Wal-Mart Miracle

I was at Wal-Mart today with my mom.  I was helping her pick up some eggs from the shelf.  I was turned away from my cart for maybe ten seconds. I turned back and my cart was gone!  I was in shock. And yes, I had left my purse in the cart. I know…stupid… Anyway, I said to my mom “My cart is gone!” She immediately yelled “Help”, with a loud voice. People were looking at us. I shouted out “Someone took my cart with my purse in it.”  I looked frantically all around to see if someone had my cart and or my purse. The store was quite crowded due to Christmas shoppers, I’m sure.  So I went dashing toward the front door, hoping to stop the person if they were making their getaway with my purse. Once I got outside I stood there a few minutes looking, looking,looking. I saw no one with my stuff.

I looked over past the Salvation Army bell-ringer and saw two police officers doing some type of Christmas collection. I went up to the officer and told him what had happened. He was quite nice and asked my if I had called the local police, I said “no.” So he called them for me.  While we were waiting and watching my mom had come up on her riding cart, upset of course. She had been holding guard by the front door asking to look in everyone’s bags and carts.  So the officer told us that he was a chaplain on the county police force. So my immediate response to him was “Can we pray?’ So we all three grabbed hands right there in the doorway of WalMart and the officer began to pray for God to resolve this situation and bring to justice the perpetrators and he ended the prayer “In Jesus Name.” We said “Amen.” 

Next the city police arrived and he asked me a couple of questions. He told my mom and I to wait while we went to talk to store security. While we waited we discussed the important contents of my purse, cell phone, debit card,cash,id’s,etc.  Nothing irreplaceable, but nontheless troubling to think it was just gone. Since my cell phone was in the purse, I used the Walmart phone to call my bank and cancel my debit card.  

The police officer sent a lady from store security back to us. She said “Please come with me, I think we may have found your cart and purse.” My mom and I accompanied the lady to the secret “security closet”.  Inside we saw the bank of monitors showing video footage from all the various cameras around the store. And inside the security closet sat my cart with the purse inside!

I was so happy! Everything was there. Nothing was missing. It was indeed a miracle! 

The security guy showed me the tape of what happened. A lady came up and just walked off with my cart. Apparently it was a mistake.  She thought it was her cart. So she walked around a bit, with grandkid in tow, appently. Then realizing finally the cart was not hers. She abandoned it in the children’s clothing section. A Walmart associate found the cart and returned it to security.

I had thought for sure I had become a victim of some organized ring of holiday thieves. But thank God,it was an honest mistake. No harm, no foul. 

This whole situation was an illustration of Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and to those who are called according to his purpose.” And also Matthew 18 ” Where two or more are gathered together in my name I am in their midst.” 

I think another fellow shopper summed it up best. When she saw me again inside she asked if I got my purse back. I said “Yes, Thank God.” She said “Well when I heard, I said a little prayer and look at God, He is Good all the time!” 

Amen sister. Thanks for the prayer. God is a God of Goodness, Mercy, and answered Prayer. There is nothing too big or too small to go to Him with.

He cares for us!

Tags: Bible, Christmas, faith, God, grace, holiday, Jesus, miracle, NC, prayer, Scripture, shopping, truth, Wal-Mart, walmart