12 Days of Stories, Story 2: The Chimichanga Miracle

I started working full-time to help support our little family, but it wasn’t easy. Even with my additional salary (which wasn’t much), we could barely provide for our family of five. We were even living with my sister at the time, all five of us, bundled into one room. It was a rough patch.

Thankfully, I worked at a dental office with some amazing people. One of my co-workers, Kari, would bring in a fresh pack of deli meat and bread every Monday for people to make sandwiches during lunch. Honestly, everyone (except me) could afford to go out for lunch, and I suspect the deli meat was brought in only for me. (Actually, I’m certain of it now.)

One Monday, Kari came in to work and announced she hadn’t brought in any deli meat because she was going out to eat with a friend during lunch. It was her kind way of letting me know I needed to find other arrangements for lunch. She was correct. I didn’t have any money nor any food. I would not be eating lunch that day. I could tell Kari was concerned because she asked me, “Are you going to be okay for lunch?”

In all seriousness, I answered, “Yes, I’m going to go pray about it.” Then, I walked to the bathroom and prayed to God for help. I didn’t have money. I didn’t have a car. And, I was hungry. At this point in my life, I’d seen prayer change my circumstances immediately. I truly believe what is says in Mathew 11:24, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

And since I needed food, I asked for it.

I walked out of the bathroom and told Kari I’d prayed for food and so I was certain I’d be provided for. I’m not entirely sure she thought I was sane; nonetheless, it was the only answer I knew how to give.

About twenty minutes later, a woman walked through the front doors of the dental office with a large party platter of Mexican food—Chimichangas, Burritos, Taquitos, beans, rice, guacamole, and salsa. She even had bottles of soda with her and dessert.

“Surprise!” The woman said. “We are providing a free lunch for your entire staff because of all the referrals you’ve sent our way. We wanted to say thank you for your continual business.”

I couldn’t believe my eyes and Kari was speechless. We both looked at each other and laughed.

I ate an amazing lunch that day, better than anything I’d eaten in months. I had a full tummy and another confirmation that God hears our prayers. It was another moment where I marveled that God had provided for me and knew what I needed before I even asked for it.

So, what do you need right now? Talk to God about it. Pray to Him who created you. I know He is listening. The answer isn’t always yes, but I can promise you that He will know what you need and help you.

He helped me, many years ago.

A young mother, hungry and struggling to provide for her family.

I only asked for food.

He sent me a feast.

Pray today and spill your heart out to Him. Who knows what kind of feast he has in store for you.

About the Author...
Carol Sue Stuart is a blogger, author, poet and marketing adviser. Based in Arizona, Carol lives with her husband, three children, and two precious doggies. When she isn't writing, blogging, traveling, or getting into mischief, you can find her snuggled with a book and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. You can follow her on Instagram @TheMoonlightBella.

12 Days of Stories, Story 2: The Chimichanga Miracle

December 15, 2018

12 Days of Stories, Story 1: The Long Walk Home

[I am sharing twelve stories leading up to Christmas. These twelve stories are about faith, forgiveness, and love. They are my personal stories that I’ve lived and I’m sharing with you. These stories magnify only one thing, my testimony of Jesus Christ. I hope you are inspired by these stories, just as I was when I lived through them. Please feel free to share them with others, and I pray that the true Christmas spirit is portrayed through my words, for I honor my Savior and king, Jesus Christ. Amen.]


We were out of food, we had no car, no telephone, and we only had twenty dollars to our name. I’d just given birth to my second child, a son, Tanner, only a few days prior. After a sleepless night, Tanner had finally found rest in the arms of my husband, Chris. I didn’t want to wake them, so I carefully got out of bed and got dressed. I knew we had no food, and my two-year-old daughter, Brooke, would be waking soon. The only option seemed for me to walk to the local Target and purchase the items we needed, by myself. I dressed warmly since it was the first week of January and headed out the door.

The store was only two miles away, but it seemed so much further as I walked alone down the main street. I was relieved when I arrived at the Target and gathered the items I needed, trying to make my twenty dollars stretch as far as I could. I checked out of Target with several bags and started to make my way home. Unfortunately, the hot Arizona sun was poking its head out of the clouds and in January, it was starting to warm up. My large jacket and heavy shoes seemed overwhelming, but I started to make my trek home.

