Give Her My Discount

Our day was coming to an end and a long drive was ahead of us.  Heading out of town we planned to stop at a Krispy Kreme store to bring some back for our friends and us, since they aren’t available where we live (as some of you know).

It was almost 11 o’clock in the evening when we pulled into the donut parking lot. 

 

Before I went into the store, I walked to the other side of the lot to see the remaining sparks of fireworks being shot in the air by some locals.  Watching them gave me more joy than you can imagine.

Opening the door I was surprised that the place wasn’t mobbed as usual; only one woman by the front counter.  She had a black lanyard ID tag around here neck, and was wearing a uniform jacket.  I thought she was the manager not being able to see her clearly from the back of the store.

She was facing the employees and eating a glazed donut, but not saying anything.  I didn't want to interrupt, so I came along her side and asked if she was finished, thinking she was done her shift and through talking with the staff. 

“Yes, I’m done.” she answered and I changed my stance to face the sales girl. 

As I began my chat with Rachel, who was behind the donut counter, the lady started talking to my husband. I couldn’t hear what they were saying and continued my conversation with my pastry friend. 

Turning to leave the store the woman with the ID tag leaned over and whispered something to a gentleman who worked there.  What she said surprised both my husband and me.

Welcome new friends this week from: 

See if your city/state/country made the list.

New on DFB – Lithuania; New Zealand; Malaysia; Qatar; Egypt; Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Karachi, Sindh Pakistan; Lima, Peru; Athens, Attiki, Greece; New Delhi, Delhi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Pune, Maharashtra & Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India; Montreal, QC, & Calgary, AB, Canada; Seoul, South Korea; Paris, Ile-de-France, France; Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana; Manila, Philippines; Columbia; Maria Ellend, Niederosterreich, Austria; Hattingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany; Lecco, Lombardia, Italy; Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom; Bangkok, Thailand; Sevastopol, Ukraine; Lebanon & Cyprus.

USA  –  Detroit, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Sacramento, Corona & San Francisco, California; Olympia, & Camano Island, Washington; Willow Springs, Missouri; Broken Bow, Nebraska; Souderton, Pennsylvania; Phoenix & Clarksville, Arizona; Poinciana & Carrabelle, Florida; Austin, San Angelo, Houston & Richardson, Texas.

I hope I didn’t leave anyone out; thank you to all who have remained faithful in sharing this Inner Journey on Daily Favor.  (DFB - Daily Favor Blog)

You are welcome to leave comments or prayer requests below.  All are private. I would love to hear from you and how Daily Favor has worked in your life.  Contact me by leaving a message in the box at the bottom of this week’s post.

Don't miss out on this week's challenge (below).

Visit the Q & A and Weekly Top Ten List sections.

 

What Does A Day of Favor Look Like Anyway?

We were supposed to have left several hours earlier, but an emergency trip to the veterinary clinic postponed our plans.  Normally it’s hard to get an appointment on Saturday, but with God nothing is normal or impossible.

Ricky the rescue cat was taken care of right away and surgery was scheduled for Monday. With kitty safe our plans continued, but it would be noon by the time we got to where we were going.  That meant we had a fast paced day ahead of us if we were to accomplish the goal(s) of our trip.

In order for us to fit everything in we decided to opt for a quick lunch at the shopping mall food court. Hubby loves it when he is met at the door with free samples of something mouthwatering.  He ended up purchasing a cheesesteak and I had pizza. 

While disposing of our trash I noticed a big sales sign at the Yankee Candle store. Intrigued as to what was really on sale I decided to check it out, while my husband remained comfortably seated outside the store. 

A student of mine had given me a candle that I wanted to refill.  Looking at the selections I didn’t see it so several sales clerks assisted me. 

 

Checking their records they gave me the news that it was no longer being made.

On that note I was about to leave the store when I saw some interesting sales.  Large candles are $22.00, but some were on sale for 75% off or more.  I had already asked the Lord for His blessings and favor that day, but I also prayed for wisdom on my decisions. 

By the time I left the store I had a bag full of candles for gifts at a fraction of the original cost. (I'd tell you the price, but the people I'm giving them to will be reading this!)

Getting Some Seed

Our next stop was at a Christian Book Store where we frequently get items for street ministry.  There is so much to tell you that I can’t fit it in one writing, so it will have to wait.  I will share that 46 books we bought were $433.42 before the discount and favor. 

