“God, I know I’ve been slacking on this.”

I slid the leather-bound journal my husband had made for me out from my bedside table, running my hand over the smooth cover that read, “That’s What He Said.”

It felt like switching my spiritual ride status back on to available.

Sobriety had given me a full life, and lately that life had become very busy—busy enough that I’d started rationalizing my lack of quiet time with God. Though staying consistent with my morning routine of spiritual readings and prayer, I’d recently drifted away from the practice of two-way prayer, which frankly had become one way. Each morning I’d be sure to catch God up to speed on what I needed His help with, but never inquiring how exactly I might serve others. 

“I don’t expect you to have much for me, or for me to be able to hear You, but I’m going to recommit to this, and we’ll just see how it goes for today.”

After saying the Third Step Prayer and the St. Francis Prayer, I opened my journal to a clean page and wrote at the top:

“Father God,

 How can I be useful today?”

 After a deep inhale and exhale, I let the pen write.

“My child,

 A meeting – you can go to a meeting this evening. There may be a woman there that needs your help. Check on Jeff. Darlene may need something today. Pay attention.”

The pen stopped.

I’d expected it to keep going as it had in the past, but a few more seconds went by and nothing.

Noticing how short it was, I started trying to think about what else God might want to tell me. Then I realized what I was doing. Thinking about it. That was me trying to insert myself.

I stopped, re-read the paragraph, and told God I would do those things.

I walked into the kitchen to make breakfast.

As I cracked an egg into the mixing bowl, I heard, “Check on Jeff.”  

I figured I’d see him at the meeting that night.

Then I heard it again.

“Check on Jeff.”

Like clockwork, just after 8:00 a.m., my husband called as he was getting off shift at the fire station. I told him about the guidance I’d received.

“God told me to go to the meeting tonight at 6 o’clock. I guess I’m going. You don’t have to come with me, but God told me to go, so I am.”

“Babe, I’m not arguing with God. If He told you to go the meeting I’m coming. Besides, I want to see why you need to be there,” he chuckled.

We were just about to hang up when I said, “Oh, and God had told me three times to check on Jeff—once on paper and twice in the kitchen. Jeff is usually at the meeting. Do you think I should wait till then?”

“If God told you three times, you probably should check on him now.”

 So, I sent a text.

“Hey, good morning! Great chatting with you the other night. God put you on my heart. Is everything okay?”

About an hour later, I received a response.

“Absolutely! It’s so funny, but I believe we are all connected somehow! I was out with my dog when you sent that text. I was just looking at the sun and waved and said, ‘Hi God!’ Thank you for thinking of me.”

I called to check on Darlene to see if she needed any help. She just appreciated being thought of.

When I got to the meeting, Jeff approached me and said, “It was too much to text to you, but you have no idea how much that meant to me today. I was really having a pity party and struggling. I was at the dog park when you sent that text and I didn’t have my phone, but while I was there, I thought of you.

I thought of when you first started praying and would sit on that bench, waving up at God because you really didn’t know how yet.

So, I waved and asked Him for help.”

As the meeting was coming to an end, I thought to myself that three out of four wasn’t bad.

Out in the parking lot, just as I was getting ready to hop in my car, she approached me.

“Christine is moving, and I need a new sponsor.”

Jaime H.