I didn’t take into account the heavy bags I’d be carrying home, filled with canned food, Gatorade, diapers, nursing pads, wipes, and water. The weight of the bags soon taxed my arms and shoulders and I had to stop even before I got out of the parking lot.

Suddenly, the tears started to flow as I realized I had a long walk home. I was alone with no one to help me. The burden seemed overwhelming and my situation, hopeless. It wasn’t just the walk home, but my life in general seemed overwhelming. We were both young kids, raising two children and without much help. Our cupboards were bare and I didn’t have a phone to call for help.

But, I kept moving forward.

One foot in front of the other.

Each step I took seemed treacherous and hard. My arms heavy with the weight of the bags, my soul in desperate need of a shoulder to cry on, and a little family in need of nourishment and help. The tears flowed down my face as I walked. The sun seemed to melt my jacket to my body and my feet ached.

I couldn’t do it.

I couldn’t take one more step.

I stopped in a little business complex and sat on a small bench I found. There I wept and cried to God.

“God, I need your help. I can’t do this. I can’t take one more step. I’m not strong enough to do it. Please, help me.”

My hands cupping my face, I wept and cried. Not really knowing how God could help me, but, nonetheless, I petitioned Him.

It wasn’t but one minute later that a silver Lexus pulled up to the empty business complex. A beautiful woman was sitting in the drivers seat; she parked the car and came right up to me. I was baffled because it was a Saturday so the entire parking lot was empty. I figured she might tell me I needed to leave.

“Do you need a ride?” She asked me, smiling warmly. She seemed familiar to me, as if I’d met her before. She had long, brown hair and beautiful hazel eyes.

I had never taken a ride from a stranger before, but something about her, made me feel like it was okay.

“Yes,” I answered. Before I could get another word out, this stranger took several of my Target bags and started to put them in her car. I picked up the remaining two and followed her.

She opened the door for me and I got inside. The car was gorgeous. I had never seen such a nice car before, it was brand new and I felt bad getting in her car with dirty shoes, but she didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Where do you live?” She asked, keeping her smile large and welcoming.

“Shadow Apartments,” I answered.

“Yes, I know where those are,” She said, and started to drive away.

As she pulled out of the driveway, she said, “What is your name?”

“Carol,” I answered, still a little bit nervous taking a ride from a stranger.

“Nice to meet you, my name is Linda.” I was startled because that is my mother’s name and for some reason that made me feel at peace.

“So, why are you walking today?” She asked me as she started to drive towards my apartments.

And, then, like a waterfall I told her everything. Being young parents. Having little help. No car. No phone. Linda let me just talk her ear off with tears freely falling from my face, and, when I looked over at her, she had tears as well.

Within minutes she had parked in front of my apartment complex and we sat in her car and talked about life. She encouraged me, made me laugh, and then told me something that changed my life forever.

“Carol, I need to tell you something. I was on my way to get gas this morning when I saw you walking towards Target. I felt impressed at that moment to pull over and ask you if you needed help. But, I ignored it and drove on. I got my gas and went home. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the young girl walking by herself. I tried to get comfortable at home, but I couldn’t. You kept popping into my head. Finally, I said, ‘Okay, God, I’ll go get her.’ I got into my car and drove around but I couldn’t find you. I drove down streets and around Target for at least thirty minutes. But, I had zero luck. So, I headed home. It was then I happened to look into the business complex and saw you, head down, defeated and alone. I couldn’t believe it. God had led me right to you,” Linda said as she wiped tears from her eyes. “So, you see, I should’ve stopped the first time I saw you. The first time I felt the impression to help you. And, for that I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. God had known long before I had even asked that I would need help. He knew exactly who to send. He knew exactly who would listen to his petition to pick up and help one of his daughters in need. He knew before I ever asked Him.

Linda and I wept in each other’s arms. Two strangers going in very different directions, but our lives had intersected when Linda took the words of Jesus Christ literally, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

I’ve never forgotten Linda or what she did for me. I learned a valuable lesson that day. First, that God hears our prayers and knows our needs long before we even ask him. So don’t be afraid to ask Him. Cry to Him. Petition Him. He will hear you. Second, I learned never to ignore a prompting to help someone, or call them, or text them, or send them a letter. You are God’s hands in this world. 

