About ten years ago, when we were pastoring in Virginia, Autumn, Emma, Graham and Liberty had gone with me to Richmond to take Tyler to work. Tyler had a relatively short shift that day, so the plan was to drop him off, stay and run errands and pick him up in a few  hours.

We dropped Tyler off at his job and off we went. Liberty was 3, Emma was 8, Graham was 7, Autumn was 12.  As the time approached for me to go pick Tyler up, I debated. Should I go to Dollar Tree or not? It had not been part of my plans, but I kept feeling strongly that I was supposed to go, so we went.

As we moseyed our way through the store, Dw called. I was on my cell with him and the kids and I were looking at things near the back corner of the store. 

All of a sudden we heard screaming. 

Serious screaming. 

Scary screaming. 

The kind that makes your hair on your neck stand on end. 

Since I was on the phone with Dw it didn’t really register what I was hearing for a few seconds. 
Then I stopped and listened. 

Why in the world was someone screaming?

My first thought was some sort of domestic violence.  It gives me chills just remembering that day. I whispered to Dw, “There is someone really screaming, I need to go see what’s going on.” In my panic, after saying that, I hung up on him. He told me later, “DON’T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!”

The kids and I crept toward the front of the store.  The screaming continued. As we ever-so-slowly moved down the aisle closer toward the front I could now clearly see one of the two registers.  

Gracious, I didn’t realize how much emotion is still wrapped up in this memory as the tears start as I tweak this to repost {after originally sharing it almost 2 years ago}.

Anyway, God has given me an amazing ability to read lips, so I knew in an instant what she was mouthing even though she was kind of cowering, “We’re being robbed!!” Her eyes were huge pleading with me. I shook my head acknowledging that I understood.  We all crept backwards slowly.
 We moved a few aisles over.

I started to pray softly, “Oh God! Help us!” Suddenly I remembered my cell phone in my hand. I dialed 9-1-1.  When the dispatcher answered I whispered, “I’m in Dollar Tree on Hull Street in Chesterfield and we are being robbed.” 

The dispatcher asked, “Where are you in the store?” I told her that I had moved slowly back near the left corner of the store with my four young children. She asked me if I had seen the person robbing the store.  I had not.  He must have been at the other register. 

I was thankful that I had not seen him!  I also really, really, didn’t want him to see my precious treasures! I asked her if we should go out the back door. She told me not to, since we did not know if there were others helping this man rob the store or if there was even an accomplice in the alley behind the store.

After hanging up with 9-1-1, I called Dw to tell him that there was a robbery going on. He hung up and called friends to pray.

Eventually the screaming stopped and all we could hear was crying and crying. We then heard someone shout, “He’s gone.” We went slowly to the front of the store and there we found the clerk that he had robbed. She had been knocked to the floor by this thug. She was probably about 65 years old, tiny in stature and sobbing.

Now you have to understand sweet friends, I really, truly am a shy person. But it was definitely the Holy Spirit because I went right to her and wrapped my arms around her and just hugged her while she wept. She had been cut as she fell to the floor. She was bleeding.  I just hugged her like she was one of my kids. I hugged her tight. She held on for dear life.  She kept repeating, “I shouldn’t have given him the money.”  I assured her that she had done the right thing!  Money meant nothing!  Her life was worth everything!

The police arrived and locked down the entire store. We weren’t even allowed to leave. We were locked in for probably 1/2 hour while they checked everything good and asked lots of questions.

That clerk just sobbed and sobbed and sobbed and held on like there was no tomorrow. Her name was Bonnie and I asked her if it would be okay for me to pray with her. She shook her head. So while hugging her tight, I began to pray aloud over her. Asking God to comfort her and minister to her heart. I thanked Him over and over and over for protecting her. {Really friends, he could have killed her. He could have killed others in the store!}

Eventually we were allowed to go. What an experience! How do you even deal with that as you walk out of the store? Our lives were forever changed {again} in a few short minutes. 

Not many people have been in a store robbery in their lifetime. The kids were crying and scared and so I prayed with the kids as we went to the car. Thanking the Lord over and over for His hand of protection. When we all got into the car, I realized it was so weird. What do you do after such an event? 

So I said the only thing that I could think of saying, “God protected us guys. He loves us so much. Let’s celebrate His protection. Let’s go for ice cream at Bruster’s!!”

Right across the side street from Dollar Tree was a Bruster’s {best ice cream we’ve ever had – hands down!}. I let them order anything they wanted. And we decided there is a new rule for our family.

But the story doesn’t end there. Obviously, I was shaken. The kids were shaken. God had protected us, the others in the store, the clerk at the other register. He had protected Bonnie. I wanted to do something for Bonnie. I wanted her to know how much God loves her, how He died for her so that she might live.

I decided to fill a gift bag with all kinds of goodies….stuff like: Bath & Body bubble bath, special smelly stuff, pampering stuff. And I also put a Bible in it and a copy of of book that I loved at the time. I wrote Bonnie a letter and told her about God’s deep love for her, and that He had special plans for her life.

The next day I drove back to Dollar Tree. She actually was working. The minute she saw me she threw her arms around me and hugged the daylights out of me. She said, “You were in the store yesterday for me. God knew I would need you here and so you were shopping just so you could be with me after the robbery.”

As I walked away I realized that God had indeed allowed us to be in the Dollar Tree on Hull Street at that exact moment so we could minister to Bonnie.  Although I would not wish to be in a robbery again, He will use every circumstance to minister to others,
if we let Him.

in a robbery would be missing all the fun!}

What has God done for you? How has He provided? When has He protected? What has He surprised you with? How has He healed you? Please place your permalink below to share your own Memorial Box Monday story.

I loved reading all last weeks stories!
Please post yours too!

{I first shared this particular story about 20 months ago.}
If you are wondering what a Memorial Box is, I explain it here. If you don’t understand how to link a permalink, it is explained here. Now do it! Tell us all what faithful God has done for you!!