Faith – Page 3 – Mindful Nutrition

God Moments: We Ran out of Gas

This is a “God moment” story about what happened when I asked God to help me help others…

This article has been updated and is an adaptation from a story in 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This unique book was written by Lacy Ngo, a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit. This is an adaption from a story in the book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life.

18 weeks to a healthier, happier, more purposeful life cover

Just a Normal Drive to Work

Class shouldn’t be too long tonight.” I said as I was leaving to teach nutrition to a group of college freshman. I figured I would be home shortly since this was the first class of the semester. I usually just go over the syllabus and class expectation on the first day.

As I was driving to work, I noticed a policeman carrying a gas canister to a car stopped on the side of the road. I thought to myself, ‘oh that’s nice. That driver must have run out of gas, and the policeman brought a canister of gas to the stranded driver.

The Quick Prayer

This made my mind wonder as it often does. I began to wonder how often I was too busy to notice others in need of some help or assistance on the road or in a store. I’m not sure why, but I decided to pray a very specific prayer. I prayed, “God, if I pass by someone on the side of the road who has run out of gas, please help me notice, AND help me do the right thing.” Then I went to teach my students. As predicted, my class was short. I was glad since I had lots to do at home. So I jumped in my car and headed home…

She Said “We Ran Out of Gas.”

On the way home from class that evening, I kid you not, I see a car on the side of the road! A mother and her middle school-aged son were standing beside the car.

I am going to tell you the truth even though I am embarrassed. My first thought was ‘Are you kidding me? Am I really suppose to stop NOW?!’ What is the likelihood that I would pass by a car on the side of the road right after saying that prayer?’ But I HAD just prayed to God about this very thing. I did ask God to help me notice others in need. Well, I noticed, and now I had to choose to do the right thing. So I pulled over and asked, “Are y’all okay? Do y’all need anything?” (I’m from South Carolina, so you will find I say y’all…a lot). Do you know what the mother said? She said, “We ran out of gas.”

Is that not something! How often is someone stuck on the side of the road because they specifically ran out of gas? This family’s car battery wasn’t dead, and their car wasn’t broken down for another reason. No, this family was not stuck on the side of the road because of any of these more common issues. I asked God to help me notice if someone ever runs out of gas, and here in front of me is this mother and son standing with a car WITH NO GAS!

God moments, answered prayers, helping others, RAK, random act of kindness, inspiring God stories — When God answers our prayer

Filling Their Tank and Filling My Heart

I responded, “Okay, hold on. I will get ya’ some. I’ll be right back.”

I don’t know why I prayed such a specific prayer; maybe I thought that I wouldn’t be much help if the car trouble was much more than an empty gas tank. For whatever reason, I prayed, “Please help me notice and stop when someone runs out of gas,” and the NEXT time I drove, I passed by someone who had run out of gas!

Did God know these people were going to need gas at this time? Did God find a way to encourage me to stop for this family? I don’t know, and I don’t even understand. I just know it happened, and I still remember the look of shocked appreciation on that middle school child’s face when I came back with a canister of gas. Their thankful faces, and God’s answer to my prayer filled my heart that day. As I filled the tank, my heart was filling up too.

Your God Moments

I am so thankful God leads me because my decisions would look very different without God.

Do you have any God Moments you would like to share? I always love to hear how God is working in our lives. Please share your stories in the comments. If you enjoyed these posts, and would like to be notified when a new one is posted, please follow “Mindfulness in Faith and Food.” When you follow mindfulness in faith and food, you will get a free printable Mindful Planner.

God Moment: We Prayed and Then This Happened!

18 weeks to a healthier, happier, more purposeful life cover

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links (See full disclosure)

The Miscariage… Then My Son Was Born

In 2009, my beautiful little boy was born. Just over a year earlier, I had just had a miscarriage. My body held on to this little baby for 3 months before the miscarriage. I still have my only picture via an ultrasound of my first little baby, and I can still remember seeing the little heartbeat on the ultrasound. I will always love that first baby, and as you can imagine, I was over the moon to find out I was pregnant again so soon after with my son.

