Danielle opened the fridge and grabbed the first container of leftovers she could find. Breakfast had been nearly twelve hours ago, and she was famished. After heating the container in the microwave, she grabbed a fork and downed the contents of the container while still standing in the kitchen. She placed the container in the dishwasher, drained a glass of water, and flopped on the couch. What a day. Her conversation with Anna rolled around her mind. Danielle had been driving to work for the past three years, and not once had she ever noticed Anna. How was that possible? Anna only lived one street away. Maybe Danielle simply hadn’t been paying attention. In the hour it had taken them to walk the three miles home, Danielle learned Anna had lived in the same house for over 50 years, that her children lived on opposite sides of the country, and that Anna loved the Lord. The entire time Anna talked about her life, not once did she complain about her circumstances, even though she certainly had good reason to. Was it because she had such faith in God?

            Danielle had a Bible somewhere in this house. She’d gotten it as a child, and it had followed her along with various moves, but she never opened it. Maybe she’d check it out. She changed out of her work clothes and started digging around in the attic. After shoving aside a few of John’s boxes, she located the one from her parents’ house. She dug past high school yearbooks, newspaper clippings, and photos, and there, finally, on the bottom of the box, she located what she’d been searching for. She pulled out the Bible and opened it to the first page, where her grandmother had written the inscription. Her grandmother had died the following year.

           My dear Danielle,

           Danielle’s throat grew thick as she read through the inscription. If Grandma was still around today, would Danielle have continued going to church? Continue thinking about what Jesus wanted for her life?

It is my prayer that you would take the words of this book to heart. May God always guide your life and help you remember how very loved you are.

           A noise downstairs caught her attention. John’s voice carried up the stairs. “What are you doing up there?”

           Danielle tucked the Bible under her arm and slid the box back where she’d found it. She hurried down the attic stairs to find John, his eyebrows raised.

            “I was looking for my Bible.”

             “I see you found it. Everything turn out OK today without this?” John held her bag out to her.

              Danielle considered the difficult presentation, the lack of lunch, and the long walk home. She then considered meeting up with Anna. “Yes. It did turn out OK.”

              “Good. So did you get an appointment for your car?”

              Danielle smacked her forehead with her hand. “No. I didn’t have a chance to call. And now it’s too late. Do you think you could give me a ride again in the morning?”

             John sighed. “I could, but it’s probably just a dead battery. I’ll call the auto club now.” He handed Danielle her bag, and she pulled out her phone, checking the messages she’d missed throughout the day. A moment later, John was back. “They’ll be here in about an hour and will check the battery.”

            Sure enough, less than two hours later, Danielle’s car was good as new, with a fully charged battery under the hood. Part of her was a little disappointed, because she wouldn’t mind walking home with Anna again. Then again, she didn’t really have an extra hour a day to spare.

            The next morning, she drove to work, keeping an eye out for Anna. She didn’t see her anywhere. Not until she reached work did she spot her, in all places, in her own building, pushing a trash can through the hallway.

            “Anna? What are you doing here?”

            Anna raised her eyebrows. “I’m here every day, ma’am. Is there something you need?”

            Danielle’s face heated. Was it possible she walked past Anna all the time and never noticed her simply because she was the person who cleaned the building? Shame welled up inside her.

            “I was looking for you this morning. My car is fixed now. Would you like a ride home tonight?”

            “Oh, no, I wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble.”

            “It’s no trouble at all. I drive past your street every day. In fact, I’d be happy to give you a ride from now on. Maybe you can help me understand what I read last night.”

            Anna waved a hand. “No, I don’t know much about books.”

            Danielle grinned at her. “Not even the Bible?”

            Anna’s face lit. “You’re reading the Bible? Now that’s something I can help you with. I’ll be at the front of the building at 5:00.”

Hebrews 13:16: “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Dear Lord, Thank You for putting opportunities in our paths to help others, and thank You for those who help us. Something as simple as giving someone a ride can make such a difference in their day. And sharing knowledge about the Bible can make a difference in their eternity. Help us seek ways we can minister to those around us, in both big and small ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.