Meeting Nicole Marie Heintz at a gas station in Apple Valley, Minnesota is a heartwarming reminder that we can all make a difference in someone’s life, even in the smallest of ways.
While getting gas, Nicole Marie Heintz noticed something odd. On the Love What Matters Facebook page, she wrote about her experience, which has already been shared a thousand times: “So I was on my way to work and I had to stop for gas so I gave myself some extra time to get to work.
As I approached the pump, when I turned off the car, I noticed a middle-aged man crying and looking at the pump at the gas station.
As I got out of the car and stared at the man, my heart seemed to stop. I started to wonder what happened to him.
It’s 10 degrees and wind chill in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The socks on this man’s flip-flops had holes in them.
When I look at his car, I notice that his wife is sitting in the front seat with her face buried in her hands, and the two teenage girls are huddled together in the back seat under a blanket.
Without stopping, I approached the man and asked, “Sir, is there a problem?” He didn’t even bother to hide his grief as he declared, “I can’t even take care of my family,” but I could tell by the way he looked at me that he was about to give up.
I told him that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died to take care of me as I put my card into his machine without a second thought. Fill up.
Something in him suddenly came alive. He seemed to have forgotten how to pump gas while in shock.
Once his wife realized I had just paid for their gas, she started crying and went around the corner to shake my hand. Then I noticed that his pants were dirty and torn. Just then his wife got out of the car and asked her husband what was going on.
She was invited to meet me in the car.
On my flight from California to Minnesota, the airport lost part of my luggage, so I had to clean out my closet to find clothes to wear and get rid of a lot of stuff. All the things I hadn’t donated yet were in the trunk and back seat of the car.
I let the woman into the car and told her to take whatever she needed.
She hurried back to the car. I just hugged her because I was so scared, but she and her two girls rummaged through their clothes, covering their shabby clothes with my sweaters, shirts, and sweatpants.
After quickly finishing the gas station, Father approached. The result was a small gathering at the gas station.
The older man gave the family an extra gift card, and the middle-aged man gave the father a jacket.
Never in my life would I have thought that I would witness something like this happen at a gas station with a few random individuals.
It gives me hope though. that God’s love can spread like wildfire. that others join us in trying to change the world.
God’s love is greater than all things, and we have the opportunity to share how that love transforms lives. He also always provides.
In a world where it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless, Nicole’s encounter at the gas station is a shining example of the good that still exists in the world. It’s a reminder that we all have the power to make a difference, no matter how small, and that a simple act of kindness can have a ripple effect that touches many lives.
So the next time you see someone in need, remember Nicole’s example and don’t hesitate to offer a helping hand. You never know how much of a difference you can make in someone’s life.