CALCULATE

I watched her make her way between tables as she got closer to where I was seated. Her well held up braids and neatly aligned hairline was evidence that she had just been just to the salon. She gave me a warm smile and I stood to hug her once she got to our table. It was our routine to meet up for coffee and catch up on our lives every month and this was definitely one of those days we looked upto; to help us unwind. Many at times we would lose track of time and leave quite late but we thank God we had each other.

Belle and I had been friends for quite sometime. We lived in the same neighborhood back when we were young and so we knew a lot about each other. Sadly we lost contact when we joined different high schools but during college we found our way back to the friendship and this time we became more of spiritual accountability partners. We talked more on phone since we lived in different ends of the city but we made a point to meet physically at least once a month.
On this day I was more excited than Belle since I had just gotten a promotion at work. I could not stop talking about it and for sure Belle was happy for me but evidently there was something bothering her. I could notice how she tried to bring out a smile and she barely let out her normal jokes. She was more of a listener and just looked at the menu but you could tell that her mind was not there. After realizing there was nowhere this long story I was giving was going I sighed, reached out for Belle's hand an leaned forward then asked, "Girl, what's up? You are definitely not yourself today."
Belle raised her head and looked at me straight in the eyes and asked, "Hailey, how long do I have to pray for God to reveal Himself in my ministry? I do not want to complain but I just feel stuck and it is draining me. Sometimes I feel like He is not as close as He was when I started."
Belle is a youth minister at a local church next to where she currently resides. She had been ministering for 4years now and had been part of a great revival in the church especially in line with the youth ministry. Of late however, she had been having a lot of struggles implementing a few things and she was not sure if she was upto the task. She had briefed me on this before we met and I had given it a lot of thought plus prayed about it but I wasn't sure if I had the right words to encourage her.
"Let me head to the ladies as you order the normal(Chicken and fries for the both of us and cocktail juice) then we can break this down." I placed my phone on the table and left. When I came back I found Belle staring at my phone with a big smile on her face. She looked up to me and said. "I think I just heard God speak through your phone."
"Whaaaaaat!!" I exclaimed.
"Haha,"she laughed, "I don't mean He called me, but your ringtone just reminded me of Psalms 77:10 and 11."
I sat down and noticed I had a missed call, but before I checked the missed call, I opened my bible app and read the verse,

"Then I thought,To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember of your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all Your works and consider all your mighty deeds."

So there it was the right thing to do as she waited on the Lord. I decided to play the song as the waiter brought the meal to our table.

If you count you blessings one by one

You will drop your worries one by one

Let Christ be your number one

One plus one equals what He's done

Calculate...

Inspired by Calculate by Tybe and KenT MOG
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs-2kK8oP-M