Five Minute Friday: True

Today, I am sharing a true story for Five Minute Friday: True.

I wasn’t going to tell this story like publicly or on the blog or whatever – just share it with a few friends. I was afraid to tell the story to many people for fear that people would misconstrue the details and focus on my portion and not His, but today, I need to remember God’s faithfulness even if from only a week ago, and so I tell this story to myself of His glory, and hope that it benefits you too.

Last Christmas season, my daughter asked for an American girl doll. Even though I find the price of the dolls extravagant, we planned to buy her one for Christmas. I heard that the dolls were significantly reduced on Black Friday, but when Black Friday rolled around, the dolls were the usual price. After debating and considering, I decided to buy the doll at its usual price. About a week or two later, my friend called me to ask if I saw the Today Show price on American Girl dolls. I said no. She said they are only $50 – one was a little black girl and one was a little white girl. She mentioned that she may buy a doll for later or maybe one to give away.

I went online and decided to buy two dolls – one for later and one to give away. Well, I started asking around – who needs an American Girl doll? Was there anyone on the Christmas wish list that needed one at church? No. Did my daughter’s teacher know anyone in need at school who would like one? No, the needs are already taken care of this year. My friend also debated buying one to give away. She mentioned possibly buying the black doll because perhaps that would be easier to find a child who needed it in our location. Well, I bought the white doll. I don’t know why, but in my mind I was thinking white girls have needs too. I tucked her away labeled mentally as “to give.”

So about three  or four weeks ago, I was reminded of the doll and I began to have an internal conversation with God about her. Why do I still have the doll? Maybe I will check out the Christmas needs at church early and she will be claimed then? I moved on and forgot about it.

Two Mondays ago, I got up and received a text from a friend telling me that she was excited about God’s faithfulness to her. I, of course, thought to myself I struggle with God’s faithful provision. Momentarily, I was thinking of myself instead of God. I logged into facebook to find that Daniel’s cousin’s home had burned down. It turned out that the little girl was the exact clothing size as my Annabelle and the husband was the same clothing size as Daniel. I busily gathered clothes and spent the better part of a day doing it. I went downstairs to consider toys, and I heard Him whisper to me, “Today’s the day – the doll is going to a new home today.” I got her out, looked closely at her, and tucked her away in the car. At that moment, nothing else seemed as important as the doll.

So I nervously knocked on the door of the hotel room. I don’t know Daniel’s cousin very well. I didn’t know what to say, and truth be told, I said very little. But I gave the doll to the girl. She was joyous. Her doll had been burned completely in the house-fire. As she opened it, she said, “Momma, it’s a real one.” As she looked at the doll, the old-fashioned doll with ringlets in her long hair, I realized the doll looked like the girl – long hair and ringlets too, and I was amazed and in awe of God’s faithfulness to a little needy white girl in my own family. I had no idea when I bought her where she would go. Now I will never see that doll and not remember the truth of God’s faithful provision.

And that’s my true story (more than 5 minutes today).