Hi Pastor John,
I wanted to write out my testimony for everyone about my parking at work because I felt I left out some details in the meeting on Wednesday.
First, here is the background information: so at my work these are my parking options: the closest parking garage is 2 minute walk to work, but costs $85 a month, or $8 a day to park. I could park remotely but that is 21 minute bus ride. I don’t like either of those options. However, since my building is close to the edge of the hospital campus I discovered a street where I can park on the street for free. It’s an 8 minute walk to work and I find that really good. Only thing is, at night in winter it’s dark and unsafe. During daylight savings I parked there and I felt it is safe, but not in the dark.
After day light savings ended I began wondering what I am going to do. I knew I couldn’t park on the street, but I did not want to pay the $85 a month while I am trying to save money, and I didn’t fancy the long bus ride in addition to the drive to work until I could start parking on the street again.
Then one day as I was nearing work I knew I would be late if I didn’t park in the garage close to my work. So I resolved to park there and just pay the $8. As I was driving down into the parking deck I had the feeling that Jesus was going to do something about it. I imagined maybe someone would give me a pass for that day, or something. I noted the feeling I had and continued on my day.
That day I looked after a very sweet old man and it was his last treatment that day; he had an all day treatment and he was there with his daughter. At the end of his treatment we were saying our goodbye’s when his daughter offered me their parking pass!! She said, “I don’t know if you could use this or not, it only has a few passes left on it.” I was surprised, and said, “Oh yes, I could use it. That means so much, thank you very much”. It turned out that pass had 13 or 14 more passes on it!! Wow! That was Jesus! I love that! I love that I had that feeling as I was parking in the morning, and then later on it happened.
After I had used the pass a few times I began wondering about whether I was breaking any rules regarding gifts – I know there are restrictions on patients giving nurses gifts, but I didn’t know if this situation breached any rules. I had my evaluation with my boss around then, so I brought it up with her. I didn’t think she would be concerned; and she wasn’t concerned when I told her. I ended up discussing my parking situation with her, and she handed me a whole new 30 day parking pass!! I couldn’t believe it! I was surprised again, and very thankful. I know my boss gave that pass to me, but that was Jesus caring for me. Wow! That second pass will get me through almost to daylight savings. Then I will only have to take the long bus just a few times before daylight savings starts again.
Then last Wednesday evening I was getting ready to drive out of the parking garage and head for the meeting. I began to think about the meeting and wondered if I would have the chance to tell my testimony about the parking passes. As I was nearing the boom gate/barrier/arm thing, I had the thought, “it would be great if the boom gate just opened”. It was a fleeting thought, and I had no real thought that it would happen. Instead I began to get my remote parking pass ready to give it a try, but I was fully thinking it would not work at all: that remote pass is not approved for that parking garage, but I decided to give it a try anyway. I had just barely got my arm barely through my car window when to my surprise, the boom gate opened!! I was so surprised – it just opened! The little screen said, “Thank you. Please exit.” I was like, “Wow, okay!” I was so surprised because I had not scanned any pass at all, and the one I had in my hand was not approved for that parking garage! I knew that was Jesus, too; I knew he was giving me a reason to tell my testimony that night!!
Anyway, I just love all of this! I love Jesus caring for me, and most of all I love that I’d had the thought and feeling that morning that Jesus was going to do something, and that day, something did happen. It’s wonderful!
Jenny 🙂