When a Penny Reminds You to Trust God

Next Sunday is Mother’s Day in the United States. I found out that most countries celebrate Mother’s Day on the second weekend in May, although a few celebrate on different dates.

Just like many holidays, Mother’s Day can be an incredible time of joy and happiness for some people, and for others, it can be a day they dread seeing on the calendar. My mother, whom I am so blessed to still have in my life, told me she was already sick of seeing Mother’s Day blasted everywhere. She is a mother herself, but she also knows that not every heart feels the same way on that day.

Some women are missing their mothers. Some are grieving children. Some wanted to be mothers and never were. Some have strained relationships that make the day feel anything but sweet. So, as much as I love celebrating the women in our lives, I also think we need to be tender with the people around us who may be quietly hurting.

So this year, I am not really going to post about Mother’s Day. Instead, I want to talk about the power of a penny.

A Small Reminder in an Ordinary Place

Now, before you think I’ve gone completely off the rails and started a financial planning series based on loose change, hang with me.

In 2024, I wrote a post about silence. I mentioned that I had asked the Lord for guidance, like I do every week, but all I seemed to hear was silence. Don’t get me wrong, the Lord does not speak to me audibly, but I do try to pay attention to the little clues He may be leaving me.

This week, I kept getting the same message over and over again. In God We Trust.

Why I Always Pick Up a Penny

I have heard the old saying, “Find a penny, pick it up, all day long, you’ll have good luck,” but I never knew there was more to it. The rest says, “Give it to a faithful friend, then your luck will never end.”

I can’t say that I believe my luck has changed because I found a penny on the ground. But I do believe I am richer for the experience, even if it is only by one cent.

The real reason I feel richer is because of the words printed on that penny. In God We Trust.

Those four little words are easy to overlook. They are printed on something so small that most people walk right past it. Some people won’t bend down for a penny anymore. They don’t think it is worth the effort. But I do.

Every time I see one, I pick it up. Then I try to say to myself, “In God, I trust.”

That tiny penny feels like a gentle reminder from the Lord. It is not flashy. It is not loud. It is not some dramatic sign in the sky. It is just a little copper-colored reminder lying there, waiting for me to notice. And this week, I noticed.

When God Repeated the Message

I was making the bed when I saw a penny on the floor. I bent down, picked it up, and said, “In God, I trust.” Then I stuffed it in my pants pocket and went downstairs to publish my morning newsletter.

Once the newsletter was published, I opened my email to check for sales and see what packages were coming in. I also get a daily Verse of the Day sent to me, and when I read it, my mouth flew open.

Psalm 25:1 (NIV)
¹ In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.

Well, alrighty then.

I was starting to get the message loud and clear.

All day long, I kept rubbing the penny in my pocket. Every time I felt it, I was reminded to trust the Lord. It gave me a warm feeling, like the Lord was gently tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “I’ve got you.”

Trusting God at 3:00 AM

But later that night, once everything was quiet, I woke up around 3:00 AM with doubt about a recent decision.

Isn’t that how worry likes to work? It does not usually show up when you are busy and distracted. It waits until the house is quiet, the lights are off, and your brain decides it is the perfect time to hold a board meeting.

I tossed and turned, repeating Psalm 25:1 in my mind. “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.”

Then this thought came to me.

If you are trusting Me so much, why are you fretting?

Ouch. That one stepped on my toes.

I knew the truth immediately. I was saying I trusted the Lord, but I was still trying to hold on to the outcome. I was still turning it over in my mind, looking at it from every angle, and trying to make sure I had not missed anything.

In other words, I was trusting Him, but I was also keeping one hand on the steering wheel.

I repented and asked the Lord to forgive me for doubting. Then I rolled over and finally went back to sleep.

The Situation Hadn’t Changed, But My Heart Had

The next morning, when my eyes opened, I realized my heart was beating, my lungs were filling with air, and there was a quiet trust in my heart that had not been there earlier.

Nothing had changed about the situation. But something had changed in me.

I found the pants I had worn the day before, took the penny out of the pocket, and put it in my cardigan pocket, where it is still sitting. I want to keep it there a little longer.

Not because the penny has any power, but because the Lord used it to remind me where my trust belongs.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

What It Really Means to Trust God

That verse is easy to quote, but it is much harder to live out at 3:00 in the morning when your mind is running wild.

Trusting God does not mean we never have questions. It does not mean we never feel afraid. It does not mean we never wonder if we made the right decision.

It means that when those worries come, we take them back to Him. Again and again, if we have to.

The Lord knows we are human. He knows we worry, overthink, and occasionally act like we are the ones in charge.

Trusting God means admitting that His view is better than ours. He sees the beginning, the middle, and the end, while we are usually standing in the hallway asking why this door has not opened yet.

One Little Penny, One Big Reminder

A penny may not be worth much in the world’s eyes, but this week, one little penny reminded me of something priceless. In God, I trust.

Not in my timing.
Not in my understanding.
Not in my ability to figure everything out.
Not in my late-night worrying, which has never solved one single thing.

In God, I trust.

I hope today is a good day for you and your family. But even if it is not the easiest day, I hope you will remember that you are still blessed, still loved, and still held by the One who sees what you cannot see yet.

And in order to spread a little happiness and trust, I may start randomly dropping pennies for others to find.

So, if you see a penny on the ground this week, maybe pick it up. It might be worth more than you think.

To GOD Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!

Let’s End With A Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for the small reminders You place in our path. Help us to trust You, not just when life feels easy, but also when worry wakes us up in the middle of the night. Forgive us for the times we say we trust You while still trying to control the outcome. Teach us to lean on Your wisdom instead of our own understanding, and remind us that You are always working, even when we cannot see it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.