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Brenda Bradford Ottinger

Encouraging Women to Live Rooted in the Sacred

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When Hard Places Become Timely Places

when-hard-places-become-timely-places-2Perhaps (for sure), I’ve had a daydream (or three) of someone coming by to make beds and vacuum floors—but this wasn’t exactly how I pictured it going down.

Quite the country mile (on a muddy gravel road) from what we’d planned, but, nonetheless, Suite 229 would be our address for a while.

Housekeeping angels aside, those months of hotel life were anything but charmed…except for one undeniable, aqua-tinted perk.

Join me over at my friend Susan Mead’s site to see how one hot, July afternoon I became privy to God’s Day-Timer, His iCalendar…His Divine Appointment Book.  (And, while you’re there, I hope you’ll take a minute to look around Susan’s lovely site and get to know her. You’ll be so blessed by her beautiful heart for God.) Continue Reading…

 

~ Happy to link up this week with these great ladies: Faith Filled Friday, Grace & Truth, Fresh Market Friday, Monday’s Musings , Give Me Grace , Intentional Tuesday , RaRa Linkup , Coffee For Your Heart , Sitting Among Friends , Thoughtful Thursdays ~

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Comments

  1. Ruth Campos says

    September 9, 2016 at 1:58 pm

    I loved the experience you shared!
    God is so good! Aren’t you glad He uses us in spite of ourselves sometimes?!

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 9, 2016 at 5:12 pm

      For sure, Ruth. In spite of my limited understanding and desire for comfort. Such a good God, indeed.
      Thanks for visiting and sharing, Ruth. Lovely to see you. xoxo

      Reply
      • Ruth Campos says

        September 9, 2016 at 6:36 pm

        🙂
        It’s a good thing He is so gracious with us; we all have limited understanding, and I imagine most of us prefer to be comfortable to some degree or other.
        Thank you for visiting back on my site as well! Have a great weekend! See you soon.

        Reply
  2. Laura Thomas says

    September 10, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    Yes! Don’t you just love it when God gives us a tiny glimpse of His perfect plan? Thanks for sharing this story… a wonderful reminder for us to look around and see that He is using us (and our family) for His glory, even when it feels like a hotel 😉 Often we use hindsight to see the why’s, but this occasion was pretty special showing you the why right at that moment. I was delighted to find you as my neighbour at #FaithFilledFriday after reading your comment on my blog today! 🙂 Blessings to you, my new friend!

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 12, 2016 at 9:48 am

      Hi, Laura, was great to connect with you through Faith-filled Friday. 🙂 Yes, love those glimpses, and wonder…how many we never see. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, look forward to connecting with you. 🙂 ((Hug))

      Reply
  3. Linda Stoll says

    September 12, 2016 at 9:55 pm

    Hi Brenda! I love your new site, your new look!

    Simply lovely, warm, and very welcoming! It’s time to update my RSS feed I see!

    Congratulations …

    ;-}
    Linda Stoll recently posted…Free Webinar ~ Are You In An Emotionally Destructive Marriage?My Profile

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 13, 2016 at 7:25 am

      Hey, Linda! Thanks so much for your sweet words; I’m so glad you love the new look. 🙂 So blessed to have you coming alongside me in writing and in sisterhood. Thank you, friend. xoxo

      Reply
  4. Tai East says

    September 13, 2016 at 12:28 am

    Oh Brenda, is so beautiful! Truly warms my heart! Thank you so much for sharing this, Love! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 13, 2016 at 7:32 am

      Hey, Tai. So great to see you back and at it; you were missed. 🙂 Thanks for always being such a sweet encouragement. ((Hug)) xoxo

      Reply
  5. Crystal Storms says

    September 13, 2016 at 5:25 pm

    Loved this, Brenda!
    I pray we have eyes to see those He places in front of us. Ready to answer His call.
    ((hugs))
    Crystal Storms recently posted…Intentional Tuesday Linkup {Week 70}My Profile

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 15, 2016 at 7:54 am

      Eyes to see those in front of us. Yes. Me too, Crystal. 🙂 ((xoxo))

      Reply
  6. Gayl says

    September 14, 2016 at 8:04 am

    What great encouragement both for you and for the mother of the boy! Thanks so much for sharing this in such a thoughtful way. I really enjoyed reading it. I was reminded that we never know who might be watching and how what we do or say will affect them. God knew even though you weren’t aware. Blessings to you!

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 15, 2016 at 7:58 am

      Hi, Gayl. 🙂 So true…we never know. So glad God knows, and He appoints us. Incredible that He allows us to have influence in the Kingdom. So glad He’s in control. Thanks for stopping in, Gayl. Nice to see you! 🙂 ((grace upon grace))

      Reply
  7. Lois Flowers says

    September 14, 2016 at 10:47 am

    Brenda, I love everything about this story you shared. It took me back to our own times by neighborhood and town-home complex pools, of friends my girls made just because they were in the same place with someone else. You’re right … you just never know how those encounters are going to touch someone else–child or adult–or what God’s ultimate purpose might be for something that seems so ordinary. So glad to be your neighbor at Intentional Tuesday this week.

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 15, 2016 at 8:12 am

      He seems to specialize in making the ordinary extraordinary, doesn’t He? Thanks for visiting, so glad to be your neighbor this week, and loved your words on your site. ((hug))

      Reply
  8. Lux Ganzon says

    September 15, 2016 at 3:26 am

    Looks interesting. Will hop over to read in full.

    Reply
    • Brenda says

      September 15, 2016 at 8:29 am

      Lovely to see you, Lux. Thanks for stopping by and reading. 🙂 ((Hug))

      Reply
  9. Betsy de Cruz says

    November 11, 2016 at 3:55 am

    You are such a wonderful writer, Brenda. I think I’d read your post at Susan’s in September, maybe? But I enjoyed it again today. So good. 🙂

    Reply

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