.
For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt
Sower-in-Chief
seedbed.com
P.S. HOW TO KEEP A WORD AND SPIRIT JOURNAL
Friends, we heard you! On Monday, August 26 at 6:30 pm CST, J. D. Walt alongside Dan Wilt will be leading a 90-minute workshop on journaling. J. D. will walk you through his own process of discovery and move you into partnering with the Holy Spirit and the word of God, to journaling beyond reflection, and into word revelation and spirit response.
The night will be $25. You can sign up here! Also, Exodus journals are available here to pre-order now. Might as well grab both for the season to come!
P.P.S. Holy Spirit Stories Welcome
I would love it if you would send a story of faith from your life we might use on a Saturday in the future. We will be glad to attach your name or a pseudonym or anonymity—it’s up to you. It can be a story of coming to faith, a story of transformation, a story of healing, deliverance, suffering and sufficient grace, family reconciliation, prodigal returns, answered prayer, and so forth. A word count of 500–800 words works well. We can’t guarantee publication, but we assure you of our prayerful discernment. You can reply to this email with your story and it will come to me.
3 Responses
I’m up early to try to catch some fish. Surprised to see the WUC already posted. Thank you, JD and crew.
I’m a member of “Kingdom Prime”. I went fishing last week on my birthday and had a good hot summer day, for once. I found that Ohio DNR now considers me “Senior” and the fish were honoring me. Unfortunately, it was a one-day celebration.
We used to have “graduation” in Sunday School. I am now part of the class that “graduates” to heaven and I’m finding that I’m more alive and ready for both heaven and earth than I have ever been. For me, retirement started with a year of settling and getting used to the privilege of choosing my days and being concerned with choosing well. I’m truly learning that God’s will is whatever he is doing at any time. My joy is participating without burden and without all the earlier distractions of life.
My wife died in 2015 and I remarried in 2021. A year ago my bride and I moved to the “inner city” of Columbus to be near our church. I say this not to claim any credit but to reassure anyone in our position that doing something unusual is one of the privileges of our age. It’s not the time to hunker down and wait to die. It’s the best time to live and grow in the stream of God’s will. Gravity and all.
It’s never too late
To go beyond
The usual
And to learn to flow
In the stream
Of God’s will.
Why wait to die?
Instead, eagerly
Wait for God
To prompt you.
Then let your heart fly
With the thrill
Of obeying
God’s Spirit.
What a powerful story, Mike. I’m glad I could hear it in your voice which made it even more special.