The Shoe Story

OK so a few people have asked that I put the shoe story up on here so here goes:

Before Kristin and I left for Delaware I was having some issues. I was worrying about how we were going to survive out there. As a husband and provider, it was really concerning. I already had a lot of knowledge about the wilderness and about what to eat, how to make emergency shelter, which plants to put on bug bites and cuts, and general bushcraft skills of that nature. But, I was just clamoring for more information. I couldn't learn enough fire making skills, or new knots to tie for this and that, or which trapping techniques work best in certain situations. It was starting to consume me. Then on day Kristin and I got up early to eat breakfast at The Diner. They only take cash so I went across town to the bank to get cash. After making a withdrawl, I was pulling out onto the street and I remember seeing an almost brand new shoe in the middle of the road. It was a very nice New Balance running shoe. I thought to myself, "Man! Someone is really missing a nice shoe." Then I just drove on and promptly forgot about it because after all it is just a shoe in the road right!? :) So Kristin and I ate our breakfast and then drove all over town and to some neighboring towns finding our tent and boots and other gear and such. Then after 10 or 11 hours we were back in Norman. I had to go to Lowe's to get something to fix on the house before we moved out and headed across town. When I was coming out of Lowe's, I SAW THE OTHER SHOE!! I thought to myself, "Man! Weird. Someone must REALLY be missing these shoes." Then I again just promptly drove off. Because after all, it's just a shoe in the road right?!! HA! So I get like 50 feet past the shoe and God gives me a very fatherly slap in the back of my spiritual head and says, "Jeff!! turn around and pick up that shoe right now! Could I have made it any clearer son?!" So I pulled a U-turn and didn't even get out of the car, I just open the door and pull a rodeo cowboy move and snag it up in mid-stride. Man it was a really nice shoe. Black with red Logo and striping. So I said, "Ok God. Let's just go see if that first shoe is still there." So I drove back across town and sure enough, it was right where I had seen it that morning! So I picked up that shoe. I looked at them, and it was a matching pair of shoes!! I'm talking left and right, same size and color, pair of shoes. Whoa! I thought. So I said, "Ok God, who are these for?" Turns out that we had just bought Kristin a nice new pair of boots and these shoes were too small for me. As I looked up, I saw a man sitting in the sliding side door of a van on the side of the road. I knew in my spirit that these shoes were for him. So I drive over to him and get out with the shoes in hand. I asked him if he was alright and he replied in the thickest Jamaican accent that he was just fine. They had ran out of gas and his friends went to go get some gas. As I was struggling to understand him, I was looking at his clothes. He had obviously been doing some sort of construction like tiling or painting or drywall. Something like that but as I looked down at his shoes I noticed that he had up these ratty corduroy houseshoes. They were pretty worse for wear. I'm talking big toe hanging out bad. So I asked him if he needed a pair of shoes, and he very politely said that he was fine and that he didn't need any. So I said Ok and that I didn't need them either, and I just set them down on the ground in front of him and turned around to leave. As I did that he quickly bent over and picked them up! He made some room in the back of the van and very carefully made sure that they wouldn't be in the way back there. He treated them like fine china! All the while telling me that "well maybe I can work in these." I was overjoyed! I said "man God Bless you today, God Loves you!" And I turned around and left. On the drive home, I was thinking, "Man! God just totally hooked that guy UP!!" I mean he needed a pair of shoes in a bad, bad way, and God just totally provided for him! Then I heard God tell me, "Yea I did. Now quit worrying about how YOU are going to take care of yourself and Kristin on this walk. I will provide for you." I was just completely floored. I mean I was worrying about it so much that God had to use me in the way that he was going to provide for me before I could fully trust him! Upon realizing that, all my fears and self doubt and concerns just fell off me. It allowed me to put full and total trust into God.

It is one thing to say you trust and Love God. But it is another thing to actually do that.

~Jeff