The other day I was feeling a bit nostalgic about my time in Spain. I remembered how I tried to be purposeful during my time there, even though I wasn’t strong in my walk.
On a Sunday morning in Sevilla, I was not able to find a church service to attend therefore I went to the local coffee shop and decided to spend my time journaling and reading the Bible.
While I was reading, a lady came up to me with a branch and wanted to give it to me. I thought, “This lady is crazy – why would she want to give me a tree branch as a gift?” I rejected her offer of the gift and then she proceeds to tell me that she will read my palm for a few euros. I said “No, thanks.” She then left.
A little later, after walking around the town and meeting up with a few of my friends, we passed by the cathedral. There were women with branches, by the steps, trying to give them out to people. One of my friends grabbed a branch being offered to her, saying that she loves the smell of rosemary, when the woman stopped her and started to read her palm. I immediately realized that it was a scam so I told the other girl with me to hurry up and walk away. One of the ladies grabbed her by the arm and started to read her palm! I ended up putting my hands in my pockets and an older lady offered me a rosemary branch and to read my future.
I told her, “No, thanks. It’s against my beliefs.”
She questions, “How so?”
“I’m a Christian. The only one that knows my future is God.”
“Are your friends Christian?”
“Yeah.”
“Then if they’re doing it, you can too.”
“I don’t need to do it. I have read it in the Bible where it says not to. I don’t really want to know my future.”
“I’m sure God is going to give you a wonderful life and I pray that he gives you a great husband; you’re a very pretty girl.”
“Thanks! I have already prayed for my husband and I know that God has him chosen for me.”
The lady talking to me kept getting close to me but I would back up, still with my hands in my pockets. I turn and look at my friends that have been harassed by the women and I see 100€ bills and 50€ bills flying out of wallets and then the women arguing among themselves. I just had to laugh at the scene, even though it was costing my friends a pretty penny.
The realization that these women were scamming people hit me and I thanked God that I was ignorant when it came to botany because it kept me safe from being scammed by these women; who as it turned out, were gypsies.
Later on, in a different city, Málaga, I was with a friend at the local’s favorite churro place. There was a lady selling lottery tickets to people. She was passing by each table twice…But she never stopped at our table.
Reason being… SHE WAS THE GYPSY I HAD ENCOUNTERED IN SEVILLA!
She was going to stop at our table- until she recognized me and said, “You’re the girl I met in Sevilla.” In which she walked on by. I had to giggle because I was in a town about 2-3 hours away and she was there doing the same thing – scamming people. What a purposeless life – to be conning people out of their money.
I pray for that lady; I pray that my stance in God and trusting the future that He alone has for me, has convicted her in a way that only God can.

Gypsy lady, wherever you are, I pray that you are being shown how much you need to rely on God for your future instead of lying and cheating yourself, and others, out of a wonderful purpose for which you were created.
What are some moments in which you took a stance for Jesus and how did it play out?
WOW, what an experience! I’m so glad you stayed strong and stated your belief in the TRUE GOD “who knows the plans He’s made for us” ❤
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I’m hopeful that the stance I made, even if it’s just by those few words, will have planted a seed that will grow in God’s timing!
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It probably will 🙂
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