 

"and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

so that he (satan) will not destroy the fruit of your ground,

nor shall the Vine (Jesus) fail to bear fruit for you in the (mission) field,

says the LORD of hosts."  (Malachi 3:11 NKJV emphasis mine)

This normally sells for $22 ...
 but not when there's favor!
It was on a one week sale only.
We bought two copies to sow.

God sent us there to purchase "seeds for sowing" and He never pays retail. By the time the cashier was done, the total was $46.00 for 46 books and only $5.00 for CD’s we were giving away.  You should have seen our faces!

On our way out the door one of the employees was checking out her merchandise before she left for the day.  She asked us to stop so she could pray over our cart of goodies, so we moved into the corridor and waited.

Sharon is a prayer warrior, and when she sees us we find time to slip off somewhere in the store to pray. 

 

We were chatting and exchanging the details of this mission when we spotted a girl leaving the store in a wheel chair.  A friend was with her.  She was about to exit the main door when two girls around the same age bolted in laughing, and one was on crutches.

Looking to see what all the fuss was about we saw that they were together.  The one who had the crutches handed them to the girl in the wheel chair.  I can’t recall the entire conversation, but somehow I was in the middle of it and told her to believe God for her healing as they all left the store.

Time for Prayer

Our friend Sharon prayed with us over our mission work.  Her prayer was a witness from the Holy Spirit that we were on the right path, because she had no idea what God had put on our hearts.

If it’s in God’s plans He will work out all the details and position you to be in the right place at the right time, and that’s why we had favor the entire day.  We were where He wanted us even though we were delayed.

We mentioned to Sharon that our (OK, my) desire was to eat at the Olive Garden, but being a holiday weekend, a Saturday and 6 o’clock in the evening would make it difficult … you might think.

Her prayer included “Lord, bless them with favor” so that we could eat there despite all the odds.  Friends, Sharon hasn't seen Daily Favor blog!  She isn't on the web.  That's how we knew it was the Holy Spirit leading her as she prayed.

Waiting is Not an Option

Entering the lobby of the restaurant we were told there was a fifteen minute wait.  Not bad I thought, so I went to the restroom to freshen up some.  Returning to the waiting area I sat down next to hubby.  To my delight the four girls we just encountered at the book store were seated on the other side of the room.



My new buds: Kalli, Laci, Lyndsey, Morgan

Giggling, one of the girls leaned to her left and whispered to her friends that I was there.  She then sat upright and they all looked over at me. 

Bending my arm half way I smiled back at her giving the “Queen’s” wave that stirred the rest of them.  I couldn’t help but laugh. It was like they were doing something they shouldn’t have been doing and the teacher caught them.

If you know me I took it as signal from the Holy Spirit to rise and "go ye" … so I did, even though it was only across the room.

 

Actually, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to know what happened to the one on crutches.  In a jet move I popped up, and before my husband could blink I was on the other side of the room introducing myself and getting the "deets".

The waiting ended.  While I was chatting and getting the scoop hubby was ushered to our table where he would explain to the hostess, “She might be a while.”  He was assured I would be directed to him when I was finished.

The famous foot!

Lyndsey explained how she was bitten by a copperhead snake in her yard while wearing flip flops. Ouch!

Our conversation was exciting but short, and included a lesson on healing from God.  When I asked why they were in that store Laci said,

 

 “I’m not from here but visiting, and they were showing me the town.” 

 

Another validation that this was of God giving an opportunity to share the gospel.

What and When to Sow

I love their house salad!

Stuffing myself with two giant bowls of salad, I needed a take-out container for my meal.  Our server Clark,  spelled with an “e”, was a conversationalist and inquired about our marriage. as he put my food in the carton. 

 

He then shared his life and how he was a new father. It was then the Holy Spirit told me to go out to the car for a specific book we bought 45 minutes ago and give it to him.  That particular book also included a gospel music CD.

After we gave it to Clarke he was speechless and said, “I need to hug you”. He sat down next to me and almost cried in unbelief that a stranger would give him a gift.  Standing up to resume his duties he exclaimed, “This renews my faith in marriage and gives me hope.”

If we had left two hours earlier we would have missed Sharon, the four girls and Clarke.  God gave us an assignment so we could be a blessing to others when He wanted, not when we felt like being generous.

In order for us to be a blessing, we had to have seeds to bless someone with before we could carry out our assignment. 

 

What had to be in motion for our task to be completed?

We had to have a car (our air conditioner was on the blink) so we received favor in the rental.  I shared that with you last week. (July 4th, 2014 post "The Freedom Zone")

 

The books and CD's had to be on sale. Sharon had to be at the cash register to see us, the girls had to walk in the door as we were leaving the store, and Clarke had to be on that shift for us to give him the gift God had us purchase just minutes before meeting him.

