Brookhaven Signing

What a beautiful Saturday! I was thrilled to travel to Brookhaven for a book signing at Expectations. Owner Angie Warren and her assistants made the day go so well as there was a large turnout of folks. At last weekend's book signing in my hometown, I knew everyone who came through the door. That wasn't the case this time around, so I met many new faces throughout the day. Here is a picture of one of my Facebook friends, Tammy McCardle, and me.Each person who bought a book and brought it to the table for me to sign had something different to say. Some told me how they watch me do the weather every day. Others said they had heard me speak somewhere in the past and wanted a book. And while I talked to each one, held a few babies and took many pictures, one lady stood out.

She brought two of her daughters and a grandchild. After signing her book, I handed it back with a smile. "I'm really hoping your book will help me," she said. "I've been going through some storms myself. My husband was murdered two weeks ago." Her eyes filled up with tears. "I promised myself I wasn't going to cry today," she said as I listened to her tell me what happened. The Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder and I knew what I had to do. "Can I pray for you?" I asked her. We stood there in the middle of the store and I prayed for the Lord to heal her broken heart, for grace through her personal storm, and for the forgiveness she's going to be required to give the man who killed her husband.

As I left that afternoon, I realized what I Corinthians 13:1-2, 13 means. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging symbol. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing..And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these in love." These verses are saying that we may know all there is to know in life and we may be spiritually mature and able to quote every scripture there is, but if we don't truly love others, we are just "a clanging symbol". In other words, we are making a lot of noise and noise gets on people's nerves!

Love involves listening to a sound that others may turn a deaf ear to. How easy it would have been to had told her I was 'sorry, thanks for buying my book and hope things get better for you'. But this sweet woman needed someone to love her right where she was and she needed prayerful intervention.

I'm sure as I continue on the road for the next 2 months, there will be more stories like hers. People are hurting and they are looking for any sign of hope they can find. Pray that God gives you ears to hear so that your eyes can see the needs in the lives of others!