08/29/2026
Thank you to everyone who donated, bought something, or helped with the garage sale this Saturday! We were blessed with so many wonderful donations, and we are truly grateful for every person who stepped up and gave to your church. ❤️
You know, things hardly ever work out exactly the way we plan them. Over the years, I’ve learned that’s okay—because sometimes our plans aren’t God’s plans.
Today was one of those days.
The traffic was very light. We probably had only 8–10 shoppers come through, and most made small purchases. It certainly wasn’t what we were hoping or expecting. Several times we even commented on how few cars we were seeing driving up and down our street.
But God…
Early in the day, a young man came through and began purchasing several little knick-knacks, a couple of beautiful crystal glasses, a gorgeous jewel-rimmed glass that may have once held a candle, and a few other things. As we were adding up his purchases, he began telling us about his 3-month-old baby girl who they had just lost to SIDS.
He was buying these beautiful things for his wife, who wasn’t with him.
Our hearts broke instantly.
It wasn’t something we expected to hear today.
Linda began talking with him and telling him that we knew his baby was with Jesus, and he agreed. He told us that she was with his papa, with Jesus, and with other family members in Heaven—and that one day he would see her again.
He was a believer.
How did we know?
Because he knew he would see her again. Because there was a peace in his heart that could only come from the Lord. Because even in the middle of unimaginable grief, he was kind, friendly, and left with a smile on his face.
Only Jesus can give that kind of peace.
And suddenly, the garage sale looked very different.
God didn’t need us to have a successful garage sale today. He needed us to be obedient.
He needed us to spend hours gathering, sorting, pricing, loading, setting up, and standing there—even though the traffic would be light.
He needed those beautiful little things laid out on tables so that one young man could walk through our doors.
Not so we could sell him “stuff.”
But so he could tell his story.
So that we could listen.
So that we could love him.
So that our hearts could be reminded that everyone we encounter is fighting some kind of battle. Some battles are visible, and others are hidden behind a smile.
And what people need—what this world desperately needs—is to see the love of Jesus through us.
You see, it’s not about our agendas. It’s not about our plans going perfectly. It’s not even about getting the outcome we hoped for.
It’s about Jesus.
We have such a limited amount of time on this earth. We have to make sure that while we are here, we are willing to be His hands and feet—to meet people in their pain, to listen to their stories, to love them, and to never turn away when God gives us an opportunity to minister.
There is ministry happening all around us. We just have to look with our spiritual eyes to see it and listen for His still, small voice so we can hear what He wants us to do.
Sometimes God may ask us to work ourselves to exhaustion preparing for a garage sale, only to bring one person through the door.
Just one.
And if that one person needed what Jesus put inside of us today, then it was worth every bit of the work.
No, we didn’t make a fortune financially today. But what we shared with that young man was something money could never buy.
It was a moment filled with love, compassion, and the presence of Jesus.
And I know for a fact that Winter, Linda, and I will never forget that encounter. We were changed by it.
And maybe that was the real purpose of the garage sale all along.
PS: We were also blessed to be able to give our leftover items to someone who is starting a new business. So even the things we didn’t sell found a new purpose. ❤️
God knows exactly what He’s doing.
And I’m just blessed to be on His team, because His team is always on the winning side! 🙌🏼❤️
Blessings….Robin 😘
