walking with God

What a Week!

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
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Monday    April, I went grocery shopping. We ran errands, and everything went well.

Tuesday    April informed me that we were out of olive oil. I complained and asked why she didn’t put it on our shopping list. Then, I realized we had to get out to pick up my mail-ordered prescriptions. I told  April, “We can get some olive oil after we get my meds.” While at the grocery store, buying our one item, I noticed several people in line were purchasing fully-cooked, smoked, spiral-cut hams.

“What’s the deal with the hams?” I asked the cashier. “Oh, they are on sale for 0.29 cents a pound.” I immediately went over and got one and paid a total of, $6.08. It would have cost me $30.00 if not on sale. We got in the car, and I thought, “Wow! I’m glad you forgot to tell me we needed olive oil!” We thanked God and headed home.

Wednesday    I got in our car to attend the men’s Bible study at our church. The car wouldn’t start. April suggested I stay home, but I felt I needed to be there, so I walked to the church. During our discussion of scripture, I had the opportunity to testify about a miracle that occurred in my life several years ago. After the meeting, one young believer confronted me and said that normally they would dismiss such a claim, but when they heard me speaking with an anointing and conviction, they confessed that they would have to open their mind to such things being real and possible. I was glad I made the effort to be there. When I got back home, I told April what had happened and that I was glad I went. I told her, “I bet the car will start tomorrow.”

Thursday    I got up early to deal with the car. I was thinking that if it didn’t start, I would have it towed to the normal repair shop I use. The car started. I wasn’t really surprised, as I had told April I felt it would. I then drove it to the shop, and the place should have been open by then, according to their website, but it wasn’t.

I called another branch of the same company a few miles away. They said the location where I was should be open. I told them it wasn’t and then asked if they were busy. They said they weren’t, so I told them I would head on over. The car started again.

While I was there, I noticed one other customer who had her car there for repair. After an hour or so, A conversation between us was started. I asked her what the strange-looking tattoo on her left hand meant. She said it was to ward off people with negative energy. I asked her if it worked, and she said, “No!” I kind of laughed. Somehow, that led us to a conversation about God.

I was telling her about April, and how she didn’t accept Satan’s substitutes for a husband but rather waited for God, and how three days after she had committed to waiting for him, I contacted her. Then I shared with her that I am older than April, and after I die, she shouldn’t give in to pressure and marry the first person who promises to take care of her. That she is too anointed to marry just anyone. That is when the woman I was talking to started crying. She never said why, but she confessed that she really needed to hear that.

We talked about some other things concerning God. She smiled a lot. Both our cars were finished about the same time, so we said goodbye. On the drive home, I looked up into the heavens through the windshield and said, “You just had to show off today, didn’t you, God.” Then I laughed. I realized that the entire week’s events were orchestrated by God. I love being used by him to help minister to people in this world.

Friday    Today, we had to get April’s state ID card. We weren’t sure if all of our paperwork was complete in order for her to get her card. We both prayed and submitted our concerns to God. We got up early and were the first ones in the door. God led us to a really sweet lady processor who looked things over and then processed her papers. She got her ID card.

I say all the time, God really does love us and cares about what we care about. The best response is to accept Him and love Him back. Then trust Him as we walk with Him through life.

Copyright © 2026 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Children of God

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments
Photo by: nappy

“Mark, it never ceases to amaze (and amuse) me how the Lord uses one situation or inconvenience to accomplish something totally unrelated. You do a good job at always being ready to share the gospel.”

Ann Aschauer of the famous blog post: Seeking Divine Perspective

Ann’s comment in response to my blog post this past Tuesday, “An Eternal Mistake“. Her words were humbling. I replied, “I feel inadequate, and therefore I am more than happy to partner with the Holy Spirit. He always knows what to do and say when we trust in, lean on, and rely on Him.” (I kind of went Amplified Bible on ya there!) But her comment got me thinking.

