She sat at the corner of the building, and everyone who passed saw the sign she held: “Hard Times. Anything will be helpful.”

Holding her gray head up, she smiled at the people hurrying into the rest stop’s bathrooms.  We shared a momentary glance; yet, like all the others, I passed her by.

Then that still small Voice began speaking to me, “God has been so good to you; surely, you can give her a few dollars. He’s been generous to you; you can be generous to her. Go on, now, do the right thing.”

So, pulling $3 out of my purse, I returned to the corner and handed her the bills. We smiled and at the same time said, “God bless you.”

But as much as cash, she wanted conversation and asked, “Are you going to the big game?”

“No, I am going to an all-day writers’ conference in Lebanon.”

“Oh, really?! There was a man stopped by just a while ago. He is a writer; he gave me a book.” And she began rummaging in her backpack.

“Well, I bet he is going to the same conference. It’s an annual event of the Cascade Christian Writers.”

Just then she extracted the book and proudly held it up.  Across the cover was the title, The Time Beyond Time, and the author, Charles Earl Harrell. “He’s a Christian,” she offered. Then she turned her attention to another traveler who handed her more cash.

Going on my way to the conference, I arrived a little late. The opening devotional had already started as I looked over the information given to me by the registrar. I saw a familiar name, Charles Earl Harrell—he was the one delivering the devotional at that very moment!

Later, I introduced myself and told him of my meeting the lady at the rest stop.

“Oh, yes. I felt so sorry for her. Her car broke down three weeks ago, and she’s been living out of it since then. I felt so badly that I didn’t have any money to give, but I had a book  I could give her. I’m glad that you gave something,” he continued, pulling a book from his bag. “Here, for you.”

Does this true story demonstrate coincidence, serendipity, or Kingdom living? My answer is Kingdom living. So, I say again, “The Kingdom of God is here and now”—closer than you may have imagined.