The delivery of my son went well. He was a healthy baby except for a minor hydrocele. The doctors said this was not unusual and that the hydrocele usually goes away before the age of one. However, if the hydrocele did not go away by the time my son was one, then; my son may need a minor surgery, especially if the hydrocele turns into a hernia.

What in the World was Happening?

A year went by, and before we knew it, we were celebrating my little boy’s first birthday. Soon after my son’s birthday, I noticed a little redness when I was changing my son’s diaper. Knowing about the hydrocele, I decided to get him checked out. We took him to the doctor one evening. To my surprise, the doctor recommended that we go straight to the urologist. It was now after 5:00 pm, and the doctor was going to meet us at his already closed office. I started thinking the worst. On the way to the urologist, my son suddenly projectile vomited all over the car, car seat, and me. I then became extremely worried. What in world was happening?

The urologist concluded that my son did have a hernia and did need surgery, but thankfully, this was not an emergency. The surgery could be scheduled for a later date. During the procedure, my son would be put to sleep for a couple of hours, and then, he would go home the same day of the surgery.

Then He Simply Said “Hey”

Whew, crisis obverted,…but then I began to worry. My logical mind, knew this was a minor surgery, but the protective mother began to panic as the day approached. I had heard of babies having bad reactions to anesthesia, and by the night before the surgery, I was extremely stressed.

Although, I was nervous, I did our normal bedtime routine just as I always do. First, I laid my son on the changing table to change his diaper and put on his pajamas. Then, as usual, I bowed my head and said a prayer while he was still lying on the changing table.

That night I said a special prayer, asking God to please PLEASE help us know He is here with us and will be RIGHT HERE WITH US during the surgery. I really, REALLY needed reassurance that God was with us. Then, I picked up my son and carried him to the rocking chair so that we could read our bedtime stories. He was looking at me and smiling as we went to the chair. Then his gaze shifted to the ceiling. He suddenly smiled and said, “hey” like he was greeting someone as he looked straight up at one spot on the ceiling. I was puzzled and curiously asked, “Who are you saying hey to?” My son simply replied, “God.”

Bring on Those Chills

Chills ran up my arm. For one, I bow my head when we pray, but my son looked up. My son was not even two years old at the time. I don’t know how my son knew that God was there, and I am not sure how my one year old knew that he could just say “hey” to God anytime. Did my one year old son feel that God is with us all the time? My mouth dropped open as I slowly made my way to the rocking chair. I could barely move, and I could barely focus on the book I was reading to my son. In awe, I asked myself, “what… just… happened!” I do know that I prayed for God to help us know that He is here, and God did! The surgery went smoothly and my son was home in a few hours.

God's precense today; A story of prayer and little sign's from God — We prayed and then this happened! A story of God’s presence today

Check out More God Moment Stories

God Moment: I was So Afraid

God Moments: We Chose the Same Picture!

God Moments: God Follows Through

God Moments: Did That Just Happen?

God Moments: We Ran Out of Gas

About Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN and Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC

Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC focuses on how to live your healthiest, happiest, most meaningful life through faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition.
Several branches fall under the Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC umbrella. One is Mindful Vending, which is one of the few dietitian owned and operated vending companies in the nation!

Ngo is also a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and nutrition and is the author of several books including Faith, Mindfulness, & Nutrition, Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals and The Nourishing Meal Builder. You can also find evidence-based nutrition articles, recipes, convenient healthy snack lists, inspiring faith stories, and faith-based mindfulness techniques on her blog, Mindfulness in Faith and Food.

Related Products

This is such a fun Journal! You can use this journal to write down you prayers, questions, thoughts, and God moments. After writing, you can color in the journal while you pray and think about what you just wrote. What a great way to slow down and be mindful!

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I also just found the Prayer Journal For Children: A Kid’s Daily Journal for Prayer, Gratitude, and Praise – (Blue) -[Professional Binding]. I am so excited to find a way to share my joy of journaling with my children!

