Our eyes met across the room, two strangers in a crowded McDonald’s lobby as rays of golden sun filled the space between us. I was traveling solo, but I wasn’t alone. Beneath a pale blue summer hat, she smiled shyly and soon we were side by side, inching forward in the breakfast line.
For me, this was a brief stop on the journey north to visit family near the Shenandoah Valley of western Virginia, but many in the bustling restaurant appeared to be taking advantage of perfect weather, preparing to start the weekend on the beautiful beaches of Georgia’s Golden Isles along the Atlantic Coast.
The woman beside me seemed no exception. As her companions moved forward to place an order, she paused, speaking softly, initiating the slightest spark of conversation.
Just small talk at first. She didn’t care much for breakfast foods, but her husband and daughter chose the McDonald’s stop. We spoke for a few moments, chatting about nothing in particular, until a soft glow blurred the lines of her aging face and the conversation shifted to a topic close at heart.
Gaze softening, she motioned toward the twenty-something blonde at the counter.
“That’s my miracle baby.”
I smiled, glancing from mother to daughter, waiting for the story to unfold – and in tones still filled with wonder all these years later, she told me.
After years of infertility, doctors gave no hope of a child being born to the couple, and dreams of the family they once imagined dissolved with the heart wrenching news. As difficult as it was, they were forced to bury their desire and accept this stark, unwanted reality.
Until the couple’s twenty first year of marriage. At age 41, long after the light of hope faded, her unexpected miracle baby arrived.
And there was more.
“She’s expecting my first grand baby.”
This last bit of news came with an excited smile. Then, with a few more words, the woman was gone, moving through the crowd to a nearby table.
I stepped forward, finally placing my to-go order for a breakfast sandwich, still preoccupied by the unexpected conversation.
While many women her age were attending the graduation ceremonies and weddings of adult grandchildren, this soft spoken woman delighted in the miracle of her first.
How could she know I needed her story?
Of course. She couldn’t have known, but a much Higher Power did. The very word miracle touched a tender place in my own soul, stirring hope for loved ones facing serious, uncertain health crises, and though our needs were not the same, the unexpected beauty shared on an ordinary Saturday morning formed a common bond that settled deep inside my heart.
I hope it resonates with you too.
Anything is possible when God is writing your story.
What we view as the end of a chapter may only be the slightest pause of intermission for Him.
I can’t promise you a miracle. But I can carry on the message of a soft spoken woman in a pale blue hat.
Expect the beauty of the unexpected when your life is in His care.
Even long after the embers of hope have cooled, He may ignite a flame and accomplish the impossible. And in His mysterious way, while you and I are in search of an Egg McMuffin or the breakfast of choice, we might be surprised with a cup of hope instead.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
I so enjoyed reading this! The moral that was drawn from the woman’s story is something I can relate to in my life as well. I think sometimes things we desire and can’t have can become too important in our lives, and he wants us to learn to be content with where we are in the moment, letting go of making that dream our idol, before granting the dearest desires of our hearts.
Thank you so much, Alyssa. Your words and perspective really mean a lot to me. I think that’s so true. He wants us to be content with the journey of walking with Him in the moment and is a God of beautiful surprises 🙂 Thanks for taking time to read the post!
Beautiful story and well delivered. Thank you for sharing!!!
Chass, Thank you so much for taking time to visit the site and read it. I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