God Met Me in Walmart: I was looking for laundry detergent.

Why, Hello Gorgeous! I wasn't looking for a sign. I was looking for laundry detergent. And If you had told me that morning that God and I were going to have a conversation in Walmart, I would've probably laughed and said:

"Well, I hope He's bringing His wallet, because have you seen these prices?"😂

But seriously.

I wasn't having some major spiritual moment.

I wasn't fasting.

I wasn't sitting in church.

There wasn't worship music playing softly in the background.

I didn't have my Bible open with a highlighter in my hand.

Baby, I was in Walmart.

And I was tired.

Not the “I need a nap” kind of tired either.

I mean that quiet kind of tired.

The kind where you're still functioning.

Still smiling.

Still showing up.

Still answering texts.

Still going to work.

Still handling business.

But inside?

You're carrying a whole conversation nobody knows you're having. And that day, mine was with God.

I Only Needed a Few Things

Now y'all already know how this story goes.

You walk into Walmart saying:

"I'm only getting a couple things."

Famous last words.

Because twenty minutes later you've got detergent, paper towels, a candle, something from the clearance aisle, snacks you didn't come for and a cute little container you're absolutely convinced is about to organize your entire life.

Meanwhile, the ONE thing you actually came for?

Still sitting on the shelf.

That's pretty much where I was that day.

Walking.

Looking.

Thinking.

Except my mind wasn't really in Walmart.

It was everywhere else. Work. Family. Money. Business. Things I wanted to accomplish. Things I thought would've happened by now. Things I was praying about. Things I hadn't told anybody I was worried about.

You ever have so much going on in your head that your body is in one place, but your mind has about 37 tabs open?

Yeah. That was me.

"God, What Am I Supposed to Be Doing?"

I had been asking God a question.

Not some fancy prayer.

No "Father God, in the precious and matchless name..."

Listen.

Sometimes you have those prayers.

And sometimes you have:

"God...what am I doing?"

That was this one.

I was trying to live intentionally.

Trying to make good decisions.

Trying to follow where I felt God was leading me.

Trying not to compare my timeline to everybody else's highlight reel on social media. But I was frustrated. Because sometimes you can be doing all the things you're “supposed” to do... and still wonder whether any of it is working.

I wasn't necessarily asking God to give me the whole plan. I just needed something. Confirmation. Direction. Peace. A little heavenly "Girl, keep going." Something.

And if we're being completely real? I wanted Him to make it obvious.

Like... OBVIOUS obvious. 😂 No riddles, Lord. No scavenger hunt. No three-business-day processing time. Just tell me what I need to know.

Then I Saw Her...

I turned down an aisle and noticed a woman standing there. Nothing particularly unusual about her. She was shopping just like everybody else. But something about her caught my attention. She looked tired.

Not messy.

Not sad.

Not crying.

Just... tired.

And if you're a woman who has carried a lot while still looking like everything is fine, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's a look you recognize because you've worn it yourself. She was holding something in one hand while looking at her phone. Then she sighed. Not dramatically. Just one of those deep... Whewwww.

I felt that sigh in my spirit.

Because ma'am... same. 😂

We made eye contact.

I smiled.

She smiled.

And normally that would've been it.

Two strangers acknowledging each other in Walmart and going on about their business.

But something told me: Say something.

And immediately my brain said: “Girl, leave that woman alone."

Because that's what we do, right?

We ask God to use us... then when He gives us an opportunity we're like: "Wait. You mean right now?"😂

"You Good?"

Nothing profound came out of my mouth. No scripture. No sermon. No prophetic declaration in aisle seven.

I simply asked: "You good?"

She laughed.

But her eyes didn't.

"You know how it is," she said. Whew.

Four little words. You know how it is.

And unfortunately... I did.

Sometimes that's Black-woman language for: "I'm exhausted." "I'm overwhelmed." "I've been holding everything together." "I don't really want to talk about it." "I'll figure it out."

And...

"Please don't ask me another question because I might actually start crying beside these paper towels."

So I didn't push.

I just said: "Yeah. I do."

For a second we both stood there. Two women. Two carts. Two completely different lives. Probably carrying some of the same invisible weight.

Then I said something that I honestly needed to hear myself: "Just don't forget about you while you're taking care of everything else."

She looked at me. And got quiet. Then she said: "I needed that."

And That's When It Hit Me

I walked away thinking I had encouraged “her”.

But before I made it to the next aisle... it hit me.

That message wasn't just for her. It was for me too.

Here I was asking God: "What am I supposed to be doing?" "Am I on the right path?" "Does any of this matter?" And in the middle of Walmart, He reminded me of something so simple: Stop looking so hard for the big assignment that you miss the person standing right in front of you. Whew. Because sometimes we think purpose has to be huge. A platform. A business. A ministry. A title. Thousands of followers. A viral video. A microphone. A stage.

But what if purpose also looks like noticing somebody? What if sometimes your assignment is five minutes long? What if somebody's answered prayer looks like you simply asking:

"You good?"

Maybe We've Made Hearing God Too Complicated

I think sometimes we're waiting for God to communicate with us in some huge, unmistakable way. And yes, there are moments in life when the answer feels crystal clear. But I've also learned that God can get your attention through the most ordinary things.

A conversation.

A delay.

A stranger.

A song.

Something your child says.

A quiet drive home.

A closed door you were mad about until six months later. Even Walmart.

That's why intentional living matters so much to me. Because when you're constantly rushing... constantly scrolling... constantly worrying... constantly trying to get to the next thing... you can miss what's happening in the thing you're in “right now”.

