11:11 and still STANDING amazed in His presence!

It's not so much that I believe that a certain number has the power to make wishes come true or "crazytalk" like that, but being labeled a "numbers person," I do take notice to certain patterns and enjoy numbers. One of my favorites IS in fact, 11:11...and today is just one more observation of a pattern. But, see, the pattern is actually one SO much bigger than some time that appears twice EVERY day. The pattern is that God is in the business of doing God-sized things....and ONLY that! If you plan to involve Him (which I DO encourage), BE PREPARED....it WILL be God-sized.

So, now....what am I TALKING about in such a cryptic, strange way? Well, as my students would start out any "good" story....see, what had happened was....

I knew today was going to be a big day. At my Chick-fil-A (the BEST one, of course), I was asked to work 11 hours. Now, 9 hour shifts knock me on my rear end pretty quickly....so, an ELEVEN HOUR SHIFT!?! But, you take the hours given.... Now, please understand that my FAVORITE part of working for CFA is the fact that it is ALL about serving the customer, taking care of them, showing them God's love.....yes, chicken is involved.....filling their current need....and of course, stomachs (in SUCH a tasty, cow-friendly way!). So, I really see that CFA is a chance for me to serve and love people that I wouldn't always get a chance to, but would I still even be STANDING after 11 hours? Would I be toungue-tied? and would I still have a smile on my face?

I've been really convicted and challenged lately to take things to a higher level....and really see EVERY customer as a ministry opportunity... Now, this is starting to sound SO cliche....but I'm serious. I DO want to help the customer. I AM glad that they chose CFA. I AM delighted that we get to serve them at the window and that I know that my fellow team members will take excellent care of them. And of course, the biggest one of all....it IS my pleasure to serve them in any way that I can..... Like any job, you can be tempted to turn into a robot...with recordings and repetitive actions, but I really wanted more. But was 11 hours of "MORE" possible? For feeble, lazy ME?!? This is where God comes in....but there's even more, there was a catch. It was a big day.....we were going to be conducting a survey, getting graded by every customer on how we were doing, how we were serving them....so it was ON....in a BIG way.

Okay, so one thing about me (in case you haven't met me) -- when it comes to grades and performance, I take things a little TOO seriously...always have. So, this extra long shift (and being able to still stand, serve and even smile at the end of it) definitely brought a challenge...now add to it, that it was for a grade (and the teacher part of me has to stress that this was even bigger than any "test" grade). I LOVE challenges, but I tend to be scared the WHOLE time. So, I asked friends and family to pray, and I gave it to God....whatever it would turn into.

(Here comes the coolest part EVER!!!)

Now, I was giving my all to every customer. Part of me wondered....(not a good part of me, I might add)....should I hold back until we get to the people with the survey? But I remembered my job....to serve...not to get a good grade. So, I gave it all....After 4 hours of working, it was about time to start the survey. I was taking a deep breath, aware, but trying not to think about it. Then, RIGHT at the beginning, the VERY first customer got to the window and asked who had been on headset....because the girl on headset was amazing, full of the spirit of God!! The customer didn't even HEAR me?! Only heard God...because of the prayers of my friends and family!!!! How AMAZING is that!! I knew then, that nothing else mattered, not my mistakes, not the 11 hours....not even how many mistakes I would probably make towards the end of the 11 hours!! My job was to serve and love my customers...and because of Him (and the prayers of my loved ones), I survived an 11 hour and 11 minute shift....still smiling, still serving, still loving....and definitely still standing, amazed in HIS presence.

(many thanks to all of you who were the main part of this story...those that prayed)