While standing in the convention center at Myrtle Beach, I was approached an elderly woman, who by her own confession was 70 years old. She was a little disshoveled and acted a little disoriented. It was after 10pm and we were the only ones in the convention hallway. She had parked her suitcase beside a table and apparently was going to wait all night to leave to go to Hawaii the next morning-or so her story went. It didn’t take long for her to engage in conversation, conversation that quite honestly I could have avoided and done without. But there was something inside me that said to listen. She wore an old scarf and hat, with a green sweatshirt that had Vail on it. Recently, the Lord and I have been talking a lot about what happens behind the ‘veil’ in the holy place. So, while it was a play on words, it caught my attention that she was marked by the word that God had been pricking my soul with.
She talked a little crazy and out of her mind at times. But in sharing her story, I picked up on that she had been a kindergarten teacher in churches along the way. Her opinion was that those were the worst, because they were the richest. I laughed and said I hope not…cause I was one of those kids. She called me naïve and continued to talk of her experiences of trying to grow and change kids. I tried to look for an opportunity to share Jesus with her, but could hardly get a word in edgewise. Talk of living up near my hometown led to discussion about where she was headed. Since she had mentioned she was waiting on her flight to Hawaii, I asked if she was headed back to Hawaii, to which she quickly informed me that I should never speak of going back. That she never goes back, she always goes forward. And that I should never speak of going back but what I am going towards. I nodded in agreement and thought about the words the Lord had impressed on my heart this passed year-no turning back. I quickly interjected that, I too, understood what she meant. That there should be no turning back or going back, but moving towards what the Lord has for you.
By the time we got to this point in the conversation, the work that had to be accomplished was done and it was time to move on. I quickly told her thank you and that it was time for me to head out and left. But on the way to the car, it didn’t take long for me to surmise that this was not a chance meeting. But perhaps a messenger sent to meet me. I know you may think I have lost my cotton picking mind. A random meeting with a ranting old woman who was camping out in the lobby of a hotel waiting to go to Hawaii and talking to strangers about her kindergarten adventures. But it only took a few seconds for the Lord to say to me…
“She is right. No turning back, no going back…only forward and towards me. So what are you headed towards, Christy? Are you coming towards me? Lingering in where you are or moving back? I sent her to remind you, if you want to live life behind the veil, in the holy place, you have to keep coming towards me and there is no turning back.”
My heart was stunned by the words of this elderly woman, who challenged my heart and questioned my direction. The Lord used her to show remind me not to look back, turn back or go back, but instead go forward with Him and find Presence with Him within the veil.
I think I am thankful for that old woman….ranting and all. She pointed me to Jesus. Sometimes, He shows up in the most unexpected places. Don’t miss Him because of the packaging…

ALL FOR YOU