I wanted out from under my parents’ thumbs—I wanted independence. It was 1975, and I was trying to find my way in the world. Hip-huggers, halter tops, bandanas, bare feet, and all. 

One weekend, I was enjoying a brief window of freedom while shopping at the mall. I was deep in my own thoughts and completely unaware of my surroundings. 

As I walked out of a store, a man approached me. He was very friendly and showered me with compliments. That got my full attention. He told me he was a producer and wanted me for a hair spray commercial. This wasn’t as bizarre as it might sound—the mall was in Los Angeles. 

I had a voice in my head that I couldn’t ignore saying, “You need to talk to your mom first!”

Of course I wanted to be in a commercial! He even had my lines all typed out for me to start practicing. He wanted me to go with him to the studio to see how I’d do on camera. 

But I had a voice in my head that I couldn’t ignore, saying, “You need to talk to your mom first!” There were no cellphones then, so I called my mom from a pay phone at the mall, and she agreed that he could meet with her, if he followed me home in his car. 

At home, he presented my mom with his business card, and we all sat in the living room discussing my new career. She asked him lots of questions, and he had an answer for all of them. She told him that she wouldn’t let me go to the studio alone and that she’d have to come with me. He said OK. He thanked her for her time and said he would send a car for us the next day.  

But the car never showed up. When I called the number on the card, the person on the phone was unaware of anyone by the name or job title on the card. The whole thing had been a lie.

My mom told me she’d been praying about the situation. She had been studying Christian Science, and my sisters and I were required to attend Christian Science Sunday School. I wanted nothing to do with it, but it wasn’t optional. Still, as it became clear that the man’s intentions had not been good, I recognized that her prayers had made a big difference in keeping me safe from danger.

My mom helped me see that I’d actually been protected from harm. She pointed out that this man couldn’t have seen my hair because it had been covered with a bandana. So then how could he have thought I’d be good for a hair spray commercial? I was devastated that my dream had been crushed, but through the disappointment, I was still grateful that it hadn’t been worse—that I hadn’t been kidnapped or harmed.

I felt something special that day, realizing that my mom’s prayers had made a difference. God says in the Bible, “Do not fear, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10, New International Version). I realized that God had been with me, protecting me from this scam. And I knew then that God is with me everywhere, whether or not I’m thinking of Him. It showed me that our “intuition” is actually God speaking to us. While I don’t need to walk around scared, I can be wise and listen for that inner sense of guidance—God’s voice. 

I’m grateful to say that after this experience, I wasn’t looking over my shoulder when I went out. While I always try to be aware of my surroundings, I also know that I am always walking with God and that that keeps me safe. 

I realized that God had been with me, protecting me from this scam.

Even if we encounter people who might appear to have ill intentions, the reality is that we are all created in God’s image and likeness, as the Bible says. God is good, and that’s what we are, too. As the reflection of God, we all include qualities such as purity, goodness, innocence, and safety. As we recognize these qualities in ourselves and others, we’ll experience more of God’s protection.

Years later, the same voice that protected me from that man at the mall also told me that my daughter needed my help. She was on a date, and I had no idea where she was. Worst of all, she wasn’t answering her phone. I prayed to know that she was in God’s care and was safe. She made it home and told me how a scary situation had de-escalated. I was so grateful to have been reminded that we are always under the watchful care of our Father-Mother God and that safety is our right. 

When you listen for God’s voice, no matter the situation, you will hear Him. And His care will be there for you—just as it was for me.