And, I guess, there is a third lesson to be learned from my experience. Never judge another person’s circumstances. You never know why someone is in the situation they are in, you haven’t walked in their shoes, had their life, or their experiences. We are asked only to love one another as Jesus loved us. You’ll never hear me scoff at a man on the side of the road holding up a sign because I don’t know what brought him to that point. I can’t judge him, and thankfully I don’t have to.

I only have to love him. 

Like Linda loved me on that hot, awful day when I didn’t think I could take one more step. 

Linda loved me.

Like Jesus loves me. 

Like Jesus loves you.

And, I guess, that’s all we could ever hope to aspire to be—the pure love of Christ.

About the Author...
Carol Sue Stuart is a blogger, author, poet and marketing adviser. Based in Arizona, Carol lives with her husband, three children, and two precious doggies. When she isn't writing, blogging, traveling, or getting into mischief, you can find her snuggled with a book and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. You can follow her on Instagram @TheMoonlightBella.

12 Days of Stories, Story 1: The Long Walk Home

December 14, 2018

The Woman Without Shoes

Some stories need to be shared. 

This is one of them. 

It's about a woman and her shoes, or better yet, her lack of shoes.

It happened last week when my husband was at work. He works as a manger of a large grocery chain. He received a call from his staff that a woman was creating a scene up front, so they called him up to handle it. As soon as he arrived to the front of the store he noticed a woman who appeared to be on drugs, possibly homeless, and wandering the front of the store looking for money. Her clothing was dirty and unkempt and she wasn’t wearing any shoes. 

“Can I help you?” My husband asked.

“I need a taxi cab,” the woman said, while she paced around frantically. “But, I don’t have any money.” 

My husband, one of the kindest souls I know, pulled out a few dollars from his pocket and handed it to her. “I know this won’t cover a taxi, but maybe you can take the bus?” 

The woman said, “I really need to take a taxi cab.” 

Before my husband could respond to the woman, another customer approached them. This other woman was well-kept, dressed nicely, and had a big smile on her face. “How can I help here?” 

“I need money for a taxi.” The lady repeated. 

The well-kept woman looked over the downtrodden, haggard woman and said, “Where are your shoes?” 

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t have any shoes? It’s raining outside and you don’t have any shoes?” The kind woman said. 

“No.” 

And, then, right before my husband’s eyes, the well-kept woman put her groceries on the counter, and took off her beautiful, practically new shoes. Then, carefully put them in the hands of the shoe-less woman and said, “Here you go. These are yours now.” 

Then she took some money out from her wallet and handed it to the woman in need. And before she could get a thank you from the woman-in-need, she picked up her grocery bags and ran outside into the pouring rain and to her car. 

My husband was both shocked and happy to witness such a kind act of humanity. He called me right after to tell me the entire story. In which, I said, “This is totally going on my blog.” 

We need more stories like this to permeate the world around us. Instead of negativity and harsh comments, we need stories of compassion and beauty. Stories that make us stop in our tracks, hold our breath and say, “Wow.” Stories that stay with us for days, even weeks, maybe even years. Stories that make our heart pitter-patter for the goodness they create inside our souls. I know this story did that to me. Simple as it was. 

Two women.

One pair of shoes.

Yet, humanity felt restored.

Wow.



About the Author...
Carol Sue Stuart is a blogger, author, poet and marketing adviser. Based in Arizona, Carol lives with her husband, three children, and two precious doggies. When she isn't writing, blogging, traveling, or getting into mischief, you can find her snuggled with a book and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. You can follow her on Instagram @TheMoonlightBella.

The Woman Without Shoes

December 10, 2018

Top 8 Christmas Gifts for Your Boss

It's that time of year again when you fret about what to get your boss. I've worked on hundreds of boss gifts over the year for my clients. I've decided to compile a list of my Top 20 gift ideas you can gift to your boss. From high end gifts to the unique.

1.Coravin Wine Preservation Model 100015 $199.95

This luxurious gift is a must-have for any wine lover. This nifty gadget allows users to open a bottle of wine without spoiling its contents and reseal the bottle for later use. User-friendly wine system keeps your wine safe from oxidation, allowing it to continue to age naturally. Non-coring, faster pouring needle allows access to wine without cork damage, allowing it to reseal and continue protecting the wine. The Coravin comes in three different colors: cobalt blue, white and grey.