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You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

God Moments: God Follows Through

God Follows Through

In my experience, when God leads us to do something, God usually helps us get it done. I’m not saying hard times won’t happen. I’m not saying that we won’t go through pain, but when God leads us to do something, God will be with us to make it happen. In other words, God follows through. This is post three of the “God Moments” series.

Debt

Like post two, this God Moment story begins at our church. Our church had been trying to pay off a debt for the new children’s building. The building provided a larger place for our growing group of children. Now that the building was built, our church wanted to reduce the debt and free up the church finances so that our church could serve our community and God’s world in other ways.

Paying the Mortgage is Our Responsibility

My husband and I wanted to contribute. In fact, we felt that as members of the church, this was our church and OUR mortgage. It was our duty to help pay the bills just as it was our duty to pay the mortgage of our home. We just were not sure of the amount we should contribute. When we bought our own home, we cut back on some things because we wanted THAT home. Our home was more important than some of the stuff we cut out of our lifestyle. We felt the same about church home.

But How Much Do We Pay?

My husband and I decided to pray and hoped that God would lead us. After prayer, we came up with an amount that seemed hard for us. We wanted to practice putting God before our own material desires. We had just bought a home, and we had planned on renovating the living room, but we were now going to postpone the renovation for 3 years in order to give to our church. We did this not expecting anything exciting to happen, but something exciting did happen.

Follow God Without Expectations

Before I go on, I want to explain what I am NOT saying. I am not saying that every time you sacrifice God rewards you with money. Many times people have sacrificed for God and even paid the ultimate sacrifice of death. But sometimes I think God does show us just how much we can trust God to take care of us. When we trust God, God finds a way to show us God’s presence. When God leads us to do God’s will, God helps us get it done.

We Followed and God Helped Us Get It Done

We made a pledge that would not leave us struggling, but would make us have to hold off on some spending. After we took that leap of faith and pledged our financial giving to the church, my husband received an unexpected raise at work AND found out that he was getting some backpay money he didn’t know he had coming!

Giving Changed Our Priorities

You know what was funny? In the process, we realized that we didn’t need the elaborate renovation we had originally planned. With this unexpected money, we were able to do a less elaborate renovation in 2 years instead of three AND we decided to give an extra financial gift to our church as a Christmas gift. In fact, we didn’t count this gift as part of our pledge and gave it as an EXTRA gift.

When I say we, I mean my husband because I wanted to count the gift as part of our financial pledge. I had to bite my tongue when my husband said, “Yeah, I think I am going to give this extra money to the church.” I wanted to say, ‘but when it is time to pay that last chunk of money that we have pledged to the church, aren’t you going to wish you had counted this money as part of our pledge?’ But I knew this was something good my husband wanted to do, so I held back from saying anything.

Just Wait, The Story Gets Even Better!

So we gave that extra money without counting it toward the pledge. But a few months later our pledge was due, and we were kicking ourselves for not counting Christmas gift as part of our pledge. You would think we would have been better at trusting God after all of this, but when it was time for our last payment to the campaign WEEEE WERE NERVOUS! It was year three of the campaign, and we had one BIG chunk of our pledge to give. Oh, did I mention that the amount we gave at Christmas WAS the amount we had left to give!

So with heavy hearts, we reluctantly wrote that check and gave that last sum to the church.

No Really, The Story Does Get Better! Bring On The Arm Chills

Do you know what happened the very next week?!!!! My husband was asked to do an extra one-time BIG job at work that paid him almost the EXACT amount we gave to the church! I mean, just wow! We didn’t get loads and loads of extra money, but we got the money we needed to serve God and our brothers and sisters at our church. I am tellin’ ya! One day, I hope to have more trust, because God keeps blowing me away when God shows up! All I can say is God follows through.

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links (See full disclosure)

You May Also Enjoy

This is such a fun Journal! You can use this journal to write down you prayers, questions, thoughts, and God moments. In other words, use the journal to write down all the times in your life when God follows through.

After writing, you can color in the journal while you pray and think about what you just wrote. What a great way to slow down and be mindful!

