One morning in 2017, I woke up and I was a bit anxious about house hunting and a particular house we wanted to rent. We were running out of time at my current apartment, and I was really hopeful that this house would be the one! That day I was supposed to go and turn in our application, but I before I left, I decided to pray. I talked to God, telling him that I really wanted that house and rambled on about other concerns. During my prayer, I had opened my eyes and thought about the rose tattoo on my thigh and told God I wanted to dedicate that to Him. I wanted to get the phrase “Rose of Sharon” tattooed above the rose.
After my prayer, I rushed out and realized I would need gas before I could go and fax the rental application. I decided to stop at the MAPCO, that was right by my apartment complex, and I was trying to make this quick. I was already anxious and annoyed that I needed to get gas, so I hurriedly get out and start walking towards the store. I was in my own thoughts not really noticing the stranger coming my way, he was walking right into my path. It was odd once he got close enough for me to see him, he was so close to me with all of this walking space.
He was wearing dark colored clothes; maybe black or dark grey shirt and black jeans and I remember he had on a black backpack. He seemed overdressed for the warmth of the day, it was May and he had on a jacket. At this point, I am wondering what he wants and why he is rudely about to step right in front of my way. As I look at him, he looks like he’s been out in the sun or the elements a lot, his skin is tanned and leathery. I look at his fist and its clenched as if he is holding something. As he walks past me, he releases his fist, and a large handful of rose reddish-pink petals drop to the ground at my feet. He does not look at me he doesn’t say one word.
I have never had a guy do a gesture like, let alone not try and talk to me. I was so awed by this that all I could say to him was “Are these for me”? He never turned around he just nodded slowly and kept walking. I literally just couldn’t understand what had just happened, so I asked the guy I now noticed behind me if he saw the guy too. It was such an unusual encounter, that it was like my brain needed confirmation that it really happened. The guy behind me that was also walking into the store said “Yeah, that was weird”. This encounter only lasted a few minutes, but it was as if time had slowed. I went ahead into the store and paid for my gas.
After getting gas, I am still floored by this experience that I begin to look around for the stranger, I feel like I want to know more. Who is he and where had he gone? I wanted to know why he was carrying a fistful of rose petals and how was it he even held that many in his hand? I scan the street and the surrounding parking lots and I don’t even see any rose bushes! I quickly get into my car and drive slowly past the side street that was across the street, it was the last place I saw him. I am confused because I know I saw him walk in this direction, but he is nowhere to be found. I beginning questioning, how could he walk down this long street so quickly?
I knew I couldn’t spend any more time looking, I had to get to the UPS office to fax my application that sat on my passenger seat. I head to my destination still thinking about this occurrence and I am now fully convinced that he was an angel. Only God knew that I was just talking to Him about my rose tattoo and God knows how much I love roses. When I pull into the UPS parking lot, the SUV to my left has a giant bouquet of red roses sitting on the passenger seat. I smiled, another kiss from heaven, God knew how worried I was about finding a home for my family. We got that house, against all odds and moved in shortly after this experience. Abba Father will always be my “Rose of Sharon”.
Sisters of Grace 
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