Coravin 100015 Model $199.95

2. Amener Business Power Bank Kit $63.39

This is a must have for the traveling boss. This power bank kit includes everything the on-the-go boss needs to recharge all of their gadgets. 2 USB ports allow you to charge your two devices simultaneously. Real 10000mAh capacity, Input: 5V/1A, 10000mAh capacity charger is more than enough for all day trip. A wireless optical mouse, 3-in-1 USB charging cable, Converter (USB Type-C input into Micro USB), 32 GB flash drive, and a touch-screen pen stylus. 

Amener Business power Bank Kit

3. Victure 4K Waterproof Action Camera $69.99

For the action and adventure boss, you can't go wrong with this gift. The Victure Action Camera is perfect for the on-the-go boss who likes traveling and adventure. This action camera features pleasing 4K/2.7k/1080p/720P video with 16 MP stills, 2 inch screen and 170°wide angle lens, can vividly record your precious memories or adventures. With a built-in Wifi & HDMI, the Victure Waterproof Camera is compatible with IOS and Android system. Download the iSmart DV app to your phone or tablet, you can view real time streaming via the app and easily edit videos for posting online. This is a great gift for a reasonable price! 

Victure 4K Waterproof Action Camera

4. Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Wireless Headphones $349.99

In the day of age of electronic gadgets, having a good pair of wireless headphones is a must. The quality of Bose is unbeatable, and the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Wireless Headphones are a great gift for the entertainment-minded boss. Three levels of world-class noise cancellation for better listening experience in any environment. Alexa-enabled for voice access to music, information, and more. Balanced audio performance at any volume. Hassle-free Bluetooth pairing, personalized settings, access to future updates, and more through the Bose Connect app. Basically, if you get your boss these headphones, you're awesome.

Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Wireless Headphones

5. Philips Somneo Sleep & Wake-up Therapy Light $199.99

Okay, who doesn't need better sleep? Especially the boss-man or boss-woman. This gift is a new gadget that's getting a lot of street credit for helping people sleep better. This light therapy lamp and sunrise alarm clock  are clinically proven to improve your energy, sleep and well-being. Fall asleep with new RelaxBreathe function, and wake up naturally with colored sunrise. And, let's face it, a well-rested boss is a nicer boss. Great gift idea! 

Philips Somneo Sleep & Wake-up Therapy Light

6. Dymo Label Maker $79.99

For the type-A boss, this is a great gift to help them stay organized. This little helper is a unique gift for the super-organized boss. The features are awesome on this little Dymo Label Maker. Thermal printing technology eliminates the need for expensive ink or toner. Windows only requires scanner with document feeder. Customize and print address, file folder and barcode labels, plus name badges and more with DYMO Label software – all from your PC or Mac. Save time - create labels directly from text in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, QuickBooks and other programs or easily print addresses from Outlook Contacts or Mac Address Book. 

Dymo Label Maker

7. Bose Home Speaker $399.00

 For the boss who loves music and great sound, this gift is perfect! This Bose Home Speaker is full of tons of extras.  Wall-to-wall stereo sound from a single speaker, Built in Alexa plays millions of songs at the tip of your tongue. Play integrated Wi-Fi music services like Spotify and Amazon Music, or connect over Bluetooth to play anything from your phone or tablet. Experience superior voice pickup from a custom-designed eight-microphone array that hears you over loud music or across the room. This is a must have gift! 

Bose Home Speaker

8. InstaShiatsu Foot Massager $199.00 

Who doesn't want a good foot massage at the end of the day? Heck, how about right at work! You can't go wrong with this gift which is featured on one of Oprah's Gifts of 2018. The InstaShiatsu Foot Massager is the perfect gift for any boss. Choose from 3 intensity's, heat, air pressure & the massage mode.That's right, it heats up! And, again, a happy boss makes for a happy day at work. 

InstaShiatsu Foot Massager

About the Author...
Carol Sue Stuart is a blogger, author, poet and marketing adviser. Based in Arizona, Carol lives with her husband, three children, and two precious doggies. When she isn't writing, blogging, traveling, or getting into mischief, you can find her snuggled with a book and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. You can follow her on Instagram @TheMoonlightBella.

Amazon Associates Discloure

Carol Stuart is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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