It’s been too sacred to talk about. I think I’m ready now.

My word for 2024 came to me early last December; it is “Miracles.” I didn’t know why the word came so clearly and so early. Usually it’s more like early January before it comes to me.

My little grand-nephew Jameson was born two months early last November and spent weeks in the NICU. Maybe that’s one reason why. Now he’s a year old and growing like a little man.

It was Christmas Eve 2023, a Sunday. I know better than to shop on Christmas Eve, especially not a big store like Wal-mart. My aunt Nancy said she needed a prescription filled. Mom also had asked my nephew if he needed anything for the newly-born baby. He told her he needed two bottle warmers. Mom was ready for us to go to Wal-mart. 

I drove us and had an unsettled feeling the whole time. Mom told me to stay in the car parked at the curb in front of Wal-mart. “I’ll be back in 10 minutes, just enough time to get Nancy’s prescription and the bottle warmers for baby Jameson.” 

Five minutes passed. Then 10. Then 15 minutes. Two ladies came out and asked me to roll down my window. My heart fell. I knew tough news was coming. 

The lady looked distressed and said, “Your Mom asked us to come out here and find you. Her purse was just stolen, and she is hysterical in the Customer Service Department.”

I thanked them and felt nauseous. I whipped the car into a parking place, grabbed my purse, and ran to Customer Service, wondering if Mom had been hurt in the process of her purse being snatched. 

I ran inside and looked around and looked down. Mom looked pitiful against the wall, squatting on a car battery, hunched over and sobbing! I knelt down and hugged her, reassuring her that it would be OK. 

Moments later a policeman walked over and an undercover Wal-mart security person dressed in all black was with him. They escorted us into the cool secret security room at Wal-mart and asked Mom what happened. 

She said she had been in the baby section of Wal-mart. No one was on her aisle as she looked for bottle warmers. She even had her purse strapped into the child seat of her Wal-mart cart. As soon as she turned her back to reach down on the shelf and pick up two bottle warmers to put in her cart, when she turned back to her cart her purse was stolen! It happened that fast, and she saw or heard no one! 

She said she began sobbing and crying out “My purse was stolen! My purse was stolen!” Those two sweet angel ladies found mom and helped walk her to the Customer Service. 

Meanwhile, while Mom and I were in the inner-sanctum of the Wal-mart secret security room, the surveillance camera saw that a white male grabbed the purse. And then one of the undercover cops saw a white male leaving the store with a black purse, which of course is odd. They followed him and he tossed the purse in the woods by Wal-mart. 

They arrested the man AND were able to get mom’s purse out of the muddy woods. The policeman asked Mom how much money she had in the purse, and she said $45. 

When they brought her muddy purse back in the security room, all that was missing was cash and the change, not even the CREDIT cards or identification! The policeman then handed her $45 in cash back to her. We were in AWE. 

They then asked Mom if she wanted to press charges on the man, who they said was handcuffed and sitting in the back of a policecar in front of Wal-mart on Christmas Eve. Mom asked what it entailed, and they talked about a January court date. 

She said she did NOT want to press charges since she got her purse, wallet, and money back. She signed the release statement freeing the man from a court date. He would still go to jail for a few nights with bond. 

They asked if she would like to speak to the man, and she said yes. They said he was a younger man with two children, that he was a meth addict trying to get cash. 

Mom and I were then escorted with her purse, Aunt Nancy’s prescription and bottle warmers out of the secret security room and out of Wal-mart into the beautiful daylight. They walked us over the police car, where they opened the back door. 

He was pitiful looking at first glance. He was skinny, gaunt, with sunken eyes, and dark circles under his eyes. His arms were behind him as he sat, handcuffed. I watched as the policeman and six different undercover Wal-mart agents dressed in black also gathered around the cop car, wanting to hear the exchange. 

Before Mom could speak he said, “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m sorry.” 

My courageous Mom spoke. “I forgive you. And, as Jesus said, ‘Go and sin no more.’ God loves you. Sir, you have children. You have mighty purpose. Don’t waste your life on drugs and crime. Get a job. Work hard. Provide for your family. Read your Bible, go to church and tell your testimony. You have so much to live for and a legacy to leave. I pray you have a Merry Christmas.” 

He told her thank you and Merry Christmas. Each one of the policeman and undercover agents came and hugged my Mom. They knew and we knew it was a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. Most wallets and purses that are stolen sadly never get returned. Not only was Mom’s returned, she got to witness in real time to the man who stole it!

I often pray for that man and think about him. I pray his life was transformed that Christmas Eve afternoon for good. 

Since then we have seen a few of those Wal-mart agents when I have gone back to that Wal-mart with Mom. They hug her every time. They were so th

And friend, please carry your purses closely and don’t turn your back on it. Pray for Psalm 91 protection and for those around you. Pray for and expect miracles. God is the Miracle-worker. 

What miracles have you experienced? I would love to hear about them. 

Merry Christmas, friend. 

“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?– Jeremiah 32:27 NIV