Never Underestimate a Small Gesture

Vanessa sat quietly behind the desk at the pregnant women in crisis center, praying fervently over the list of phone numbers in the logbook open in front of her. "Dear God, protect these young pregnant women in crisis. Help them to realize that although they may feel all alone, they are not all alone. For you promise never ever to leave us or forsake us."

In walked in Amanda Richards, a 20-year-old Caucasian woman who recently discovered that she is with child. "How can I think I could afford to take care of another human being when I cannot even support myself? Even just today, I cannot even afford to feed myself dinner after work and college. " She asked Vanessa, while the anxiety within her was shown all over her young adult face.

Instantly, Vanessa remembered the gift card that a church woman had blessed her with a few days prior. When the woman handed her that card, the woman told her that God had placed it on her heart to give her that card. The woman obeyed God's prompting, trusting God had a plan attached to it. He did indeed!

Vanessa reached for her pocketbook hung on the back of her chair, and pulled out the gift card, and reached over and handed it to Amanda. As she was handing it to her, she said, " I do not know how you will figure out the baby stuff, but I can help you with your dinner dilemma."

A peace washed over Amanda in an instant. She rose to her feet, walked over to Vanessa's side of the desk, hugged her and thanked her like 20 times." She kept saying you have no idea what you just sparked in me. Vanessa not knowing what she meant by that, said you are welcome and to feel free to stop by anytime. That the agency and herself will be praying for her and are here for her. Amanda had to excuse herself because it was time to head to class but promised to be in touch.

Weeks later, while Vanessa was volunteering again at the center, working in the backroom putting together layettes for the moms to be, she received an amazing surprise. In walked in Amanda, already starting to show, with that pregnant woman glow radiating from her. Vanessa noticed a new peace about her that was definitely not present at their first meeting.

Amanda had exciting news! She shared with Vanessa that when she had gotten home that day they first met from class, she went straight to her quiet place in her home and sat for a while and prayed for the first time in years. Amanda also shared that she thought long and hard about the gift I was given that I had given up so she can eat that night.

How someone had given that gift to Vanessa, yet she given it up, so Amanda could have what she needed, and her baby (since when you bless and nourish a mother, you bless and nourish the child she carries). Amanda said she experienced for the first time in a while a mother's love, for her own mother had abandoned her. Which is a huge reason why she was so scared learning that she was with child, having to go through this without the support of her own mother.

It was at that very moment that something hit her. She had an epiphany. She decided that if there are people out there kind enough to make sure that she, someone else's baby has what she needed that day. There has to be more Vanessa's out there, that will make sure that her baby, even if her baby is not their baby will have what he or she needs when the time comes. She doesn't have to be afraid anymore, because God just used that gift card to show her that HE SEES HER, HE KNOWS what she needs, and HE will provide. So she can rest and be at peace and know that with God's help she got this.

Amanda also went on to let Vanessa know that it was the gift card that she shared with Amanda, that gave Amanda the courage to open up to her best friend and her best friend's mom about her pregnancy, and they invited her to come live with them and take her and her baby into their home and life and family and adopt her as their own and help her on her mother journey! How beautiful and amazing is that!

Vanessa went to church that Sunday and shared with that woman who blessed her with that gift card the testimony of what that obedience led to. That woman sat in awe and continued to obey God's promptings and never underestimate the smallest of gestures, because even the small ones have very big plans!

Vanessa continued to serve at that crisis center praying over the list of women that God has placed before her to reach out to. Vanessa could also relate to that young girl Amanda, for Vanessa recently had been battling with years of emotional abuse by her mother Sarah and felt motherless and non-supported.

Yet today was reminded through Amanda's testimony that even the children who have mothers who do not have eyes to see their children's worth, can experience a mother's love. They still have God who sees them and never takes His eyes off of them and will put mothers in the lives of the motherless to love on them the way daughters should be loved by their mothers.

Vanessa did not go to that crisis center to be blessed, but to be a blessing, but wound up through that same gift card not only to be blessed by Amanda' s happy ending but received healing realizing that she is not alone, and the same way God had comforted Amanda in her feelings of abandonment and loneliness, He will continue to do for Vanessa as well. The End.