God works in mysterious ways

Those that know me, know I love to read. When I made the move to Naples, my plan was to make the difficult transition to online reading. Honestly, books weigh a ton and my arms and shoulders hurt from carrying heavy bags to and from work for years (especially when I rode on the bus. I could never make up my mind which book to read because I wanted to read so many at the same time. So I brought SEVERAL – every single day!)

Fast forward to quarantine, I was desperate for some good – REAL books – to read. The libraries were closed, there were no books for purchase on base, I hadn’t brought any books with me, what on earth would I do? GOD PROVIDED! When the Coffee shop at the hotel reopened part time, I went in to grab an iced coffee. And there it was! A bookshelf containing books – marked FREE!

I didn’t want to appear greedy, but I wanted more than one book. So I asked the gentleman behind the counter if it was okay to take more than one book. To my surprise, and PLEASURE, he said, “You can take them all!”

I got so excited I took a few – EVERY TIME I WENT IN (a few times a week). I’m really just kidding, sort of.

Now to the God part. There is a couple at my church at home that has been leading “Daniel Plan” groups for years (if you’re not familiar, it’s a Christian Healthy Lifestyle program based on the life of Daniel). I signed up once, but had to withdraw due to work travel. The man who lead the group had a major life change as a result of the Plan and loved to share the program with others. He continuously encouraged me to sign up again, but I just really wasn’t interested.

So guess what one of the free books on the shelf was titled? The Daniel Plan!

I had to pick it up – and that’s the book I’ve been reading while exercising on the treadmill. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it! There is so much information concerning healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle, along with practical guidance for grocery shopping. As a matter of fact, I’m eating more vegetables already and preparing them in a healthier way.

So here’s a shout out to Dennis and Phyllis Neill. Thank you for the encouragement and example you’ve both been for so many years! I think I might end up a groupie!