God, I Really Need To Go!!

This story may sound humorous to you, however, at the time it certainly wasn’t a laughing matter!

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In the mornings before leaving for my walk, I always make sure to use the bathroom, but one morning I thought to myself, I can wait until I get back from my hour walk, or so I thought.

I headed out around 6:30 a.m., just before my daughter left for work, and about ten minutes into my walk, I suddenly realized I really needed to use the bathroom. At that point, I was too far from home to turn back and there were no wooded areas where I could sneak in and pay my dues to nature - if you know what I mean!

This is about to be one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, I thought nervously to myself. 

I began praying, “God, I really need to go… what should I do?” At that moment, my walk switched from exercise, to extreme survivor mode. I really need to go, and I need to go now!

Out of fear, I didn’t want to keep walking. My mind started racing ahead and I started imagining how the rest of this walk was going to end - it wasn’t pretty.

Then it happened.

As I lifted my head and looked through the trees ahead of me, I saw what appeared to be a portable toilet sitting right at the edge of the park. Now, I’ve watched enough movies to know that when you really want to see something, your mind can play tricks on you. I felt like those dehydrated desert travelers that envision an oasis in the middle of the desert, only to get there and realize it's merely a lump of sand. Is this a mirage? Am I actually seeing a toilet?

As I slowly made my way toward the porcelain throne, lo and behold, a man appeared walking his dog. Of course! The funniest part was that the dog stopped not too far from the portable toilet, as if it had found the perfect place to pause. Great, just my luck. It appeared as if this dog and I had some business to take care of that morning! 😂

Time was running out and I needed to make a quick decision. Am I going to use the portable toilet or am I going to stand here and let my little secret slip through the crack - if you know what I mean! God, please let this man keep walking, I desperately prayed. I know for some people this might not be a big deal, but for me, I was already uncomfortable enough being in that situation. The last thing I needed was an audience, especially a man and a dog! 

As I approached, the man gently tugged on the leash, and just like that, they kept walking. Praise God!

I didn’t waste any time! I bolted into that porcelain throne as if I was being chased by a ferocious beast. 

Ahhh, relief. 

When I came out, I looked around to see if the man was still nearby. He was, but I kept my head up and continued on with my walk as if nothing had happened. As I walked away, I felt a bit embarrassed. Why didn’t I just use the bathroom before I left? I certainly learned my lesson that morning.

Thankfully, my grand experience ended on somewhat of a positive note. When I got home, I shared my ordeal with my daughter and we both had a good laugh.

A couple of mornings later, I walked the same route again and didn’t see the portable toilet anywhere. Even up until last week, I found myself looking for it, but it was nowhere to be found!

Was it simply a coincidence? Or did God provide exactly what I needed at that moment?

This sticky or should I say stinky situation (haha), reminded me that we often think of God only as capable of meeting our “big” needs, yet we rarely consider calling out to Him in those seemingly insignificant moments, such as sparing us from embarrassing situations. I’ve come to realize that God looks out for us in every situation, no matter how awkward, uncomfortable, or embarrassing it might be. He cares about every aspect of our lives, both the big things and the seemingly insignificant details. Why? Because He is a Good Father and He is mindful of us.

Psalm 34:17 reads, “The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.” Whatever the trouble might be, whether big or small, we can be confident in the assurance that God truly hears us and delivers us from them all.

Fast forward a few weeks later, while on another morning stroll, I turned a corner and noticed a real estate sign. I had passed that sign many times before without giving it much thought, but that particular morning, something caught my attention. The message  read, “You are #1 to Us.”

When I saw those words, my heart leaped for joy as I sensed the Lord was speaking to me in a simple yet meaningful way. It felt like a small reminder that He is mindful of me and that He sees me even in the ordinary moments of my day.

We often think of God as the One who only provides the big things: jobs, healing from a terminal illness or direction for major life decisions - which is true, He does - but moments like this remind me that God also cares about the seemingly small, everyday situations we face. Nothing in our lives is too minor, awkward, or embarrassing for Him to notice and intervene. 

I often smile and even laugh whenever I reminisce about that morning, but in the moment, I was truly desperate. I thank God because right when I needed it most, a solution was waiting for me. Whether someone had placed that portable toilet there temporarily or whether it was simply perfect timing, I couldn't help but see God's kindness, care and grace in it.

God has a way of reminding us that He is present in our ordinary routines. Whether it’s during a morning walk, in a quiet prayer whispered under our breath, or even in a moment we would rather forget. His care for us is constant and personal.

I pray that we will begin to notice God’s kindness and care in these small moments, and it will cause our hearts to grow more grateful. Let’s start to see that God's love shows up not only in the extraordinary, but also in the everyday, common details of our lives.

"Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

Go ahead, take Him at His words. Cast all your cares on Him.