MY GRAY HEELS: A TOOL FOR DISCIPLESHIP
Recently, God has been telling me to look like a woman who cares for herself. He wants me to put in the extra effort in my appearance. So, in my effort to dress-up a little, I wore some new gray heels to church with my dark blue jeans. I also wore a gray and black stripped shirt, a black bracelet, and my daughter’s hoop earrings. I prayed I could pull it off. My baseball cap and pony tail holder were back at home feeling abandoned. I was hoping I didn’t look like “I tried” to look good today. I just wanted to look good, period.
My 16-year-old daughter gave me the “all clear” before we left for church. In the past she has approached me and said, “Oh, Mom, no – let’s do something different,” in response to my wardrobe dress-up attempts. I was just doing as God directed me to do – put in a little more effort on a daily basis. I desperately wished my family would submit me to the show “What Not to Wear,” so I could get educated in fashion sense while earning a new wardrobe.
The greatest thing happened at church that day. Having excused myself from the main worship area early, I was standing out in the lobby of church watching the rest of the sermon on the TV. I realized I should probably back up and lean against the Gideon Statue near the window so that I wouldn’t be in the middle of the lobby when church was released. A nice woman was standing there already. “Good morning,” I said as I kept focused on the last moments of the sermon.
“Good morning,” she said with a smile.
“You are going to think this is odd,” she added, “but can I see your shoes?”
“Oh sure!” I said as I took one off, holding it up for her to see. “Do you want to hear the coolest story about these shoes?” I asked her.
“Sure,” she said, still smiling.
“I really needed new shoes, and I asked God to provide some for me. He’s been telling me to put in more effort into my appearance, and so I have been. My mom and her fiancé came to visit, and he has a daughter who is my age in Minnesota who just bought 4 pairs of shoes for herself; they were too small so rather than give them to Goodwill, my mom asked her if I could have them. My mom just gave these to me this morning! God is so amazing!”
“Yeah, and He has good fashion sense too!” she laughed.
“These are Liz Clairborne shoes,” I added. I never would have bought such expensive shoes. Hey, I love your necklace and earrings. They are exquisite!”
“Thank you,” she replied. “I made them.”
“What?! You made them?! They are amazing. Do you have a business card so I can call you. I need jewelry to dress up my outfits some more. Is it affordable?”
“Oh, yes. It’s definitely affordable,” she answered.
We began talking and I asked her if she was signed up for a small group. It was the small group launch at church. They had kiosks set up in the lobby for people to join a small group that would start in a few weeks. She told me she wasn’t sure which one to join. After seeing that she was married, I said, “Join the Warrior Wife class; it’ll be amazing!” So, she did. She is now enrolled in a warrior wife small group, and she and I are planning on getting together to discuss God, shoes, jewelry, and coffee very soon.
If God can use a pair of gray heels to unite women in His Name’s Sake, He can definitely use you. Ask God for an opportunity to reach someone today. He can do anything!
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her recently founded Share & Company Publishing House http://seymourkristina.wix.
Originally published Tuesday, 12 July 2016.
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