God was looking for a vessel to use, and we said, “Yes, here we are, send us.”

The rest of the day we received favor as we sowed blessings to everyone we met.  So much so that my husband said, “Why don’t we move here?”

Give Her My Discount

“What did she say?” I asked the man who talked to the lady with the ID tag in the donut shop.  He looked at me and directed the girl behind the glass counter ... “Give her my discount.”

I didn’t know what that meant, but kept talking to Rachel (the sales woman) as I reprimanded her (all while smiling), because she hadn’t been on my website that week.  Plus, I was telling her I wouldn’t be in that city when they had their sale.

The unidentified woman left the store and we were the only customers, which was extremely odd.  When I asked them what the lady said the gentleman beamed with enthusiasm, “You are to get her discount.”  Of course I asked what it was. 

Oh yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about!

“One dozen free donuts, for every dozen you buy.” 

 

I looked over at my husband who had a grin on his face and said, ‘What? Why would she do that?” 

During his conversation with her, she asked if I worked at the hospital since I was wearing a nurse’s jacket.

 

My Mr. explained that I was a teacher, writer, evangelist, counselor, preacher, etc… (He spouted everything in about thirteen seconds.) Hubby explained that I always wear them, because they are comfortable and have big pockets.

Walking away from my husband, she headed toward the door stopping the man behind the counter to give him directions on blessing us. The employees didn’t have to follow her instructions, because she wasn’t their boss … but they did.

This is how God explained it to me in short. The Holy Spirit directed a stranger to bless us due to the fact that we were purchasing blessings for others.  God didn’t say, “Give her my discount” but was instructing that stranger, “Give her My favor.” … which in this case was free donuts.

I have to tell you that we were bursting with excitement and had to let it out right then and there.  Not because of free donuts, we were there to buy them anyway.  It was because of all the God things that happened the entire day, down to a stranger blessing us in the end of that assignment.

Yield to God’s Favor

The outward expression of the Lord’s favor on His children is available to all who will yield to the plan of God.  Along our journey God wants us to receive and be open to His favor by yielding ourselves to Him.  This means saying no to others, but yes to Jesus.

Our agenda was set … we’re out to bless others.  That meant everything else we wanted to do came after we did our assignment from God. 

 

As we went about the plan, God allowed our plans to come to pass at the same time, thus accomplishing both desires (His and ours).  I wanted to eat at the Olive Garden and He wanted us to reach out to Clarke.  The other things were a bonus, because God honors faithfulness.

Every believer can have days like this where goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life.  It begins with saying yes to God even if it changes your plans. (Psalm 23:6a)

 

A Yielded Life Receives Blessings and Favor

You have read these past weeks how God has done many different things in my life based on the need I had at the time.  I’m not saying your blessings and favor will look like mine (ours – my husband and I), because God will provide according to your particular need and His plan for your life. 

I am saying that a yielded heart reaps outwardly so people can see God’s hand on a situation.  We are going to experience God’s blessings this week on Daily Favor, because we are yielding our hearts to His plan.

This Week’s Challenge:

 

                 Yield Your Yes

It’s not a difficult challenge, but one that will cost us something. I asked God what He wanted to do that would help us yield our “yes” (our will to serve) to Him and this is what I heard in my spirit.

For this week’s challenge we are to buy a Christian bargain book to sow. Can you believe my husband asked if he could use one we just bought instead?

 

I asked why it couldn’t be a book we owned, and He explained that part of our receiving favor was to bless a store owner with a purchase.

There are tons of places you can get deals on books, but you must pray and ask God where that place is.  He may have a prayer warrior waiting … who knows.  Our book of the week (listed below) is an example of the type of bargain books you may find or want to give.

Ask for God’s leading and blessing on your purchase.  This is important: Before the evening falls give the book away.  If you are following the direction of the Holy Spirit in this challenge He will lead you to that individual.

Your part is to:

Yield your yes and be blessed by the Lord.

I’m excited to hear your stories as God plants favor for your journey as you yield to Him in blessing others for His glory.

 

P.S.  God even blesses His animals with favor. Our delayed trip due to Ricky’s trauma … someone sowed 32 cans of cat food for him after his surgery! 

 

God's blesses those who care for His animals, you can count on it.

“A righteous man regards the life of his animal.” (Proverbs 12:10a NKJV)

I'll Say Yes (Don Moen)

 

I'm Trading My Sorrows (Women of Faith)

 

Until next time, say YES to God's favor.

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199 Promises of God

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