Blessed to be a blessing

Today was one of those days that did not go at all as I had planned, but that's ok. really. much better than anything I could have planned!
It all started with the news that I had my first experience of car "vandalism" here in Detroit. I thought I had a muffler problem only to find out this morning from the mechanic that someone had ripped off my cadillac converter (I didn't even know this part existed until this morning). I guess it's a big thing to cut them off vehicles and sell them. Of course, this set me back financially and I was very discouraged.
Another thing I decided to do today (thanks to the loan of a vehicle by my roommate!) was stop by the home of one of our families. It was the grandma's birthday yesterday and I wanted to bring her something. She is a very special lady and such a prayer warrior. There is so much going on in that family, so many struggles as well as the consequences of generations of sin. Her two granddaughters have grown up in Bible clubs and are two of the teens I now work with. Anyway, I stopped by a local Christian bookstore and picked up some books for her and a card. She wasn't home when I dropped off the gifts, but I talked to her daughter and granddaughter.
She called me this evening. (Back to the car situation- she called right after I found out how much it was going to cost me and I was very discouraged). She thanked me for the gifts and amazing both books were ones that specifically encouraged her. One was by an author she already knew and loved and the other was a Bible Promises book (which she said she always wanted). It was neat how God used me, even though I didn't realize it at the time, to encourage her in a very specific way.
It doesn't stop there. As we talked, and she expressed burdens she has for her family, she began to encourage me, telling me to never be discouraged, to continue to do the Lord's work and He would bless me. She had no idea what just happened with my car, but said she prays specifically for the area we live in, our safety and protection. She also took time to pray for me and her family over the phone.
This was a situation where I thought I was doing ministry- only to find out I was really the one being ministered to. Her encouraging words couldn't have been more specific to my needs if she knew what they were!