The Thing About Being the Strong One

That woman stayed on my mind. Because I wondered how many women walked past her that day and saw absolutely nothing wrong. And honestly? There probably wasn't anything "wrong." She was functioning. And that's the dangerous part. We have somehow confused functioning with being okay. Especially as Black women.

We know how to make it happen.

We'll pray and keep moving.

Cry in the bathroom and come back out.

Handle the kids.

Go to work.

Answer the phone.

Pay the bill.

Encourage somebody else.

Show up at church.

Post the picture.

Put on some lip gloss.

And keep it pushing.

Sometimes strength becomes such a normal part of our identity that we don't even recognize when we're running on empty.

Everybody sees: "She's got it." Meanwhile you're thinking: "I really don't."

And maybe that's why that woman's sigh caught my attention... I recognized it.

God Isn't Only in the "Spiritual" Places

One of the things I love most about Jesus' ministry is how many meaningful moments happened during ordinary life. He talked to people while traveling. While eating. Near wells. Inside homes. Along roads. In crowds. He met people where they were. Not just where religion said they should be. That's why Psalm 139:7–10 means something different when you really think about it:

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"

The passage goes on to remind us that wherever we go, God is there. And sometimes I think we know that scripture... without actually living like we believe it. We look for God at church on Sunday. But what about Monday morning? What about the school drop-off line? What about sitting in traffic? What about when you're folding clothes? What about when you're frustrated at work? What about when you're walking through Walmart trying to remember why you came in there? He's there too.

Maybe You Don't Need Another Sign

This might be the part that steps on somebody's toes. Mine included.

Sometimes we're asking God for another sign... when He's already shown us the next step. We're just waiting for something bigger. Maybe you already know you need to rest. Maybe you already know that relationship is draining you. Maybe you already know you need to make the appointment. Start the business. Forgive yourself. Set the boundary. Make the phone call. Take the class. Apply for the position. Spend more time with your family. Get serious about your finances. Stop shrinking. Or simply slow down.

Sometimes the answer isn't hidden. It's just not dramatic.

And baby... we love dramatic confirmation. 😂

We want God to send an email:

FROM: GOD

SUBJECT: HERE'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

With bullet points.

A timeline.

And preferably guaranteed results.

But faith doesn't always work like that. Sometimes you get enough light for the next step. And then you have to walk...

I Finished My Shopping Differently

Nothing magical happened after that. Nobody came over the intercom and said: "Attention Walmart shoppers: Monica has officially received her confirmation."

The lights didn't flicker.

The heavens didn't open.

I finished shopping.

Paid for my stuff.

Probably spent more than I planned.

And walked back to my car.

But I wasn't the same woman who had walked in.

Because my circumstances hadn't changed... but my attention had. And sometimes that's the shift. We keep asking God to change everything around us... when He's trying to change what we're noticing.

So Let Me Ask You Something

When was the last time you slowed down enough to notice your own life?

Not analyze it.

Not criticize it.

Not compare it.

“Notice it.”

Notice what makes you smile.

Notice what's draining you.

Notice the people who bring peace.

Notice the places where you keep feeling resistance.

Notice what keeps coming back to your heart.

Notice the conversations that hit differently.

Notice the thing you've been pretending doesn't bother you.

Notice yourself. Because your life is talking to you. And sometimes God is too.

Your Intentional Reset for This Week

I don't want to give you seven steps. You don't need another checklist. I want you to do one thing:

Pay attention.

For the next seven days, give yourself permission to slow down enough to notice. Before reaching for your phone first thing in the morning, sit quietly for a minute. When something keeps bothering you, don't immediately push it away. When somebody crosses your mind, consider checking on them. When you feel peace about something, notice that too. And at the end of each day ask:

"God, what were You showing me today that I almost missed?"

That's it.

No pressure to manufacture some deep revelation.

Just pay attention.

A Few Questions for the Woman Reading This

Before you leave, sit with these:

Where have I been going through the motions lately?

What have I been asking God about repeatedly?

Is there something He's already shown me that I've been afraid to act on?

Who around me might need to simply be noticed?

And maybe the biggest one:

When was the last time I asked myself, "You good?"—and actually answered honestly? Don't rush your answer.

God Met Me in Walmart

I walked into Walmart looking for laundry detergent. I walked out remembering something I already knew but desperately needed to feel again:

God knows exactly where to find me.

Not just when I'm praying perfectly.

Not just when I'm sitting in church.

Not just when my faith feels strong.

Not just when I have everything together.

He can meet me tired.

Confused.

Distracted.

Frustrated.

Standing in an aisle with a shopping cart and 37 tabs open in my head. And maybe today you needed that reminder too. You don't have to get yourself into some perfect spiritual position before God can reach you. You might just need to slow down enough to recognize that He's already there. Because intentional living isn't about creating a perfect life. It's about being present enough to recognize the life you're already living... and making today's choices line up with tomorrow's purpose.

So this week... Look around. Listen. Pay attention.

Because you never know. God might meet you in Walmart too.

Let's Talk

Have you ever had God speak to you, encourage you, redirect you or answer something you'd been praying about in the most random, everyday place?

Tell me about it in the comments.

I want to hear those stories.

And if you're a woman learning how to choose peace over pressure, get off autopilot and live with more intention—mind, body and spirit—subscribe and meet me back here next week.

Because next week's conversation starts with a woman sitting in her car... in the church parking lot... long after everybody else had gone inside.

And the reason she hadn't gotten out yet? Whew...

As always, I'm eager to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Let's continue celebrating this beautiful creation of life's masterpiece together.