I used to volunteer at the 86 coffee bar, a delightful community gathering place right next to UC's campus. One day while sitting in the coffee shop before my shift, a regular, Carol, came in, clearly having a rough day. Carol is a genial lady perhaps in her 40s who always dresses well and provides refreshing conversation for the baristas. She sat down next to me and inquired about the book I was reading. I explained to her that I was reading "Conversations with God" and that it was written by a man who was very angry with God because of all the hardship and pain he had experienced -- he had poor health, broken relationships, and was homeless for a time -- even though he was striving to know and follow God. He wrote an angry letter to God, venting out all his frustrations, and as he finished, he got a response -- the pen started writing of its own accord, and God answered him -- an answer which turned into an extended dialogue. As I spoke, I noticed Carol was deeply shaken, something I said caused her eyes to well with tears. Through quiet sobs and dabs at her mascara she confessed she felt just like this man -- her last few nights were spent in the rain, outside, wherever she could find marginal shelter; her life was crumbling around her without any consistent place to rest; her search for a job using her past experience and degree had been unfruitful for months. Things were falling apart and God hadn't been much help. Later, after many more conversations with Carol, we both look back at this happenstance as God's auspicious work. We both received spiritual encouragement as we discussed God's purpose for us in our lives, and prayed over Carol's struggles with work, housing, and relationships. I gave the $100 check to Carol because I knew she could, and would, use it to get herself to a better place where she could also be a betterment to others. Some takeaways from my time with Carol: A) God will use (seemingly) random encounters and events in our lives IF we are willing to be generous with our time. B) Generosity is easy when you realize that there really is plenty -- that God is providing and will always provide more than enough, so I needn't be rushed or too busy or too poor to give. C) You never know who might be struggling through oppressive burdens. No one would have the faintest idea that Carol was homeless unless she told them. "Homelessness" comes in many, many forms, including those like Carol who never does drugs, works part-time, always looks professional, has a career, and has multiple degrees.

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