Mysterious ways? How about absolutely amazing ways.

What a day. I am so tired that I think I might fall asleep on my computer while typing this, but this story is so neat, that I just can't help but tell...

Well, it doesn't start out so neat, in fact it starts out with me being so exhausted and thoughtless that while I was putting gas in my car on the way back from Waco tonight, I locked my keys in there. The second that I realized what I had done, after the day that I had, I felt like slamming my head against the glass and retrieving my keys after I regained consciousness. But I used a few of the deep breathing exercises I learned in speech the other day and regained some composure. After I called home and the ones nearest and dearest to my heart got me squared away with a locksmith, I got a cup of coffee and a ''Troy daily newspaper''. I sat down in the little Exxon diner and began reading the helpful hints column, which reminded me so much of Peggy Hill, and well, it was just awesome. The attendant working, who I had briefly spoken with before about my situation came over and started cleaning the already clean tables around me. I asked her how her day had been. She just looked at me and went back to wiping down the tables. I sat there slightly confused, but just figured that she wasn't the 'small talk type' or something. I continued with the helpful hints column for a couple minutes and noticed she was still wiping down the same table. I looked up to see her standing there cleaning with tears rolling down her cheeks. I said ''do you wanna talk?'' She nodded and I invited her to sit with me. She told me a story about all of these unfortunate events, her mom had passed away a couple of months ago and she has been forced to stay with her step dad and 3 younger siblings, which has been a really abusive, horrible situation for her. While she was telling me this, I held her hand, looked her in the eyes and just listened. When she got done, I smiled, not intentionally, but just because I knew at that moment that maybe it wasn't my sheer stupidity that made me lock my keys in the car, it was something greater. I told her what I thought about this, and tried to encourage her by telling her a little bit of my story. We were interrupted by Mr. Pop-a-lock's arrival, but after he released my keys from captivity, I went back in to finish up our conversation. When I walked in she was still sitting in the spot that she was when I left. I had accidentally left my purse sitting in the diner seat, I had my wallet so I wasn't worried, but as I got closer I noticed she was reading a bible that looked just like mine!! Being way tired it didn't click until I got to the table and saw my bookmark laying there, it WAS mine! I have been memorizing 2 Timothy 4:16-18, so that's what I had underlined and bookmarked. She asked me ''do you really think this is true?'' I said ''I know it is.'' I quoted the part that says ''I was delivered from the lions mouth (you will be too). The Lord will rescue me (and you) from every evil attack and will bring us safely into his heavenly kingdom.'' Her reply: the biggest hug I have ever received from someone I had only known for 30 minutes. I prayed over her, and told her that I would continue to do so. She said that she was going to pray for me too. I got in my truck and started to drive away, the moment that I thought about what had just happened I had to pull over and just cry and turn up Shane & Shane. I was blessed beyond words tonight, just by locking my keys in my car. The Lord put me there, I believe to just listen, encourage and show His love to this lost, hurt and confused girl. It's times like these when I'm grateful for what I have endured, but more so, grateful for His rescuing me.

''At my first defense no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.'' -2 Tim. 4:16-18