The day started with a bang!

Just three hours in to the morning, I received news that had the potential to change the direction of my future, and if it was true, I had no choice but to surrender. Goose bumps and tears, shock and peace ran through me all at once.

So later that afternoon after I dropped my daughter off at the American Girl store for a birthday party, I found myself with an hour and a half of free time. Normally, I revel in free time at the Mall of America because it means access to every store I love, and provides endless opportunities to engage with interesting people. But before I knew it, I found myself at the Nestle Toll House store buying diet soda and two chocolate chip cookies. I plopped down on a bench in front of H&M and spent a half hour pouring over the words that might change my life, trying to make sense of it all. Carefree shoppers passed with bags in their hands, and there was a part of me that wanted to forget it all and just chill, but I was in a fog – just me, my smart phone, and my Nestle cookies. Yes, I do believe those Nestle cookies provided me a bit of solace in that moment!

My time alone was running short, so after a half hour, I forced myself to get up and spend the last 45 minutes shopping! I bought a first day of school shirt for my daughter at Gymboree, and then after wandering aimlessly, found myself at Old Navy, drawn in by thoughts of a cute dress I had recently seen advertised in a magazine.

I can’t remember why it was a special day for Old Navy, but there were balloons and big signs advertising fashion shows in the rotunda. I don’t do a lot of shopping at Old Navy, but the Mall of America location is the best by far, and the promise of that dress kept me going deeper into the store. The dress was nowhere to be found, so I kept wandering back to the activewear where I picked up a few pair of workout pants as possible replacements for the one with holes I just threw in the garbage!

I held those workout pants and not-so-passionately began looking for a dressing room, but my mood got the best of me. As I thought of those potentially life changing words, worry, doubt, and uncertainty snuck in, grabbing ahold of any reserve energy I had to try on the pants. But as I hung all three pants back on the rack, I realized there was music playing in the background, louder than any music I’d ever heard in a store.

I’ll admit, as I moved further back, deeper into Old Navy to determine where the music was coming from, I quickly became annoyed with how loud it was. Empty handed, moody, annoyed and now overstimulated by the way-too-loud music, I looked around at all the clothes and people shopping and started thinking even more negatively – we’re obsessed, consumption driven maniacs driven by the acquisition of more and more, and for what?

But suddenly, I had a change of heart and my mood shifted. The volume of the music was no longer annoying because for the first time, I really listened to the words. “Don’t You Worry, Don’t You Worry Child. See heaven’s got a plan for you.” The beat was fast and the words repeated over and over, and to be honest, that music was no longer an annoyance, but a relief for all of my worrying and obsessing about something I had no control over.

So I walked a little deeper and turned right, and there was DJLow getting his groove on next to his equipment! Just the sight of him dancing helped me chill out to the next level. The song ended and my anxiety remained much lower than it had been just a few minutes earlier, so I knew I had to let DJLow know how his choice of music had impacted me so positively in that moment.

Just as I suspected, DJLow was kind and chilled out, and he waited patiently as I tried to make room on my phone to take a picture. “No worries,” he said, when I apologized for taking so long. He wished me a better day and bid farewell.

And a shy boy with little expression danced reluctantly with another brave enough to dance freely in the middle of the Old Navy store. I smiled. DJLow smiled, and kept playing his music, on and on.

(Perhaps you needed that reminder, too?)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

Amy

*If you’d like to hire DJLow for your wedding or special event, follow him on Facebook here!