I was tired and wanted to go home, but had one last chore. I couldn't let Bubba our cat starve, so I went to Walmart to buy him some food.
As usual, it was hard to find a spot to park the car, so I ended up near the back of the lot, far away from the entrance. "Oh, well, the extra steps will be good for me," I reasoned.
I got out of the car and started towards the store. As I did, I passed an elderly, covered Muslim woman who was walking very slowly, her arm linked with a younger woman. I assumed she was her daughter. I smiled and greeted them both and continued.
When I was about twenty metres ahead of them, I felt something in my spirit telling me to stop, turn around, go back to that old lady and give her a hug. I stopped, but started second guessing myself. I dismissed the feeling, thinking it had to be my imagination. If I did that, I reasoned, it would be so uncomfortable. The old woman and her daughter would think I was crazy. It was just my imagination! I shook off the impulse to turn around and continued walking. I'd gone another ten metres when the feeling came upon me again, but this time it was much stronger. This time it was a command. "STOP! TURN AROUND, GO BACK TO THAT OLD WOMAN AND GIVE HER A HUG!" I stopped again. I knew it was the Lord. I know from experience that when I get a command like that, there is always a reason. I know that if I don't obey, I will miss a great blessing. So, I said, "Okay, Father. They will think I'm completely nuts, but I'll do it."
By then, the women were about ten metres behind me. I turned around and approached the two nervously, but determined.
I stopped in front of them, looked the younger woman in the eye and said, "I'm supposed to hug her. I don't know why, but I'm supposed to." I looked at the elder and went in for the embrace. She was of course shocked, and therefore a bit stiff, but patted me kindly on the back as I held her tightly for several seconds. "I don't know why I was supposed to do that," I reiterated, looking once again at the younger woman. "Well," she said, looking at me in a strange way, "We've just come from the hospital where my mother had an MRI. She really needed that hug."