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I love prayer journals and am always recommending them. Since Thanksgiving is around the corner, I want to focus on some Gratitute and thanksgiving focused journals. Check them out below.

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And this is a children’s gratitude journal! What a great way to to get the whole family involved!

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More God Moments

God Moments: Did That Just Happen?

God Moments: We Chose the Same Picture

God Moments: We Prayed and then This Happened!

God Moments: I Was So Afraid

God Moments: We Ran Out of Gas

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

God Moments: Choosing the Same Picture!

God Moments: When God Shows Up!

I believe that God is not a silent God. God wants to have a real relationship with us, and God wants to be a part of our lives. And I believe you don’t have to say the perfect prayer for God to show up. God doesn’t have to be manipulated to be in our lives because God wants to be in our lives! I have found this to be true in my own life. Many times God has shown up when I was actively praying, searching, and pursuing a relationship with God, but sometimes God has “shown up” when I didn’t even deserve it. I call these moments when we clearly see God in our lives “God Moments.”

God is compassionate. God loves us and doesn’t have to be convinced to do something for us. Sometimes all we need to do is ask, be patient, and mindfully watch. Get ready because God will show up!

A Sunday Morning God Moment

This is post two of the “God Moment” series. This “God moment” takes place on a busy Sunday morning. ..

Our church service was starting soon, and we were close to being late. My husband, who is in the church band, was already at church. As we rushed into the lobby, I noticed a large table filled with pictures of adorable children from all over the world. I made a mental note to check out the table after the service.

After church, I went to the table and learned that the children in the pictures were children in need of financial help. Church members could choose to provide monthly financial help by sponsoring a child. Once you signed up to sponsor a child, you would send the child’s family much needed money as well as notes and letters of encouragement. I was immediately drawn to a little boy named Matt from another country.

We Chose the Same Picture!

I wanted to sponsor Matt, but knew I needed to see if my husband would want to sponsor him as well. Perhaps my husband didn’t even want to take on the responsibility of sponsoring a child, so I asked my husband if he wanted to go over to the Compassion table and check it out. I didn’t want to pressure him or even suggest a particular child to him. I wanted to see what he thought without my interference.

When we walked over to the table filled with probably 30 to 40 children’s pictures, my husband picked up only one picture and said “what about this child?” The picture was of Matt!!! I couldn’t believe it. We both chose Matt on our own. The choice was easy. We knew Matt was the child we should sponsor. We still continue to sponsor and pray for Matt and his family. For some reason, we were both drawn or perhaps guided to Matt that day.

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links (See full disclosure)

You May Enjoy

Journaling has become a way for me to pray, think, and learn. Also, I journal whenever I experience a God Moment. I try to write down that experience before I forget. In fact, I found this particular blog story in my journal. If I had never written this story down, I may not have even remembered this moment or been able to share it with others. In case you are searching for a cute and inspirational prayer journal, I have provided links to several prayer journals.

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Want more God Moment Stories? Check out these other posts.

God Moments: Why are You So Afraid?

God Moments: Did That Just Happen?

God Moments: Choosing the Same Picture

God Moments: We Prayed and Then this Happened!

God Moments: We Ran Out of Gas

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life

God stories about amazing coincedences — God Moments, Winks, adn signs: amazing coincedences

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

God Moments: Why Are You So Afraid?

God Moments: Why are you So Afraid?

Hearing God through Journaling

I have always loved journaling. I still have my Mickey Mouse journal from elementary school. My journaling evolved as I got older. Later, my writing switched from talking about the day and my latest crush to writing about God. I now keep a prayer journal, but the journal holds so much more than prayers. I do include my prayers to God, but I also write as I read scripture. In my little journal, I transcribe all of the thoughts and questions I have after reading scripture. I also include what I call “God Moments” in my journal.

Seeing God's Presence Today through journaling, plus a short God moment story — Seeing God’s Presence Today through journaling, plus a short God moment story

Disclosure: This site may provide affiliate links (See full disclosure)

I write every time I experience one of those amazing “that just gave me chills” moments. Do you know what I’m talking about? These are those stories that make you feel like God is talking to you, or those moments when you realize God is trying to get your attention. God moment stories often make you cry happy tears because you feel like God IS right there! These are stories about those moments when you FEEL God’s love and guidance.