It’s not always about ministering to someone. Two weeks ago, we were buying groceries, and I decided to make chili, but I could not recall the entire recipe, and I don’t like having to run back out to the store to purchase the item(s) I had forgotten. As sure as could be, we got home, and I looked only to discover I had missed two essential items. Neither of which were in our pantry.

So, two days later, we reluctantly got in our car and headed off to a nearby grocery store. Before we could get to the end of our street, we saw where someone had thrown out an elliptical exercise machine. April recently mentioned she wanted a treadmill, and I told her that an elliptical would be better on the knees. I said they were expensive but that we would look into it. When we saw the free machine, I said, “Oh, wow!” and explained my excitement.

After getting the two items, we turned down our street, and the machine was still there. I knew we had to stop and check it out. It appeared to be in good working condition, but it was dirty. We loaded it up, took it home, and then cleaned it up. I asked April to look it up and see what the value was. Would you believe $1080.00? April can’t believe people just throw out good things. I said, “Welcome to America!” (She now wants to join “Dumpster Divers of America.”) So, another inconvenience wound up providing a “want” we had by God.

Then today, an old friend and coworker called me back. I called him yesterday after “randomly” thinking of him. We hadn’t spoken in a while. Toward the end of our conversation, I shared with him that last year I started experiencing some physical issues. I went to my doctor, and he sent me to have a stress test done, and by the end of that day, I had a stint inside my heart. Ten days later, I had three more put in. I found out that I had two arteries 99% blocked, and no one could believe I didn’t have a heart attack.

 My friend got quiet, and I inquired as to why. He then told me he has the same physical issues I had. I begged him to get in immediately to see his doctor, and he assured me he would. After ending the call, I realized it was no accident or random thought to call him, but God placed him on my mind and prompted me to call, perhaps saving his life.

God is so loving and good to us. Even if people aren’t led by God for themselves, He still ministers to them through others. I have written many times in these blog posts that we need to trust God to handle everything in our lives so we can hear his Holy Spirit whisper to us about others and to be led by God for our own needs.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Rom. 8:14 (NIV)

Now, if you will excuse me, it’s time for me to exercise on our new elliptical.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

No Way!

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I was sitting here at my desk waiting on direction from God on what to write, while looking out the window.  We have a lot of snow right now in my city, and the sun is out.  It looks beautiful outside, like you would want to be there, but it is only 5 degrees with a negative degree wind-chill. A couple of thoughts came to mind:

  1. When we are forgiven of our wrong doing, our souls are as white as snow.

“Take away my sin, and I will be clean.
    Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”
Psl. 51:7 (Int. Children’s Bible)

2. How on the outside of a person, everything may look beautiful, but once you enter into their world, you discern the flaws, or hurts behind the public image.

“People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Sam. 16:7 (NIV)

But what really got my attention, was a squirrel going out to the very limits of a tree limb.  There was another tree that looked to be several feet away.  I was in the process of thinking, “There is no way he will try to jump.  It’s way too…” and before I could finish he started running and leaped into the thin, cold, air and landed on a limb, on the other tree.  Now his form was excellent.  I gave him a “9.5”, but the Russian judge only gave him a “6”.  Perhaps because he wasn’t a “Red” squirrel. Witnessing this “leap of faith” triggered another thought:

  1. The squirrel knew he would make it.  He was so confident that he ran vigorously with no plan “B” in mind.  There was no backup plan.

If only we, who walk with God, could be so bold and sure of Him that we live with astounding assurance.  We can, by knowing the God we serve.

“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
Phi. 1:6 (NKJV)

God has a purpose, a plan, and a path for each one of us.  We can, via several means, determine what God has for us and then walk it out with confidence.  As George Zimmer would say, of “The Men’s Warehouse”, “I guarantee it!”  So go ahead and take that leap of faith!  The Russian judge may not give you a good score, but the angels will and that great cloud of witnesses in heaven will root you on.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.