What A Day

By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady


This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Ps 118:24 NIV

What a day. I love sprinkling Jesus everywhere, but I must confess that if I get to pick, sprinkling Him across the towering red rocks of Colorado and Utah and along the Colorado River would probably be my first choice. In my last career, I was confined to an office. Now I get to do my work hiking places like Hovenweep National Monument.

As Belle and I hiked up and down the steep rocky canyon of Hovenweep National Monument, we shared Jesus with a Wicca practitioner and a Park Ranger. When we got back to the Visitor’s Center, Belle put on a trick show for an entire class of 5th graders. While she performed, I got to talk about Jesus. They were interested in reading Belle’s blog so I handed out my cards. The teacher thanked me for taking so much time with them.

As Belle and I hiked, I remembered the flat tire I’d had in Hovenweep in 2002. At the time, I thought it was crisis but it lead to the salvation of the man who changed the tire. This just goes to show that I don’t know what is good for me. I hear from him from time to time and he is doing great.

I also took great pleasure in the fact that because I’d prepared for this journey by working out at Curves, I was able to hike the steep rocky two mile trail with little effort.

This afternoon, I went to the grocery store. The woman in line ahead of me was angry about everything. I’m not sure what got her so angry but she was slamming her groceries out of her cart. In her fury, she laid her wallet down and panicked when she couldn’t find it.

“Here it is,” I said quietly, pointing the wallet that was perched on top of a can of peas. “You seem like you’re having a bad day.”

“I am,” she huffed. “This grocery store charges too much and they don’t take care of you.”

“We’re cheaper than the other grocery store,” the clerk argued.

“You’re too crowded,” the woman retorted.

I opened my purse and handed her a pamphlet entitled, Steps to Peace With God. “You look like you need this,” I said.

“I have peace,” she snapped.

I just looked at her and she looked sheepish. “I don’t believe this stuff but I’m sure you mean well.”

“I absolutely mean well,” I said.

“Ok,” she said, sighing. “I’ll take it and read it.”

Tonight, I took the 21 mile Canyon Land boat and dinner tour out of Moab. As I walked in, I remembered the sad college student who’d worked the ticket counter in 2002. She’d had a number of personal tragedies and what I call a “pocket full of tears.” I shared Christ with her and when I returned in 2003, she was a completely different person. She’d become a Christian, joined a church, and gotten active in a Bible study. Tonight, when I walked up to the same counter for the 3rd time, we immediately recognized each other and both got excited. Mallory was happy, had graduated from college, was still active in church, and had married a Christian man. Jesus had truly emptied her pocket full of tears.

For the dinner portion of the tour, I sat with 4 people who said they were more spiritual than religious. Three were interested in my story and life but not Jesus. The fourth, sitting next to me, was a former Mormon from Utah and was willing to talk about Christ. I gave all of them quarters and cards. I quietly shared the way to Christ with the former Mormon and gave him a tract. Since he was sitting with his 3 friends, who were busy religion bashing while we talked, I didn’t push him to pray with me but I showed him the prayer in the tract.

“Thank you,” he said, taking the tract.

Just in case you think my day was perfect – it wasn’t. I got lost a couple of times. My GPS took me down a dirt road that had a fence at the end of it. You haven’t lived until you turn a camper around on a rocky narrow dirt road. A cabinet flew open while I was driving and hurled food items at poor Belle. Something fell off the shelf above me while I was driving and conked me in the head. I was without cell coverage most of the day. I had to hook up my camper up in the dark and I scraped my hand while I stumbled and fumbled around. The hose didn’t connect properly and soaked me. I plugged in the electricity and it didn’t work. Shivering and wet, I walked to the campground office in the cold black night. Fortunately, they were still there and got my electricity working.

My life on the road is hard. Often, I long for my comfortable bed and luxurious shower. I always long for my husband. Days like today make it all worth it. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

==========================================
Cheryle M. Touchton is the Director of Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Cheryle Touchton at 904 614 3585.

This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road leading people to Christ, you can donate at Donate

Copyright: Pocket Full of Change Ministries