Journal So That You Will Remember

After something beautiful and amazing happens, I think to myself, “wow, I won’t ever forget this!” But I have found that as time passes, I only remember some of the God Moments of my life. So I made it a priority to get those stories written ASAP before I forget! Do you know what I found after writing them down? These kinds of stories happen A LOT!!!! God is guiding us, and when I began collecting all of my God moments in a journal, I noticed just how often God has guided me.

My journal often feels like a broken record. The same most beautiful song is recorded in my journal over and over. These God moment stories are about all the random and not so random times when I would read something in the Bible at the exact time I needed to read it. God seems to often communicate to me and maybe you in this way.

God Moments: The Series

So this leads to the “Mindfulness in Faith and Food” new series announcement. Our new blog series is entitled, “God Moments.” I want to share these cool stories with others in hopes to comfort others in some way. God IS here! God does care! God is guiding us!

This Week’s God Moment Story: The Fear was Taking Over

In honor of this series, I want to share a short “God Moment” now. This God moment happened during a time when I was experiencing fear about something going on in our lives. On this particular day, fear was overtaking my day. I was experiencing this immense fear in the pit of my stomach. The fear was so strong that it was almost painful.

But Then I Found Comfort in God

Do you know that this very same day, I stumbled upon lessons about “trusting God when you are afraid” not once but twice?!!! The most impactful moment occurred when I was reading our nightly children’s devotional called God and Me to my son. I often like to read the context around a piece of scripture, but on this particular day the children’s devotional pulled just two sentences out of the Bible. The devotional simply said this, “Why are you so afraid? Do you STILL have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

These words hit me smack in the heart and comforted my fearful soul. The fact that these two sentences were written in our devotional on this particular day made me feel like the words were being whispered to me. ‘Lacy, why are you SO afraid? Do you STILL have no faith?’ This soft critique was such a comfort. I felt as if God was saying that I could trust God. God’s got this!

My Prayer

Thank you, God, for finding ways to speak to us and guide us. I don’t know what I would do without your comfort and guidance. I am sorry for my lack of trust and for ALL the many…many…many times I fall short. You know, like that time yesterday and the day before… Thank you for guiding me and love me anyway. Amen.

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life

18 weeks to a healthier, happier, more purposeful life cover

Tell Me Your God Moments

I love to hear how God is working in our lives today. Please tell me some of your God moments in the comments section. How has God guided you and comforted you in your life?

More God Moments

God Moments: We Prayed and Then This Happened

God Moments: Did That Just Happen?

God Moments: God Follows Through

God Moments: Choosing the Same Picture

God Moments: We Ran Out of Gas

Related Products

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

Just a Normal Drive to Work

The Quick Prayer

She Said “We Ran Out of Gas.”

Filling Their Tank and Filling My Heart

Your God Moments

You May Also Like

More God Moments:

The Miscariage… Then My Son Was Born

What in the World was Happening?

Then He Simply Said “Hey”

Bring on Those Chills

Check out More God Moment Stories

About Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN and Mindfulness in Faith and Food, LLC

Related Products

God Follows Through

Debt

Paying the Mortgage is Our Responsibility

But How Much Do We Pay?

Follow God Without Expectations

We Followed and God Helped Us Get It Done

Giving Changed Our Priorities

Just Wait, The Story Gets Even Better!

No Really, The Story Does Get Better! Bring On The Arm Chills

You May Also Enjoy

More God Moments

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life

God Moments: When God Shows Up!

A Sunday Morning God Moment

We Chose the Same Picture!

You May Enjoy

Want more God Moment Stories? Check out these other posts.

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life

God Moments: Why are you So Afraid?

Hearing God through Journaling

Journal So That You Will Remember

God Moments: The Series

This Week’s God Moment Story: The Fear was Taking Over

But Then I Found Comfort in God

My Prayer

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life

Tell Me Your God Moments

More God Moments

Related Products