Unsuspecting Encouragement in an Airport!

I've spent some time in the past talking and writing about how I feel or more appropriately how it makes me feel to know that I have put a smile on someones face. When someone reads the silly license plate holder on my car and I see them pointing to it and laughing, or for random simple acts of kindness. I love what that does for my heart seeing what it does for someone else. Recently the table was turned and I had the same sort of thing reversed on me.

Sitting in the airport is NOT a high thing on my list of things I like to do :). Then again, I don't know very many people who do enjoy sitting in an airport. Usually I like the hundreds out there, plug into a MP3 player and disappear into the masses. My last trip to Arizona, however, I found myself being more of myself.

I arrived at the Southwest Gate a bit earlier that day. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of traffic down to the airport that afternoon. I found myself sitting against the wall in line next to a woman a bit older then myself. She had forgotten to bring her cell phone charger and was trapped in line with absolutely nothing to do. Her personality (I usually call it the realtor type A personality) was one who could make conversation anywhere about anything. Instead of plugging in and disappearing, I found myself asking her after a few minutes of pleasant no important small talk what it was that was bringing her to Arizona. She went ahead and began sharing her life with me. She described her job in detail and it facinated me. At one point I offered my phone to her so she could call into the office, I still find it interesting when people are amazed at small acts of kindness. Later while in line we were informed that the flight was going to be about 20 minutes delayed. She asked if she could pay me to use my cell phone and I shook my head and handed it over to her. Unable to remember her husbands cell number (isnt that the way of life today, we are so plugged in we don't know each others phone numbers!) I quickly said, well it looks like we have the same cell's why don't you just use my battery and make the calls you need. She sat there commenting that it would take a woman to come up with a quick fix like that and thanked me again. While in line she shared with me what the divorce earlier in her life did to her, she shared with me how long it took for her to be willing to marry her husband of today. She shared with me the struggle of finding 'herself' again and trusting God to make her life work out. I couldn't believe what an encouragement she was to me. When we can trust ourselves again to walk forward we can trust that even if we make a mistake we can go forward.

I want to be that sort of encouragement to someone or people again in my life. Not in a prideful way, but in a servants heart sort of way. For years I served mothers who simply were scared to be the mother God called them to be. I encouraged them in meetings, workshops, phone calls and more. Today I want to offer encouragement to those who want to take that step forward in life. Today I want to encourage people around me to "Dare to Dream". Today, I want to encourage myself to dare to take that next step forward. Trusting God each step of the way!