Sometimes the Best Stops Are the Ones We Didn’t Plan

Slowing down, taking a chance, and finding something I didn’t know I needed.

I’m a creature of habit.

I tend to go to the same places, take the same roads, and stick with what I know. And while I love discovering new things, I’m not necessarily the person who ventures into unfamiliar places alone.

But this week, I did just that.

I had a little extra time before picking up our granddaughter from school. And as I drove along a road I’ve traveled more times than I can count, I passed a farmers market I’ve noticed over and over again.

I’ve always thought about stopping. But I never did. Until this week. I slowed down, put on my turn signal, and decided to give it a try. Yep. I put my big girl panties on and went for it! Ha!

Just Follow the Pumpkins

It’s fall, friends. And if there’s one thing you can count on this time of year, it’s pumpkins.

Everywhere.

So I followed the signs, which basically meant following the pumpkins, and found myself pulling into this ‘pretty big’ farmers market.

Before heading inside, I wandered around outside, snapping a few pictures and taking it all in.

There is just something about a farmers market in the fall, isn’t there?

The pumpkins. The colors. The simplicity of it all.

And, of course, the reminder that some of the best things in life are grown, made, and shared right here in our own communities.

Eventually, I moseyed inside to see what they had. And goodness, they had a little bit of everything!

Fresh fruits and vegetables. Cakes and pies. Honey. Crafts. Dairy products. Even locally made ice cream. All the things!

I took my time looking around, making mental notes of what I might come back for another day.

And then something caught my eye.

Something I Wasn’t Expecting

Tucked away in one section was an open Bible. Above it hung little tags inviting visitors to leave prayer requests. There was even a Bedtime Prayer Cube. 🙏

Hmmm. Well, now.

That certainly got my attention. Because if there’s one thing I have plenty of these days, it’s prayer requests.

I stood there for a moment, taking it all in.

Here I was, in a farmers market I’d never visited, surrounded by pumpkins, produce, baked goods, and homemade treasures.

And right there among it all was an invitation to pray. Not something I expected to find. But something I was certainly grateful to see. So I decided to leave a request.

Only one problem. I couldn’t find a pen. I looked around. Nothing. I even looked to see if there was one I could buy. Nope. Was this a sign to not leave my request?

And for someone who had already stepped outside her comfort zone just by walking through the door, this would have been the perfect excuse to leave.

But I didn’t.

I walked all the way back to my car, grabbed a pen, and headed right back inside.

Because this was one request I wanted to leave.

A Prayer for My Family

I took one of those little tags and began writing.

Softer hearts for our family.

Grace for all.

Forgiveness.

Harmony.

Reconciliation.

All the things that could bring our family back together.

The same things I’ve prayed about every single day for what feels like forever.

I didn’t write a long explanation. I didn’t need to.

God already knows the details.

He knows the hurt. The circumstances. The misunderstandings. The things that have been said and the things left unsaid.

And He knows how deeply I long for healing.

When I finished writing, I hung my little tag on the thumbtack alongside the others.

Nearby was a message explaining that the prayer requests are read and prayed over.

And that meant something to me.

Because somewhere, someone I may never meet will be praying for my family.

Someone who doesn’t know our story.

Someone who doesn’t know our names.

But someone who believes in the power of prayer.

And sometimes, friends, that’s enough to remind us that we’re not carrying our burdens alone.

I Didn’t Buy a Thing

I took one last look around before heading out the door. And here’s the funny thing. I didn’t buy a single thing. Not a pumpkin. Not a pie. Not even that local ice cream, which, quite frankly, is a little surprising! Ha!

But I left with something. Hope.

Now, I don’t know when or how God will answer the prayer I’ve been praying.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring or whether the hearts I’m praying for will ever soften.

But I do know that I will keep praying.

And now, someone else will be praying too.

I think that’s pretty special.

Sometimes We Just Need to Slow Down

I’ve thought about that little stop several times since.

How many times had I driven past that farmers market without stopping?

How many times do we pass by something new simply because we’re comfortable with what we already know?

And how many little blessings might we miss because we’re too busy, too hesitant, or too set in our routines to take a different turn?

I went into that farmers market expecting to find fresh produce, baked goods, and maybe a few things made by local folks.

And I found all of that.

But I also found a little corner devoted to faith.

A place where someone had intentionally made room for the burdens of strangers.

And a reminder that prayer doesn’t have to happen only in a church pew or the quiet of our homes.

Sometimes it happens in the middle of a farmers market.

Right between the honey and the homemade pies.

And isn’t that something?

I’ll definitely stop again. Now I know what they offer, where I can find some wonderful local products, and what I might want to pick up next time.

But even if I don’t need a thing, I know there’s a little spot inside where I can leave a prayer.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll return one day with a different kind of message.

One of answered prayers.

Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Until then, I’ll keep praying, keep hoping, and keep reminding myself to slow down every once in a while.

Because sometimes the best stops are the ones we never planned.

And sometimes we leave with far more than we came for.

From my small town soul to yours.