Encouragement from a stranger

Yesterday I was reminded what simple encouragement can bring in your life. I was sitting at my desk at work...bored, when a lady who I had never seen before or talked to came up and started talking to me. This is my mind talking, "Oh it's gonna be one of those stories, where you nod and smile and make them feel comfortable-But I haven't really seen anybody all day, all I've been doing is sitting here, thinking about talking to someone or doing something-So maybe this is good" At the time I was filling out my never ending paper work to try to get in the program to China, when she walked up. So I was not very receptive in the fact that I wanted to finish at least the 3rd step out of a bazillion. Having said all this, this woman who I do not know starts sharing with me from her own life about how her daughter really wanted to do a particular career out of college but had to take a different road in the meantime because of the economy. She starts pouring her heart out right there at my desk about how God will always provide, maybe not how you saw it to be, but He will always open a door. I started to explain that I really want to teach, and she interrupts me to say, "He opened the door to the Cliffs, you walked through, now you wait till that next door is opened." As if that wasn't enough she continues to say, "You will teach someday, Don't give up, but in the meantime soak up life and learn from everything." I almost wanted to cry, because here I was bored at work-filling out paper work to teach in China, unsure if I even should be-and some lady I don't know speaks these words that seem so full of truth when I was completely not expecting it. So....I share this story to encourage you. I may be a stranger to you but hope can be found anywhere. Don't let the every day dulls of life slip by you as if they are not important. Yes, you may be somewhere where you never pictured yourself, but don't stop living.  Learn, and never stop learning. Take encouragement even if it is from random people who don't know you. Take hope in the fact that Christ has it all planned, just let Him be King. From the encouragements from someone random to another, Christ has seen this day for you and He knows what it holds.