Today, I felt a profound divine presence. There was a purpose behind my strong pull to open my laptop and watch the Church’s sermon, pastor was talking about the relationship between a Shepherd and its sheep. Although I didn’t grasp it then, everything became clear in time.

All I know, all day, was to just follow that quiet whisper in my head.
“Go watch today’s church’s sermon”
“Go play Pickleball with your friends”
“Go eat with your friends…”
“Give your friends a ride home in your car…”
“Go to the gym…”

I kept my faith and trusted God to handle everything else…And Have you noticed? Every instinct, every whisper, every quiet intuition was a command.

As a sheep that only knows how to follow its shepherd, I kept obeying because it felt right in the moment. Today, I had no deep thoughts—only a clear focus on what lay directly in front of me. There’s no need to think on what’s next since the Shepherd got it under control.

I saw food, I ate. I saw my friends, I hanged out. They made a joke, I laughed. It’s a day of not giving a shi*t!

Suddenly, my Shepherd said, “Go to the gym.” Naturally, I obeyed, feeling energized and eager to fit in a quick workout before using the gym’s shower, which is far nicer than the one I have at home.

To the Gym…

I was at the gym focusing on cable flys and dumbbell flys, really aiming to target my chest because I want to improve my appearance and look buff when wearing tight shirts—LOL.

But something was still nagging at my mind, whispering, “You can’t leave just yet… you need to squeeze in one more chest workout.” After a quick Google search, I rediscovered “Dips,” a favorite exercise among my friends.

I set up the equipment and did a couple of reps. As I sat next to the equipment, resting, a woman, went to the cable machine next to my workout area. She was doing her workout and I smiled at her.

I asked her, “Don’t you have a bodybuilding tournament coming up?” She smiled hesitantly and said, “Yes.” I replied, “Good luck! I’m sure you’ll do great!” What began as simple small talk soon shifted to more serious one when she mentioned the competition had become political—the organizers were asking her to bring the country’s flag. From there, we moved on to another topic: the weather. It had been raining nonstop for an entire month. Sucks…

The woman, the rain and the tears…

Then, like the rain, her tears began to roll from her eyes down to her cheeks. She said, “The pressure is immense, I am so overwhelmed because I’ll be the only Filipino there and if I win, it will become political. If I lose, people will judge me, we have seen this happen with the other athletes. We compete for the love of the sport, not to brag about nationality or to please the crowd. A crowd that is unforgiving.”

I was shocked but quickly composed myself. Without a word, I pointed upward. She looked puzzled for a moment. Then I said, “It’s Sunday—maybe it’s the church in me—but have you asked help from God?” I stepped closer and gently hugged her side. She hugged me back and I told her my favorite quote from the Bible.

Matthew 6: 26 – 30

²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?

I may have not said it exactly like the Bible but I think I got my point across—LOL 😀

Anyway, she said, “Thank you, that was really comforting.” She wiped away her tears and joined some friends who were just entering the gym. I went back to finish my sets of dips.

After a while, she returned to the machine beside me to complete her set. I thought it was only fitting to say goodbye since I had finished mine. But just as I was about to leave, a voice inside my head urged me to speak these words.

“Before I leave, may I pray for you?”

She agreed, and we found a quiet corner in the gym. Together, we bowed our heads and thanked the Lord for bringing us together. To give thanks to have the opportunity to share the good news with her, to ask for His protection as she prepared for her tournament, and to calm her worries, trusting that she is guided by the Lord—just as a sheep is led by its Shepherd to greener pastures.

It was a good day.