Another testimony of God’s Faithfulness (or two...) - Part 2

(If you missed part 1 of this blog, you can read it here: Another Testimony of God's Faithfulness)

The day I went in for my interview and exam for the drug trial, I wore my “Be Brave” sweatshirt, as I so often do (and one of the t-shirts under it for good measure)! But this day was a bit different. I thought I was putting it on for me - a reminder to myself that God was with me in this, that He wouldn’t leave my side, and He was fighting for me. And He was. But this day, that shirt was for so much more than myself.

The first encounter took place on the elevator ride down from the top floor of the parking garage (where I finally found one.single.spot) to the first floor where you enter the professional buildings. 

I don’t recall when, but an older gentleman joined me on the elevator (either on the top floor or the next floor down), and while I fully anticipated a head nod and hello followed by silence, that’s not what transpired. He looked at me and smiled and nodded to my sweatshirt. I wish I had wrote the words down that day so I could remember them exactly, but I do remember he said that verse was an encouragement and he asked if there was a story behind it. So in a literal elevator pitch, I got to share about God’s faithfulness in my life and the lives of my children/family. He said “God bless” as we exited the elevator on the first floor and we went our separate ways. It gave me a little extra pep in my step and courage to bravely walk in to that doctor’s office.

As much as the older gentleman’s encounter meant to me, I was not prepared for my ride back up to the top. The place was BUSY. It was mid-afternoon, and the parking garage services a hospital AND a medical professional office, so there were people buzzing around everywhere, coming and going. I knew the elevator was about to be cram-packed...one of my least favorite things.

To my surprise, and relief, it was myself and a mother/daughter duo that had clearly just left the building I was in. The elevator had barely started to move when the daughter gasped and put her hand to her mom’s arm. She put her other hand to her mouth and started to cry, both staring straight at me. She said, “Mom, look at her shirt. Read her shirt.” With tears streaming down her cheeks (and mine), she said, “Thank you so much. We needed that right this second. My mom was just diagnosed with cancer.” (Literally STILL cry thinking about this moment to this day.)

Although I can’t recall the exact conversation with the older gentleman, I don’t think I’ll ever forget a single word from the second encounter that day. When we designed these shirts, they served a purpose of provision for our family in a time of great and desperate need. I wanted them to point to Jesus and His faithfulness, but I never dreamed how far they’d stretch. We love seeing our friends (and even people we don’t know!!) wearing our shirts all over the country, and even the world, in doctors' offices and NICUs, out with friends, or Sunday morning church. We love hearing the stories of how they have encouraged the people who wear them and the people who see them being worn. I never imagined just how much they’d mean to me, or how much God could use a simple t-shirt. But then again, that’s really no surprise...after all, it is His story for His glory!