When Tears, Laughter and Prayers = Miracles

by Mickey Z

Please join me in facilitating miracles instead of division  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

	Open in app or online When tears, laughter & prayers = miracles Please join me in facilitating miracles instead of division Mickey Z. Jul 17     Share   Anna (winter 2022) I’ve written plenty about miracles lately and I have no intention of stopping. We obviously need more. Also, truth be told, the more people I interact with, the more powerlessness I sense. So, here I go again… Of the homeless women I help, one of my favorite regulars is Anna (see photo above). She’s disabled, quite timid, and rarely asks for much. In fact, when I ask Anna what I can bring her, her most consistent reply is: “Please keep me in your prayers.” I’m always honored by this request. Anna turned 60 years old on July 16 so I put out the call on GoFundMe and Patreon for support in my effort to provide some semblance of a lil’ birthday miracle. As is often the case, a few generous souls came through. The first of a few gifts I got Anna was a hand-carved wooden cross made in Bethlehem (she is Greek Orthodox): Among other things, I also got her a t-shirt and her favorite lavender, non-toxic hand sanitizer: P.S. The “be kind” message is not for Anna. She is beyond sweet. It’s for all the passersby she encounters. The gift-giving took place over the course of two visits. The first time, I gave Anna the shirt, the hand sanitizer — and other stuff like socks, and a $15 McDonald’s gift card. During that conversation, something funny occurred and I realized it was the first time I’d ever heard Anna laugh in the 2.5 years I know her. I made sure to make a couple more quips to inspire a couple more laughs. On my second visit, I brought the cross with me. But first, I stopped in a local, healthy restaurant for a birthday dessert. The woman working there is very kind and knows me a little. So I decided she might be excited to be involved in my efforts. I told her about Anna and asked for a rich chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. The woman was quite moved and asked if she could join the fun by adding in (for free) a rich vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting. She did not have to ask twice: When I got to Anna, she was struggling on a humid day so I gave her a cold bottle of water I just bought — plus some gift cards. Next came the cupcakes. She seemed a little overwhelmed so I gave her a few minutes before giving her the cross. As she opened the canvas bag, she gasped and her eyes teared up. So did mine. “This is so beautiful,” she whispered as she immediately took the cross from the bag to hang on her neck. “It’s a reminder,” I said, “that even when things are darkest, you are being watched over. Happy Birthday, Anna.” Anna replied, “Thank you and God bless you.” I said the same to her but then made sure to say something funny to leave her with one more laugh. I walked away weeping. I share this as a demonstration of how powerful we each are. Every single day, I ask Jesus to work miracles of any size through me. This is WAY more important me to than my podcast, my subscriber count, or being “right” on social media. So, I urge all of you: Eschew false prophets. Don’t become myopic about the eating bugs, “controlled opposition,” etc. Instead, seek to become a conduit of unconditional love. This option is available to us 24/7. Detach from your devices for a while. Those contentious comment threads will be there when you get back (if you choose to still engage). Rather than sinking into the pits of negativity and paranoia, recognize that you are fearfully and wonderfully made with the inherent ability to fill others with faith, hope, and joy. The next time you’re tempted to share some doom and gloom or the latest gossipy accusations, ask yourself: What act of love can I perform instead? I promise you will never regret it. Post-Woke is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Upgrade to paid Invite your friends and earn rewards If you enjoy Post-Woke, share it with your friends and earn rewards when they subscribe. Invite Friends   Like Comment Restack   © 2023 Mickey Z. 548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104