Casting Call

Tonight, I was an actress in the game of life, starring in my favorite genre of movies which is the indy-film that brings together stranger's lives tying them together by one thread that moves among them all. Crash is a more recent example of this genre while Magnolia is an older example.

Here's my story: I went to a hospital tonight to pray with a family who just had a baby. Because I'm at a new church and don't really know people yet, I was glad to make this visit as this is one of the few families I know (I worked on a project with the husband my second week at church.) I had a great visit with the mom, who was alone. After the visit, as I walked to the elevators on her floor, there was a 2-year-old screaming in the middle of the hallway next to the waiting room. I peeked in to see another set of parents with the hospital-plastic-cradle so I congratulated them on the new baby. The dad said thanks and as I walked off, he asked if I had change for a dollar. Their 2-year-old was in the middle of the hallway having a tantrum and they wanted to give-in to his request for a treat from the machine but his only dollar bill would not work. So I dug through my purse and found 4 quarters and gave it to him and told him to keep his dollar.

As I got on the elevator, I realized that was not a smart decision as I now had no cash to leave the parking garage. The elevator stopped at the next floor and this really stylish young woman got on the elevator. Normally, I do not talk to people on the elevators, but as I was digging through my purse hoping to find a stray dollar, I mentioned that I had no money for the parking garage but hopefully the parking attendant would accept my business card and let me out with no payment because I'm a minister.

"You're a minister?" she replied as the elevator doors opened to the 1st floor. We both exited the elevator and walked in the same direction.

"Yes, at least that's what they call me but don't worry, I'm not the 'usual' minister," I answered in my usual disarming way so that people don't think I'm one of "those" ministers.

"It's strange that here you are, a minister," she said quietly as we walked the hallway.

"Are you okay?" I replied back to her.

"I'm having a lot of spiritual confusion right now and my baby is in the hospital," she explained. "I was just in my baby's room praying that God would give me some direction."

"Well, it sounds like God is on your side because I normally don't talk to people in elevators but I did for you, so do you want to talk?"

We chatted for a bit and she told me how she was really confused by some spiritual experiences she had been having, including visions, and how she wasn't sure if it was from God and that it was all very confusing ot her. We talked about the usual things: stress from having a sick child, sleep deprivation from being in the hospital, and, that ultimately, God is a God of goodness and peace and that she can pray to God to help give her peace until she can better understand what is happening to her. I told her about a friend of mine who is a Christian and experiences visions and we exchanged phone numbers.

We both knew that tonight wasn't random; that everything happened at just the right moment to get both of us on that elevator, having the conversation we were having. I told her that tonight's sequence of events is a reminder that God is with her, even in the confusion. And when it was time for me to go, she asked if she could have a hug. So we hugged.

As I turned to walk away, she quietly said, "Before I got on that elevator, I had no hope. Now I feel hopeful. Thank you."

Wow. Thank you God for letting me be an actress tonight in your divine play.