Yellow shoes

Do you believe in signs from God?
Back in 2001, I was pregnant for the first time. Something horrible happened in my business (don’t ask) and because I was pregnant, I didn’t have have the energy to fight back. I didn’t know how to proceed. So I talked to my sister and she told me that if you need a sign from God, ask for something difficult and specific.

I know this sounds super shallow, but during that time there was a Stephen Sprouse x Louis Vuitton bag I really wanted. I saw it in the shop (when it used to be at 6750) but it was reserved by someone else.
I told God, if you want me to give this up (the problem), please let me have the bag.
A few days later I got a call from Louis Vuitton (and I was not a VIP customer), they told me the bag was now available because the one who had reserved it changed her mind.
The bag is very special to me. I ended up selling the business.

Lately I’ve been praying to God more often. This year 2014 hasn’t been good for me, but through the kindness and prayers of friends and family, I’m still here.
Last June 12, I prayed to God for a sign. “Are you with me? My faith is weak and I need to know if You are with me.”
“What sign do you want?” was the question I got back.
“Ask for something difficult and specific,” I remembered my sister’s words.
“Yellow shoes. On a man. I have to see yellow shoes on a man before June 18.”
Yellow shoes.
Who the hell wears yellow shoes in Manila, I thought. This is going to be difficult.

So the next three days I kept looking at people’s shoes in the mall, in the hospital, in the supermarket.
I saw nothing. Then on June 15 I was feeling kind of sick. I took an Advil PM and went to bed. I could not open my eyes when Netherlands played against Spain in the middle of the night.
Once in a while I could hear my husband getting excited.
“Are we winning?” I would ask. “What’s the score?”
Netherlands ended up winning the game 5-1.
The following day my husband was on the Dutch Telegraaf watching the five magical goals that made them win, and showed them to me.
Here’s what happened.

“Wait. Are those green or yellow shoes?”
“Yellow,” said Jeroen. Pause.
I told him about my prayer.
The entire Spanish football team, plus two Dutch players that scored important goals, wore yellow shoes.
“If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is,” Jeroen said.

Last week I finally saw a man at the Shang—live in and in person—in yellow shoes. I wanted to stop him and take a picture for my blog. But I was too shy.
June 16 was the first time I watched a World Cup game this year. Since then I’ve been seeing yellow shoes all the time, almost everyday.
Is God with me? I certainly hope so.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10